The Vanderbilt Commodores offensive line needs to improve against the Tennessee front

As much as Vanderbilt should focus on slowing down Tennessee on offense they also have to worry about a stout Volunteer defense front.

The Commodore’s offensive line has had some trouble protecting their quarterback and opening up lanes in the run game this season, so they’ll have to come up with something different if they want to change the results against Tennessee this weekend.

As a preview of the rivalry week match, Pro football focusDalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick highlighted that side of the ball as something that could decide the game.

Diego Pavia actually doesn’t go down so much.

Vanderbilt is tied for No. 26 in the nation in sacks allowed, 14 overall.

That’s mostly due to Pavia’s ability to make things happen in the middle of plays and escape from the pocket. It has to deal with quite a bit of pressure, especially from the edges. Both starting tackles have allowed 20 or more pressures this season.

The star quarterback is actually quite productive when faced with pressure, at least compared to the downtime most signal callers face.

He is pressured on 40.3% of his dropbacks virtually every time the other team blitzes. He has completed 40% of his passes on those plays for 474 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions.

It’s not a great completion percentage, but he doesn’t turn the ball over or turn them into sacks. That’s about all teams can ask of a college passer.

Thanks to the low sack numbers, the Commodores ranked 21st overall with 4.36 tackles for a loss allowed per game.

As for the Volunteers’ defense, they are tied for No. 43 in total sacks with 26 and are tied for sixth in total tackles for loss with eight per game.

James Pearce Jr. is the player that Vanderbilt needs to emphasize on that side of the ball and do whatever it takes to stop him.

He is currently one of the top NFL draft prospects in college, and for good reason, as he is one of the best pass rushers in the country and is solid against the run.

His 49 total pressures this season rank fifth among individual edge rushers.

The Commodores were confronted a lot of pressure in last week’s loss to the LSU Tigersmaking 17 in that game alone. Although Pavia was only knocked down twice, he failed to generate any positive momentum.