Statement made early in game
Posted on Sunday, November 11, 2007
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — None of the more than 100, 000 people at Neyland Stadium on Saturday were more nervous than Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer when the Volunteers’ offense lined up for a fourth-and-1 play at their 45-yard line early in the first quarter against Arkansas.
“You sure enough [get tense ] when you start calling those, especially early in the game like we did. But it was a statement,” Fulmer said.
Erik Ainge’s 3-yard quarterback sneak not only made a statement, but started a pattern, too. Tennessee didn’t try to convert another fourth-down play the rest of the game, but the Vols did convert 5 of 10 third-down plays in the first half while building a 17-point halftime lead en route to a 34-13 victory.
“On third down we couldn’t get off the field,” Arkansas cornerback Matterral Richardson said. “It was like we were stuck in mud. We just couldn’t execute.”
Tennessee, conversely, executed some of its best plays on third downs. Seven plays after Ainge’s fourth-down sneak, he and wide receiver Austin Rogers combined for a 16-yard touchdown pass on third-and-10.
That play gave Tennessee a 7-0 lead, and the Vols stretched their advantage to 20-3 late in the first half with another third-down conversion. After originally facing third-and-goal at the Arkansas 4, consecutive penalties backed up Tennessee to its 14.
Expecting pressure from an aggressive Arkansas defense, Ainge hit wide receiver Josh Briscoe with a quick screen pass in the right flat. Briscoe got a key block from wideout Lucas Taylor, then weaved his way into the end zone.
“They had been pinning their ears back and blitzing, and we knew we could hit them with the screen,” Ainge said. “Lucas made a great block, and then you credit Briscoe for making a play with the ball.”
When the first half ended, Tennessee held more than a 2-to-1 advantage in time of possession in addition to its 17-point advantage.
“We couldn’t ask for anything better than that,” Ainge said.
Arkansas, meanwhile, was left dealing with an unusual form of frustration. The Razorbacks began the game leading the SEC in opponents’ third-down conversion rate (27. 6 percent ), but struggled mightily in those situations against the Vols.
“Most of the time when we’ve had teams there, it’s automatic we’re off the field,” Richardson said. “But we didn’t play our best game today. On the road you’ve got to take it to another level, and we didn’t come close to doing that.”
Arkansas’ offense suffered through third-down maladies of its own. The Razorbacks went 0 for 5 on third downs in the first half and didn’t convert their first third down until late in the third quarter.
By that time, Tennessee had pushed its lead to 27-6 thanks to yet another critical third-down stop and third-down conversion. The stop came on Arkansas’ first drive of the second half, when free safety Jonathan Hefney dropped Darren McFadden for no gain on third-and-3 from the Razorbacks’ 43.
McFadden had taken a pitch from quarterback Casey Dick and ran left and had only Hefney standing in the way of a big gain.
“We practiced that play all week and when I saw it coming, I just knew I had to make the play,” Hefney said. “He tried to give me a move and I went for his legs because if I tried to go up high, he probably would’ve shaken it off.”
Arkansas then punted, and Tennessee got its next thirddown conversion on its ensuing series. Facing third-and-12 at the Tennessee 22, Ainge threw 19 yards to Rogers.
Vols tailback Arian Foster ran 59 yards around left end for a 27-3 Tennessee lead on the next play, and most of the more than 100, 000 in attendance — maybe even Fulmer — relaxed.
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