Author: Jackson Freeman

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Jackson Freeman is an aspiring sports journalist. He is currently a third year student at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He writes about the Tennessee Volunteers for Gridiron Heroics.

The #7 Tennessee Volunteers are gearing up to take on the rival Kentucky Wildcats. Tennessee has owned this rivalry for the better part of its recorded history, but Kentucky is still not a team to be overlooked. While their record may say otherwise, Kentucky is not a terrible football team. They have one of the more above average defenses in College Football, but have been massively held back by their offense. Tennessee is overdue for a blowout win, and this just happens to be the perfect opportunity. The odds are more than in the Vols’ favor in this game, but…

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Dylan Sampson’s junior campaign is one of the most impressive in the country so far. Being called the best player on the star-studded Tennessee Volunteers offense is a noteworthy thing.  Despite the amazing start to his season, Sampson is absent from almost all award discussions, including the illustrious Heisman Trophy. Today, we will look at Sampson’s impact on the game and stats in comparison to the previous three Heisman Trophy-winning running backs.  https://twitter.com/NextRoundLive/status/1850678756123283724 The Case for Tennessee Volunteers Star Dylan Sampson To say Sampson is the focal point of the Volunteers’ offense would be an understatement. Without Sampson, the Volunteers…

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The Tennessee Vols faced off against the Alabama Crimson Tide for the 107th time last Saturday. The Vols won this rendition of The Third Saturday in October, 24-17, in dramatic fashion. This matchup was a tale of two halves, and Tennessee happened to win the more important half. A quote from Coach Josh Heupel at halftime sums this up neatly. “30 minutes of ball, we’re smoking at the end of this thing!” The Vols played as a complete unit, for what felt like the first time in a conference game this season. Dominating defense, and a relentless offense that finally…

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The Tennessee Vols will play in their 107th matchup against the Alabama Crimson Tide, otherwise known as The Third Saturday in October. This matchup is far different from those of recent memory. Both the Vols and the Tide have major question marks surrounding their teams. Both teams already have 1 loss, so this game could potentially close the door on a potential SEC Championship appearance for either team. Alabama has won 16 of the last 17 matchups, but when both teams are ranked in the top-15, the Vols are 5-1 in the last 6 games. The Vols will need to…

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The Vols are still looking to have a big moment through six games this season. While the team is 5-1, they certainly are not firing on all cylinders. They still control the future of their season. The Vols boast one of the Nation’s best defenses. Their defense ranks fourth nationally in scoring defense (10.7 points per game allowed). However, the offense is an unusually different story. What was once the nation’s top offense, has turned into an offense that has flashes of elite play, but little more than that. The major culprit: execution. The Vols have the keys to succeed…

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The Tennessee Vols rebounded in spectacular fashion against Florida. The Vols defeated the Gators 23-17 in overtime.  This game was far from pretty, but the Vols did what good teams are supposed to do, win the tough battles. Several things went right for the Vols in this game, and some things still need work. Today, we’re gonna break down what went well, and what still needs to improve in order for the Vols to reach their end-of-season goals. THE GOOD DYLAN SAMPSON Dylan Sampson was once against electric for the Vols. The superstar back carried the ball 27…

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The Vols are looking to get back into the win column this weekend after suffering their first loss of the ‘24-’25 season last week. This week’s game is against the arch-rival Florida Gators.  It is easy to look at how the Vols and Gators have played this season and think this game will be a blowout for Tennessee, but that couldn’t be further from the case. Florida has had Tennessee’s number for the better part of the 21st century, as the Vols have only won 5 of the 24 games they have played since 2000.  No matter how good or…

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The Vols suffered their first loss of the season this past Saturday. This loss came at the hands of the Arkansas Razorbacks 19-14. There is not one particular group to put the blame on, the Vols were outmatched from the start of the game. A lot of Tennessee’s weaknesses were exposed last night, however, there were two bright spots. There are several areas that need improvement, and fast, as the thick of the Vols schedule still lies ahead. Tennessee Vols: #4 Vols STUNNED by Razorbacks Bright Spots Dylan Sampson Dylan Sampson continued his electric start to the season last night.…

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After a much-needed bye week, the #4 Tennessee Volunteers are traveling to Fayetteville, Arkansas to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Vols are favored by 13.5 points as they look to start the season 2-0 in conference play. Although favored by two touchdowns, Arkansas will not be an easy win. They are 3-2 on the year, and both of those losses came from ranked opponents, but by a combined margin of 12 points. If the Vols want to win big, these position groups and players will need to show up big time. https://twitter.com/YankeefaninTenn/status/1840831434698678436 Offensive Line The offensive line was very…

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The Vols have blazed through a third of their schedule for the 2024 season. They have started the season 4-0 for the second time in the Josh Heupel era. The team boasts an elite offense that can burn you deep, but also gash you on the ground, and an elite defense that turns first downs into a luxury. Ahead of their matchup with the Arkansas Razorbacks, we’re going to look at each position group for Tennessee and give them a grade based on their performance so far this season, and what to expect going forward. QUARTERBACK:   A The quarterback play…

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