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Vols lean on dynamic young QB, WRs

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee coach Derek Dooley isn't sure if Tyler Bray has figured out how to checkdown pass to his second or third target options. The young quarterback is too focused on making big plays to go with a shorter and sometimes safer option.

That's OK with Dooley as long as the Volunteers' passing game remains as strong against Cincinnati this week as it was in a 42-16 victory against Montana on Saturday.

"Tyler's biggest challenge right now is not losing his aggressiveness, not losing his risk taking but knowing when to drop it down, hit a checkdown," Dooley said. "I don't think he's hit one yet in seven starts. That will come. What I don't want to say is, 'Throw it to the checkdown, Tyler,' and then all of a sudden he loses that juice because that helps us and we can push it down the field."

Bray and sophomore wide receivers Justin Hunter and Da'Rick Rogers were dynamic in the win and helped the Vols overcome a slow start in the running game. Bray was 17 for 24 with three touchdowns and 293 yards in a little over three quarters of play, while Hunter had 146 yards and a touchdown on six catches and Rogers picked up 100 yards and a touchdown with five catches.

"(Bray) is an outstanding quarterback," Montana coach Robin Pflugrad. "He will probably go on to make a living at it."

It was the seventh consecutive game Bray threw two or more touchdown passes, tying the record team streak set by Peyton Manning in 1997. Hunter and Rogers were the Vols' first pair of 100-yard receivers since Lucas Taylor and Austin Rogers did it against Southern Mississippi in 2007.

"You can see (Bray) has a lot of confidence," Hunter said. "He trusts me and Da'Rick more to give us the ball, so I think his completion percentage is going to be real high."

The trio's biggest plays — a 47-yard touchdown pass from Bray to Rogers and an 81-yard scoring connection between Bray and Hunter — got the most attention. But Dooley was just as pleased with the way the sophomore quarterback managed the offense, something that proved challenging for him in six starts last season as a freshman.

"He was poised out there," the coach said. "There are still some plays he could have done better, but for the most part he managed the game very well."

The plays Dooley wasn't thrilled with included two would-be interceptions that were nullified by a pair of pass interference calls on the Grizzlies. He felt Bray made bad decisions on both plays, though tight end Mychal Rivera probably could have caught the ball on one of them had he not been shoved to the ground by a defender.

Still, the 71 percent completion rate was enough to get a smile and a fist pump after the game from Bray, who had previously said he wanted to maintain a 70 percent completion rate.

Dooley was also happy with the way Hunter and Rogers have developed over the past year. The pair showed their potential and talent as freshmen in 2010 but also at times showed they hadn't quite grasped the playbook or their routes.

For now the coach is happy relying on the two young receivers rather than spreading the ball around.

"If we can feed it to those two about 15 (times) a game, we won't have to," Dooley said. "If (opponents) start taking that away, then we're going to need some other guys. But those guys are pretty good receivers. What I don't want to do is say, 'Hey we don't want to show a tendency that we're throwing to Justin Hunter,' and then throw it to these other guys and they (only) make five yards. I'd rather just feed it to the guy as long as he can catch it."
 

Mr.Po

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The Vols passing game is going to be scary good with this trio barring any mental meltdowns or injuries. If the rest of the team can mature as fast it may be sooner rather than later that big orange football is considered relevant again not just in the SEC but as a whole among the elite in college football. Still a year and another solid draft class away IMO.
 
C

Cr122

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Why do we need two NCAA Football Threads?

If you look, there's already one posted.

General Sports, page 4, 8th thread down.
 
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The Vols passing game is going to be scary good with this trio barring any mental meltdowns or injuries. If the rest of the team can mature as fast it may be sooner rather than later that big orange football is considered relevant again not just in the SEC but as a whole among the elite in college football. Still a year and another solid draft class away IMO.

Bray and Hunter are going to be like "lol bye" to the NFL draft after next year.

Unfortunately.
 

Mr.Po

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Tennessee on the verge of being shat upon by the NCAA?

Regarding the football program most of the shat got sprayed upon Kiffin as he took his baggage to USC. Now the B-ball team is another story.............
 

cmd34

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Bray and Hunter are going to be like "lol bye" to the NFL draft after next year.

Unfortunately.

Did you see Janzen Jackson ended up at McNeese State? He can play now and I'm guessing he goes pro at season's end.
 
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Did you see Janzen Jackson ended up at McNeese State? He can play now and I'm guessing he goes pro at season's end.

I didn't see that. I wish the kid the best. He's uber talented. Not sure what his issues were.


Meanwhile...

Vols @ Cincinatti...

Tyler Bray to Justin Hunter. Two early first rounders playing pitch and catch.

7-7 and Vols went for an onside kick, recovered, and are driving down the field.
 
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Just as a type that, Bray hits Hunter for 33 yards and a touchdown.

Bray is 6-6, 96 yards, and 1 td.

Kid is good. Real good. Only a sophmore.
 
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Can we draft the complete Alabama starting secondary next year ?

With maybe a mix from OU(I think they are too young though)
 

Mr.Po

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I didn't see that. I wish the kid the best. He's uber talented. Not sure what his issues were.


Meanwhile...

Vols @ Cincinatti...

Tyler Bray to Justin Hunter. Two early first rounders playing pitch and catch.

7-7 and Vols went for an onside kick, recovered, and are driving down the field.

Jackson had drug issues and was given numerous second chances which he failed to take advantage of.

Tenn vs. Cinn today...........

Bray 34/41 for 404 and 4 td's
Rogers 10 rec 99yds 2 Td's
Hunter 10 rec 156yds 1 Td Scary trio when clicking

As a side note why doesn't Penn State do what needs to be done. I know Paterno is an institution at Penn State but haven't they seen enough to realize it's time to move on from the past. All legendary coaches have an expiration date and he bypassed his a long time ago.
 

Cythim

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That was a good finish to the Michigan/Notre Dame game. Both teams are mediocre.
 

cmd34

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I'm sure. It was fun while it lasted though.

That may just be blind optimism on my part. USC has only looked good in the 1st halves of each of their 2 barely won games.
 
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