Defensive Line
Daniel: These guys got it done, particularly Derek Barnett and Curt Maggitt, who filled in for a banged-up Corey Vereen at defensive end. Barnett continues to assault the record books as he added seven more tackles, four TFLs and two sacks to his already record-breaking freshman campaign. The Wildcats simply couldn’t block him on a regular basis. The same can be said for Maggitt, who had just two tackles, but made both of them count as they were both also sacks. Danny O’Brien, Jordan Williams and Owen Williams continue to be a dependable three-man rotation at defensive tackle and it was good for the Vols to get them some rest in the fourth quarter. Kentucky’s offense never looked comfortable and the five sacks, four of them credited to the defensive line, played a huge part in that. Grade: A
Houston: Another game and another strong performance from this group. They tallied five sacks and numerous more pressures/hurries on Kentucky quarterbacks, they stretched out multiple running plays that allowed the pursuit to arrive and they held their gaps all night – never allowing Kentucky any consistency in the running game. Derek Barnett is an absolute freak and added another two sacks to his season total, which now sits at nine. Curt Maggitt also added a pair of sacks in this game and looks like a completely different player than he did to start the season. Maggitt now has eight sacks on the season and is really rounding into form. This entire group continues to get a lot of production with limited personnel choices to work with. For that, they earn a strong grade from me. Grade: A
Reed: Derek Barnett and Curt Maggitt wreaked havoc on Kentucky. Barnett recorded 7 tackles (second on the team), 4 tackles for loss and two sacks. Maggitt added two sacks and came close to a few more. Maggitt and Barnett each rank in the top seven in the SEC in sacks and tackles for loss. Barnett’s nine sacks are the most for a Vol defensive lineman since Parys Haralson recored nine in 2005. Tennessee is lacking depth, and talent if we’re honest, at defensive tackle. That group did of a decent job filling gaps, though, which freed up other Vols to make plays. Grade: A
Average Grade: A
