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Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III using his legs to help him 'settle into the game'

IMG_3593by:Grant Ramey•11/01/23•

GrantRamey

Joe Milton III
(Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK) Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III (7) runs the ball during the NCAA college football game against Kentucky on Saturday, October 28, 2023 in Lexington, KY.

Maybe the first play against UTSA back on September 23 at Neyland Stadium should’ve been the sign. Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III ran an option to the left, read the defense and sprinted to the end zone on an 81-yard touchdown run to start the 45-14 win.

Milton seems more comfortable, and more effective, when he’s on the run early. 

In the 33-27 win at Kentucky Saturday night, he ran 10 times for 26 yards. A week earlier, in the 34-20 loss at Alabama, he ran a season-high 15 times for 59 yards.

Over the last three games, Milton has rushed 33 times for 119 yards, after rushing just 23 times for 139 yards over the first five games of the season. 

Joe Milton at Kentucky: 17-20, 227 yards passing, 1 TD, 10 rushes, 26 yards

“I do think it helps him settle into the game, absolutely,” Tennessee offensive coordinator Joey Halzle said during his press conference on Tuesday.

“He said that himself, he likes to get a couple carries early and kind of feel like he’s in the flow of the game. So yeah that absolutely has factored into it.”

At Kentucky Milton finished 17-for-20 passing, completing a season-high 85% of his passes, for 227 yards and a touchdown. At Alabama he threw for 271 yards and two touchdowns.  

“The other part,” Halzle said, “… he’s seeing defenses really well right now. He’s doing a really good job with his eyes. Starts with your eyes now you can get your feet in the right position, throw a call accurately and on top and that’s what you’ve seen in the last two weeks. 

“But I would completely agree that him getting some carries, some runs, some contact early in the game is good for him.”

Up Next: No. 19 Tennessee vs. UConn, Saturday, Noon ET, SEC Network

Milton made plays on the run at Kentucky too, once breaking contain one direction, directing wide receiver Dont’e Thornton the other way and throwing complete for a big gain.

“I just think, fundamentally, he’s gotten better over his time here,” head coach Josh Heupel said on Monday. “And everybody being in sync and breaking off gives him the ability to make some of those plays. But being a guy that is more comfortable when he breaks contain of not just being a run-first guy, but keeping his eyes down the football field allows those things to happen too. 

“Being able to get in a good fundamental position when you’re on the run, there’s gonna be times where you’re not, too. And so those awkward throws, he’s continued to improve upon.”

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