Florida football: Tennessee’s hope vs Gators rely on Hendon Hooker’s legs
The Florida Gators opened up as a 10-point underdog against the Tennessee Volunteers. Given the struggles Florida football had against USF on Saturday, it might not be an unfair number. The Gators have been subpar at stopping the run in two of its three games and there are many legitimate questions as to if Florida has SEC-level linebackers.
Stylistically though, the approach Tennessee takes on offense might just play right into the Gators’ hands and the real cat-and-mouse game will be whether or not the Volunteers force Florida to depend on its linebackers.
Florida football: Hendon Hooker is a one-read, run-first QB
Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker had a lot of hype coming into the 2022 season. His 2021 statistics were certainly impressive, with 2,945 yards passing with 31 TDs and only three interceptions. Hooker also added 616 yards rushing with five TDs on the ground.
It is worth pointing out though that Todd Grantham, the man who was befuddled by everyone, figured out how to stop Hooker last season.
In last year’s matchup, the Gators played their corners close to the line on scrimmage and pressed/jammed the Volunteer receivers. While there were a couple of coverage breakdowns that led to two long touchdowns, Florida defensive backs were able to lock up Tennessee’s receivers for the most part.
On pass plays, Hooker usually made one read and if he didn’t like what he saw or felt the route wouldn’t open in time he would look to run. As a pure scrambler, the Gators were able to spy Hooker and were usually in his face by the time he took off.
Hooker finished last year with 13-23 passing for 221 yards and two touchdowns, keeping in mind the two touchdowns were off coverage busts. He ran the ball 13 times for just 23 yards.
Florida football: Tennessee has the need for speed
Part of why Hooker usually only makes one read is because Tennessee’s offense is designed to put opposing defenses on their heels and make Hooker’s job quite simple. The Volunteers love to utilize tempo and their goal is to get the snap off within 20 seconds of the previous play ending.
This is where the status of Ventrell Miller might decide the game. With Miller out against USF, the Gators looked lost on where to set up pre-snap. Beyond Amari Burney, the Gators don’t have a veteran inside linebacker ready to step up and take that role. And Burney isn’t exactly a field general himself.
If Miller is healthy, this is a matchup that plays into the Gators’ strengths. When Tennessee played Pittsburgh in week two, the Volunteers employed many of the same concepts they were using last year:
- Three WR, one TE, one RB
Sometimes the TE is sent outside and sometimes he lines up in a traditional TE slot. The Vols don’t really set up in the two TE sets that Utah and USF (at times) used to gash Florida in the run game, and even when in one TE it’s often a run blocker. Tennessee only has six completed passes to TEs this year.
For that matter, they only have three completed passes to running backs. A lot of Tennessee’s offense this year has been vertically based. Jalin Hyatt played in nine games for the Volunteers last year (including a zero-catch outing against Florida) and has already surpassed his receiving yards from last year. He has 18 catches for 267 yards this year.
Cedric Tillman is the real threat at receiver for Tennessee. He torched Pitt for nine catches and 161 yards, including a 61-yard catch that was inches from a touchdown. Tillman went for over 1,000 yards receiving last season and is on NFL draft radars.
Against Pitt, Tennessee loved to line Tillman out wide with their TE. Knowing the TE was often a decoy, it will benefit Florida to largely ignore the TE and focus on Tillman.
The storyline to watch though is if Tillman will be healthy on Saturday. He left the game against Akron, did not return, and is listed as questionable with what is believed to be a high-ankle sprain.
So the matchup almost favors Florida because it should be a true test of what Florida’s corners can do. Tennessee is not a great traditional running team. Despite playing Akron and Ball State, to go along with Pitt, the Vols are only averaging 4.2 yards per rushing attempt (Florida by comparison has 6.4 yards per attempt).
Jason Marshall, Jalen Kimber, and Devin Moore should see plenty of action this game and if they can hold up in pass protection and get even moderate help from Trey Dean and Rashad Torrence, Florida should be okay as long as Brenton Cox doesn’t go flying so far up field that he loses the end and allows Hooker a chance to escape (which Cox has done a much better job doing since the Utah game). Burney can defend the TE that Tennessee doesn’t throw to and Miller can act as a spy since Tennessee doesn’t use their RBs in the flat a ton.
If Miller is out, Shemar James looked far more competent, and at least had an idea of where to be, compared to Scooby Williams against USF.
If Tennessee lines up in heavier/two tight end sets, it’s clear they want to test Florida’s run defense and are more confident in attacking a weakness in the Gators rather than play to their strengths.
If Tennessee lines up in their normal sets, and Tillman is not healthy, this game could come down to Hooker’s ability to escape and make plays with his legs. Florida’s ability to keep contain him in the pocket may make or break the Volunteers on offense.
This will be a fascinating tactical matchup for Patrick Toney to approach and one he needs to win for Florida football to have a chance in Knoxville.
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