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Watch: Tennessee WR Dont'e Thornton hauls makes sliding catch on 46-yard touchdown

IMG_3593by:Grant Ramey•11/11/23•

GrantRamey

Screen Shot 2023-11-11 at 4.32.41 PM

Dont’e Thornton is officially on the board with his first career touchdown catch at Tennessee. But it may have come with a price, with Thornton ruled out for the rest of the game with a lower-leg injury after making the catch.

Thornton hauled in a 46-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter Saturday at Missouri, sliding to make the grab in the corner of the end zone, but immediately signaled for medical attention after his right leg got caught underneath him on the slide.

The catch gave Tennessee a 7-3 lead after Missouri had gone on a 20-play, 72-yard drive that took nearly 11 minutes off the clock and ended with a 31-yard field goal. 

Thornton has thrived for the Vols the last couple weeks after moving from the slot to the outside receiver position.

He entered Saturday with five catches for 89 yards since moving to the outside two weeks ago. He had seven catches for 89 yards in his previous six games.

“I think we’ve just been able to get him confident and comfortable,” Tennessee wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope said of Thornton this week. “I think early on a lot of that meant that he’s a kid that he wants to do so well, and he kind of toed that line of like pressing and being aggressive. And just getting him to calm down and not press so much and just go play football. 

“I think now you’re seeing a confidence in him, which is why he’s able to go and make plays. So he’s playing in practice, continuing to do that, continuing keep be confident that way you can see him relax and play ball Saturday.”

Thornton’s catch Saturday was the most recent example of Tennessee receivers making explosive plays in recent games.

Squirrel White and Ramel Keyton had touchdown catches of 83 and 60 yards, respectively, last week against UConn. Redshirt freshman Chas Nimrod had a 39-yard touchdown two weeks ago at Kentucky, the first of his career, and White had a 39-yarder of his own on a top-tapping touchdown catch in the corner of the end zone two weeks ago at Alabama. 

“I wish there was some, you know, special recipe that we put together,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said on Monday. “Just continued growth throughout the course of the season, guys understanding their jobs, continuing to grow in it.

“We’ve had moving pieces. Guys have played inside, played outside. At the end of the day, feel like they’re at their most comfortable that they’ve been in understanding our schemes, what they’re seeing on the other side. Being on the same page with Joe (Milton). It comes down to execution.”

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