Tennessee Football Three Keys: Kentucky

How to beat the Kentucky Wildcats

Three keys Tennessee

The Tennessee Volunteers can’t look ahead to the Georgia Bulldogs. It’s human nature to start dreaming about that game against the defending national champions, but first things first: The Vols have to handle Kentucky and its strong defense.

It’s true that Tennessee has been enormously successful against Kentucky over the past 40 years, barely losing to the Wildcats in any situation or circumstance, but that doesn’t guarantee success this Saturday in Neyland Stadium. Kentucky would love nothing more than to ruin the Vols’ national championship and College Football Playoff dreams. Tennessee has to stay on task and make a very conscious effort to postpone its thoughts and hopes about the Georgia game for one week. That game will be bigger if Tennessee can do the job against Big Blue in Neyland Stadium:

1 – Hendon Hooker decision-making

Hendon Hooker is the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. Yes, if we are going to be honest about his chances, they ride mostly on the Georgia game, but he obviously has to stay the course and do well against Kentucky in order for the Georgia game to be a decisive moment in his and Tennessee’s season. Hooker has been a lot better this year at making the right read and making the right decision with the ball. That has to continue here against Kentucky, whose defense is disciplined and will make Hooker pay if he is not sharp and not focused. This is a letdown/look-ahead situation for Hooker. Playing with real clarity and poise in this game would show us that Hooker has fully evolved. He has made great improvements this season, but the tests are only just beginning for him. Let’s see if he can be locked in for the Wildcats.


Also see: SEC Football Preview/Prediction: Kentucky at Tennessee


2 – Bru McCoy

Jalin Hyatt is the superstar receiver on this team. Accordingly, he will receive the vast majority of Kentucky’s attention on film and in the game plan Mark Stoops creates for the Vols. Therefore, Bru McCoy – who made a big late-game catch against Alabama – needs to be ready to step up and take some of the pressure off his teammate. A big game from McCoy will make it harder for Kentucky to double-team Hyatt or do other things to limit the potency of the Tennessee passing game. McCoy playing well will make it harder for Georgia to scheme against UT’s offense when the Dawgs face the Vols in November.

3 – Shut down the big play on defense

Last year’s UK-UT game was a wild shootout. The Vols don’t have to be great on defense, but they can’t let Kentucky score quickly and easily. Tennessee’s defense basically has to keep opponents under 30 points and prevent them from controlling the ball for very long periods of time. As long as the Vols don’t give up huge plays or lots of fourth-down conversions, they should be fine.


Also see: Kentucky Football Three Keys: Tennessee


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