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Here are the Vols' national rankings in all major statistical categories after six games. Green means Top 30, red means Bottom 30, and yellow is the big, fat middle. Note the caveats before proceeding. First up is the Stuff UT is Doing Well.
What Tennessee is doing well
Really, not much changed after the Georgia game. Tennessee still ranks in the Top 10 in the nation in five different statistical categories. They can still intercept passes (just not against Aaron Murray). They still don't allow defenses to get all up in their backfield. They're still a pretty disciplined team.
The one new arrival to the Top 30 this week is 4th Down Conversion Pct, which is attributable to a series of 4th down calls by Butch Jones and plays by the guys that would have gone down into Tennessee lore had they won (and may regardless). Also, Rushing Offense is knocking on the door to the Top 30 club.
Categories in which Tennessee is in the Top 30 | ||||||||
Category | 2011 | 2012 | AP | WKU | OR | FL | SA | GA |
Passes Intercepted | 86 | 56 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
Tackles for Loss Allowed | 38 | 9 | 54 | 29 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 4 |
4th Down Conversion Pct | 91 | 80 | - | - |
1 |
43 | 42 | 4 |
Turnovers Gained | 91 | 95 | 26 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
Fewest Penalty Yards Per Game | 51 | 67 | - | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
Fewest Penalties Per Game | 56 | 92 | - | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 17 |
Red Zone Defense | 47 | 115 | - | 5 | 19 | 30 | 26 | 24 |
Pass Sacks Allowed | 40 | 5 | 23 | 18 | 5 | 11 | 19 | 25 |
Dropped out: Kickoff Returns (now 36), Fumbles Recovered (now 37)
New Arrivals: 4th Down Conversion Pct (previously 42)
Where Tennessee needs major improvement
The passing game is still bottom of the class. Apart from that, First Downs Defense and Team Pass Sacks need major improvement. Total Offense did manage to escape the cellar this week, so there's that.
Categories in which Tennessee is in the Bottom 30 | ||||||||
Category | 2011 | 2012 | AP | WKU | OR | FL | SA | GA |
Passing Offense | 50 | 15 | 101 | 108 | 114 | 114 | 112 | 111 |
Passes Had Intercepted | 63 | 83 | 1 | 39 | 17 | 99 | 112 | 107 |
4th Down Conversion Pct Defense | 48 | 86 | 34 | 70 | 113 | 105 | 91 | 107 |
First Downs Defense | 18 | 86 | 8 | 39 | 83 | 88 | 98 | 106 |
Turnovers Lost | 20 | 58 | 25 | 31 | 32 | 103 | 112 | 106 |
Passing Yards per Completion | 102 | 90 | 103 | 105 | 105 | 102 | ||
Team Passing Efficiency | 69 | 31 | 25 | 46 | 72 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Team Pass Sacks | 100 | 98 | 41 | 48 | 50 | 77 | 92 | 101 |
New Arrivals: 4th Down Conversion Pct Defense (previously 91), Team Pass Sacks (previously 92)
Climbed out: 3rd Down Conversion Pct Defense (now 89), Total Offense (now 90)
THE BIG FAT MIDDLE
And here's the rest, for tracking purposes. Rushing Offense and Punt Return Defense have a chance to get into the Top 30, while Fumbles Lost, 3rd Down Conversion Pct Defense, and Total Offense are just barely out of the Bottom 30.
Categories in which Tennessee is in the Middle of the Rankings | ||||||||
Category | 2011 | 2012 | AP | WKU | OR | FL | SA | GA |
Rushing Offense | 116 | 61 | 11 | 23 | 29 | 46 | 34 | 32 |
Punt Return Defense | 85 | 67 | 2 | 43 | 93 | 80 | 59 | 33 |
Kickoff Returns | 41 | 80 | 1 | 7 | 19 | 29 | 28 | 36 |
Fumbles Recovered | 71 | 113 | - | 22 | 48 | 15 | 28 | 37 |
Team Passing Efficiency Defense | 14 | 10 | 71 | 72 | 36 | 37 | ||
First Downs Offense | 98 | 20 | 12 | 26 | 43 | 65 | 35 | 41 |
Punt Returns | 61 | 22 | 28 | 40 | 60 | 56 | 47 | 41 |
Net Punting | 104 | 52 | 7 | 101 | 104 | 95 | 72 | 44 |
Turnover Margin | 59 | 88 | 24 | 3 | 4 | 29 | 41 | 53 |
Scoring Offense | 106 | 22 | 20 | 13 | 41 | 59 | 59 | 55 |
3rd Down Conversion Pct | 56 | 81 | 13 | 26 | 52 | 56 | 58 | 59 |
Team Tackles for Loss | 67 | 48 | 38 | 29 | 55 | 56 | 81 | 72 |
Red Zone Offense | 58 | 29 | 1 | 59 | 52 | 63 | 68 | 73 |
Scoring Defense | 36 | 104 | 1 | 15 | 73 | 73 | 74 | 75 |
Kickoff Return Defense | 7 | 47 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 88 | 76 | 76 |
Passing Yards Allowed | 12 | 111 | 17 | 38 | 102 | 80 | 82 | 78 |
Time of Possession | 37 | 116 | 55 | 70 | 45 | 84 | 85 | 78 |
Total Defense | 28 | 107 | 11 | 29 | 90 | 82 | 78 | 79 |
Rushing Defense | 69 | 85 | 19 | 43 | 65 | 75 | 71 | 80 |
Fumbles Lost | 6 | 28 | 57 | 32 | 56 | 92 | 81 | 89 |
3rd Down Conversion Pct Defense | 57 | 50 | 10 | 60 | 81 | 103 | 96 | 89 |
Total Offense | 104 | 18 | 51 | 65 | 78 | 103 | 93 | 90 |
Players in the Top 30
Rajion Neal is quietly becoming a star. He's 11th and 12th in the nation in Rushing Yards and Rushing TDs. And good for Michael Palardy, who is solid, solid, solid this year.
And welcome to Devaun Swafford, who always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Swafford is from Dobyns-Bennett High School, half a mile from my store, and we sponsor their football games. Swafford is awesome, and he was basically the second-best guy on his team last year. Who was first? Malik Foreman. Why haven't we seen more of Malik? He plays the same position as Cam Sutton. Hey, look! It's depth!
Player | Stat | 2011 | 2012 | AP | WKU | OR | FL | SA | GA |
Devaun Swafford | Punt Return TDs | 5 | |||||||
Michael Palardy | Punting | 19 | 26 | 22 | 8 | ||||
Rajion Neal | Rushing Yards | 19 | 11 | ||||||
Rajion Neal | Rushing TDs | 28 | 12 | ||||||
Rajion Neal | Rushing Yards Per Game | 15 | 25 | ||||||
Brian Randolph | Interceptions | 3 | 14 | 25 | 21 | 28 | |||
Vincent Dallas | Kickoff Returns | 12 | |||||||
Rajion Neal | Scoring | 14 | |||||||
Dontavis Sapp | Fumbles Recovered | 23 | |||||||
Max Arnold | Fumbles Recovered | 23 | |||||||
Brent Brewer | Forced Fumbles | 24 | |||||||
Dontavis Sapp | Forced Fumbles | 24 | |||||||
Rajion Neal | Rushing Yards | 15 | 27 | ||||||
Justin Worley | Passing Efficiency | 28 | |||||||
Daniel Hood | Interceptions | 7 | |||||||
Malik Foreman | Interceptions | 7 | |||||||
Justin Worley | Points Responsible For | 13 | |||||||
Devrin Young | Punt Returns | 28 | 21 | ||||||
Daniel Hood | Passes Defended | 21 | |||||||
Marlin Lane | Scoring | 21 | |||||||
Marlon Walls | Tackles For Loss | 30 | |||||||
A.J. Johnson | Tackles | 4 | |||||||
Byron Moore | Interceptions | 13 | |||||||
Cordarrelle Patterson | Kickoff Returns | 14 | |||||||
Cordarrelle Patterson | All-Purpose Runners | 16 | |||||||
Tyler Bray | Total Offense | 19 | |||||||
Justin Hunter | Receiving Yards Per Game | 22 | |||||||
Tyler Bray | Passing Efficiency | 29 | |||||||
Austin Johnson | Interceptions | 23 |