Newcomer Report: A Look at Tennessee’s Newcomers Against Bowling Green
The Josh Heupel era kicked off on Thursday night with a 38-6 victory over Bowling Green. While the Vols ultimately handled business against a far inferior opponent, the highs and lows of the debut left plenty of questions, as the Vols starters remained on the field for longer than many had expected. Still, there were plenty of opportunities for freshmen and newcomers, and we track the performance from each here.
Newcomers Earning Participation- RB Tiyon Evans,RB Jaylen Wright,WR Andison Coby,WR Walker Merrill, WR JaVonta Payton, QB Joe Milton III, QB Hendon Hooker, PK Chase McGrath, DL Caleb Tremblay, DL Da'Jon Terry, OL Jeremiah Crawford, LB William Mohan, LB Juwan Mitchell, DB Christian Charles, DB Brandon Turnage, and DB De'Shawn Rucker.
Newcomers That Did Not Participate- LB Aaron Willis, LB Byron Young, DL Amari McNeill, TE Trinity Bell, TE Miles Campbell, WR Kaemen Marley, OL William Parker, and DB Kamal Hadden.
Noticeable Absences
Before the game, Tennessee confirmed that it would be without prized pass-rusher Byron Young due to an issue with NCAA eligibility dating back to a two-game stint at a prep school following his high school career. Tennessee remains optimistic they will get Young back by conference play.
Transfer DB Kamal Hadden was not absent from the field, as he did dress out with the team, but he did not see any action. According to one source, the transfer cornerback had a strong start to fall camp and received praise for his physical play; however, he was sidelined due to a nagging hamstring injury. The hope is for Hadden to be ready to go this weekend against Pitt.
Elsewhere, Bell and Marley have been limited participants this fall, while it came as a bit of a surprise that Miles Campbell did not see any action on Friday given his strong camp.
QB Play
Michigan Transfer Joe Milton III got the start at quarterback for the Vols, and he came out on fire connecting on ten of his first eleven passes before struggling down the stretch. Regardless, Milton still flashed his arm talent and upside if he can perform the same way that he did early in the game. However, this piece is not about critiquing or breaking down a player's game, simply just tracking their performance and participation. Milton finished the game 11-23 through the air for 140 yards and one touchdown. He added another 14 carries for 44 yards and two scores on the ground.
Virginia Tech transfer Hendon Hooker was the second QB onto the field, and in short action, he completed one pass for five yards.
RB Play
Tiyon Evans burst onto the scene in his week one appearance as a Vol. He earned co-player of the game honors with fellow running mate Jabari Small. Evans carried the ball 16 times for 116 yards and a score.
Another newcomer that received playing time on Thursday night was freshman Jaylen Wright, as he tallied four carries for 14 yards.
Wide Receivers
Walker Merrill, Andison Coby and JaVonta Payton all received snaps, but Payton was the only one to record any stats. He snagged two passes for 14 yards.
Offensive Line
Junior College transfer Jeremiah Crawford saw action late in this contest at tackle, and he did not have any glaring issues as a rotational piece for the Vols.
Defensive Line
Two Vols newcomers on the defensive line saw extensive action in Caleb Tremblay and Da'Jon Terry. Tremblay was a standout performer for the Vols, frequently showing his ability to get off blocks and play in space to disrupt plays. Tremblay totaled two tackles, including assisting in a tackle for loss. Terry also played well in the middle of the defense, and he added two tackles and a tackle for loss.
Linebackers
Texas Linebacker transfer Juwan Mitchell earned the start at middle linebacker, but he did not record any stats. On the other hand, Michigan linebacker transfer William Mohan was a heavy contributor on special teams, and he tallied four total tackles in his first contest as a Vol.
Defensive Back
Alabama transfer Brandon Turnage saw action during Thursday night, but he did not record any stats, much like freshman defensive back De'Shawn Rucker. However, freshman DB Christian Charles was a key contributor on special teams and made two tackles, one on special teams and one on defense.
Newcomer Chase McGrath handled the kicking duties, and he was 5-5 on extra points, and he nailed a 43-yard field goal.
