RECAP: Vols hammer Zips, 63-6

Tennessee took care of business on Saturday, zipping up Akron 63-6.

The Vols scored five first-half TDs with Hendon Hooker at the helm, and perhaps more importantly, dodged any significant injuries.

Both Jabari Small and Cedric Tillman got dinged up in the first half — in fact, Small’s injury happened on just the second play of the game. But going into halftime, UT Head Coach Josh Heupel reassured fans that the duo would be “good to go for the long haul.”

The many post-touchdown fireworks weren’t the only ones that went off during the game, as Vols WR Jimmy Calloway was ejected for throwing multiple punches at an Akron defensive back.

Hooker put up another impressive stat line: 14-18 for 298 yards and two TDs. He completed three passes longer than 45 yards to just Jalin Hyatt. Here’s the last one — a slant route that ended up a 48-yard touchdown.

For the game, Hyatt led the team in receptions, yards and TDs, with five, 166 and two, respectively.

Again, though, Hooker missed some passes he’s become expected to hit, and it looked like he was missing them high again, too. I’m not being critical — it’s just worth noting since it’s become a bit of a pattern this year.

In the second half, Joe Milton remind Vol fans of what he can do with this 57-yard bomb to Ramel Keyton for a score.

Milton hit on four of his five pass attempts and finished with 112 yards and two TDs.

In place of Small, Jaylen Wright didn’t fumble and played reasonably well, while third-string back Dylan Sampson looked explosive when he had the ball. Wright had led the team with 23 carries and 96 yards, and Sampson averaged a meaty 7.1 yards per carry on his eight rushes (57 yards).

Akron QB DJ Irons looked pretty competent and ended with nearly 250 yards passing, hitting 32 of his 44 passes for completions. All in all, the defense surrendered some yards but never let the Zips get into the endzone for a touchdown. A Jeremy Banks collision caused a fumble on a second-quarter Akron drive that veteran defensive lineman LaTrell Bumphus corralled on the checkerboards for a touchback.

Squirrel White caught a 47-yard pass over the top, and Walker Merrill was on the receiving end of Milton’s second TD throw of the game. White also was in at punt returner for at least part of the second half. The one punt he fielded live, he took for a 23-yard return.

Bru McCoy had just one catch for nine yards and had a TD catch taken off the board for what looked like a pretty weak offensive pass interference call.

Tennessee totaled 676 yards of total offense, which is definitely good, but the Vols also had 11 penalties for 118 yards. That’s not so good. The Vols now have 24 penalties through three games. Just something to tighten up.

Florida comes to town next week, having won 16 of the last 17 matchups with Tennessee. The Vols haven’t started 4-0 since 2016, which, is in fact the last time UT beat UF. The Gators are currently 2-1 coming off a close, 31-28 home-win against USF.