Watch: Joe Milton's 81-yard touchdown run on Tennessee's first play vs. UTSA
No. 23 Tennessee needed just one play against UTSA Saturday afternoon to respond to last week’s loss at Florida. Quarterback Joe Milton III faked a handoff to Jaylen Wright on first down, ran left side and went 81 yards for a touchdown on the opening play.
The run by Milton was the longest touchdown run in Tennessee football program history, according to Tennessee’s sports information department. After pulling the handoff, Milton picked up a key block from wide receiver Bru McCoy on the Tennessee sideline and outraced the UTSA defense to the end zone for a 7-0 lead just 20 seconds into the game.
After Tennessee’s defense forced a three-and-out, Milton led the Vols on a nine-play, 62-yard touchdown drive to make it a 14-0 lead before the game was five minutes old. Sophomore Dylan Sampson, who wasn’t in the running back rotation in the 29-16 loss at Florida Saturday night, scored on a 6-yard touchdown run to cap the scoring drive.
Milton completed 20 of 34 for 287 yards and two touchdowns and an interception in Tennessee’s loss at Florida Saturday. Pre-snap penalties and other mistakes — 10 penalties for 79 yards and a costly interception in the second quarter — plagued the Vols in the first half, while the Gators built a 26-7 halftime lead.
After going 71 yards in six plays for a touchdown on Tennessee’s first offensive possession, the Vols finished the first half with three punts and the interception. The pick was returned 39 yards and set up one of four straight Florida touchdown drives.
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After the offense stalled in Gainesville, first-year Tennessee offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle was asked on Tuesday if five-star freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava playing would help solve some of the deficiencies.
“No,” Halzle said.
Halzle was then asked why that was his answer.
“Because it’s operation,” he said. “Joe’s operating at a really high level.”
Halzle added later during his press conference that Milton “was really good” despite the adversity through the first two quarters.
“His decision making, his calmness on the sidelines,” Halzle said, “he kept the calm within the storm out there, talking to him on the headset. Man, he was after every single drive, he was like, all right, cool, like, move on. What we gotta coming next? So the guy’s really even keeled , his decision-making is really good, was accurate with the football. The guy played a good game, was happy with that.
“Obviously we can always be better,” Halzle said. “We can be pushing for our communication, for how we all get on the same page in an environment like that when it’s harder to hear and it’s not the friendly confines. So that’s where we can keep pushing to grow. But his overall game management was very good.”
