Tennessee safety TJ Metcalf already knows what Texas quarterback Arch Manning can do when a defense loses track of him.
Metcalf saw it firsthand last season, when he was at Michigan for the Citrus Bowl and Texas beat the Wolverines 41-27. Manning accounted for four total touchdowns in that game, throwing two scores and running for two more. One of the biggest blows came when he broke free for a 60-yard touchdown that helped the Longhorns open things up in the fourth quarter.
Now Metcalf is on the other sideline, and he’s the one tasked with helping Tennessee slow Manning down.
“He’s a very great athlete,” Metcalf said. “He can make a lot of great throws.
He sees the game. That’s something I can respect about him.”
That kind of mobility changes everything for a secondary. Tennessee can’t just lock onto receivers and forget about the quarterback, because one escape from the pocket can turn the whole play into a scramble drill. Metcalf said the Vols’ defensive backs have to stay locked in, keep their eyes right and be ready to step up and finish.
“Just knowing he’s able to escape the pocket and being aware of that,” Metcalf said. “Getting my cleats in the grass and being ready to make a tackle.”
Texas brings more than just a dangerous quarterback into Knoxville. The Longhorns arrive with speed, size and a roster Metcalf described as loaded. Still, he doesn’t believe they’re eager to get dragged into the kind of physical game Tennessee wants to play.
“I feel like they’ve got a lot of speed,” Metcalf said. “I don’t think they want to be physical, but at the same time, they do play a lot of good football.”
The matchup gives Tennessee’s secondary its first major test of the season. After three nonconference wins, the Vols are moving into SEC play against the top-ranked team in the country, and Texas’ bigger wideouts will challenge them in a way they haven’t seen yet.
For Tennessee, the formula sounds simple enough: challenge at the line, survive the size battle and keep the Longhorns’ speed from taking over.
Metcalf also believes there’s still more to come from Tennessee’s defense. Through the opening stretch of the season, the unit has played well, but he said defensive coordinator Jim Knowles still has plenty he hasn’t shown.
“I think it’s a lot in store,” Metcalf said. “It’s something new every week that we’re installing. We already have a lot in, but I feel like there’s a lot of stuff still out there that hasn’t been shown yet.”
That’s what makes Saturday such an interesting matchup. Manning has the talent to punish a defense that gets too predictable, while Knowles has a reputation for mixing looks and creating confusion before the snap. Metcalf said that approach gives Tennessee’s defensive backs the freedom to play fast.
“Coach Knowles does a great job of scheming up who we play and making us comfortable in his play-calling,” Metcalf said. “All we’ve got to do is go out there and play ball fearless.”
Texas will walk into Neyland Stadium as the No. 1 team in the country, and Tennessee will be waiting in front of more than 100,000 fans and a checkered stadium. The Vols opened as a home underdog even though they are undefeated.
“Being at home playing the number one team, it’s exciting,” Metcalf said. “Even though we’re the underdog, that doesn’t matter. They’ve got to come in here and meet us on our home turf.”
Metcalf said the ranking next to Texas’ name won’t change how Tennessee approaches the game. He’s played in big environments and against ranked teams before, and his mindset is simple: ignore the logo and focus on the player wearing it.
Saturday will make that easier said than done. The quarterback is Manning, the opponent is Texas and Neyland will be checkered.
For Metcalf, though, the task is still pretty straightforward.
Tennessee has to score more than Texas when the clock hits zero.
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