Tag: Eric Gray

2019 season recap: Eric Gray

2019 season recap: Eric Gray

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee concluded the 2019 season with a 23-22 win against Indiana in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.

The Vols finished the 2019 campaign with an 8-5 overall record and 5-3 in Southeastern Conference play.

With the season over, Vols Wire takes a look at UT players’ stats for the 2019 campaign.

Eric Gray — Running back — Freshman

Games: 13

Rushing yards: 539

Rushing touchdowns: 4

Receptions: 13

Receiving yards: 115 yards

Receiving yards: 1

2019 Tennessee football schedule

AUG. 31: vs. Georgia State (Knoxville) L, 38-30

SEPT. 7: vs. BYU (Knoxville) L, 29-26 (2 OT)

SEPT. 14: vs. Chattanooga (Knoxville) W, 45-0

SEPT. 21: at Florida (Gainesville) L, 34-3

OCT. 5: vs. Georgia (Knoxville) L, 43-14

OCT. 12: vs. Mississippi State (Knoxville) W, 20-10

OCT. 19: at Alabama (Tuscaloosa) L, 35-13

OCT. 26: vs. South Carolina (Knoxville) W, 41-21

NOV. 2: vs. UAB (Knoxville) W, 30-7

NOV. 9: at Kentucky (Lexington) W, 17-13

NOV. 23: at Missouri (Columbia) W, 24-20

NOV. 30: vs. Vanderbilt (Knoxville) W, 28-10

JAN. 2 vs. Indiana (Jacksonville, FL) W, 23-22

Eric Gray named SEC Freshman of the Week

Eric Gray named SEC Freshman of the Week.

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee running back Eric Gray has been named as the SEC Freshman of the Week.

UT press release:

Tennessee running back Eric Gray was named SEC Freshman of the Week by the conference office on Monday afternoon.

Gray had a record-setting performance in the Vols’ 28-10 win over Vanderbilt last Saturday, rushing for a UT true freshman-record 246 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries. Jamal Lewis previously held the rookie record with his 232-yard effort against Georgia in 1997. Gray’s total also was the fifth-highest rushing total in school history and the most by any SEC player this season.

The Memphis native raced to the checkerboards on runs of 56 and 94 yards in the first and second quarters, respectively, and added a 4-yard dash in the fourth quarter. His 94-yarder was the longest rush ever by a Tennessee true freshman and the second-longest carry in school history behind Kelsey Finch’s 99-yarder versus Florida in 1977.

With his incredible performance, Gray more than doubled his rushing total for the season after entering the game with 207 total rushing yards on the year.

Gray is the first Vol this season to be named SEC Freshman of the Week and the seventh UT player to earn SEC weekly honors this season, joining Daniel Bituli (two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Week), Jarrett Guarantano (SEC Offensive Player of the Week), Jauan Jennings (SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week), Brandon Kennedy (SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week), Trey Smith (two-time SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week) and Bryce Thompson (SEC Defensive Player of the Week).

The win was UT’s fifth straight and snapped a three-game losing streak to the Commodores. The Big Orange will find out their bowl destination on Sunday, Dec. 8.

Vols defeat Vanderbilt, end regular season with five consecutive wins

2019 Tennessee football: Week 14

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee closed out the 2019 regular season on a high note, notching its fifth consecutive victory.

The Volunteers (7-5 overall, 5-3 in the Southeastern Conference) used a solid defensive performance to capture a 28-10 win over in-state rival Vanderbilt on a cool and soggy Saturday at Neyland Stadium.

In the process of snapping a three-game losing streak to the Commodores (3-9, 1-7) found a future star in freshman running back Eric Gray.

Gray, a Memphis native and three-time Tennessee Titans Mr. Football standout, rushed for 245 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries.

He had a 3-yard plunge for UT’s last score of the game and that was set up when Jarrett Guarantano connected with Jauan Jennings on a 50-yard strike.

Jennings had just two receptions for 56 yards, but Gray more than picked up the slack as he had long touchdown scampers of 56 and 94 yards.

Guarantano went 6-of-17 for 120 yards. He had a touchdown pass to Dominick Wood-Anderson and threw an early interception that set up a score for the Commodores, who turned his miscue in to a field goal by Riley Gauy, that gave Vanderbilt a 3-0 lead.

The Vols, who will reach the postseason for the first time in three years, also broke a two-game losing streak to the Commodores in Knoxville.