Defensive Line
Daniel: You can point to a lot of questions and issues from this game, but it’s pretty undeniable that, especially when the chips are down, Curt Maggitt and Derek Barnett are nearly impossible to completely stop in pass-rush situations. And while the defensive tackles haven’t jumped off the screen the past few weeks, it’s been overlooked how well Jordan Williams, Danny O’Brien and Owen Williams have played in their three-man rotation. Vanderbilt got loose on the ground a few times, but I thought the defensive line really helped UT win what was a closer-than-expected game in Nashville. Grade: B+
Houston: Derek Barnett and Curt Maggitt continue to terrorize quarterbacks and string out running plays along the edge, while Jordan Williams and Danny O’Brien did a nice job of taking up space in the middle. The team finished with five tackles for loss on the night, and all of them were credited to defensive linemen – two each for Maggitt and Barnett and one by Danny O’Brien when he blew up a Vandy running back in the backfield. They pressured quarterbacks enough to make their lives difficult and really turned up the heat on Vanderbilt’s final drive of the game when the Vols had to have a stop. Grade: B
Reed: Without this group’s ability to put pressure on the passer, the Vols probably would have lost to Vanderbilt. They’ve been a giant bright spot this year. Maggitt and Barnett turned up the pressure in key situations, as they’ve done repeatedly this season. Danny O’Brien had perhaps his best game as a Vol with five tackles (1 TFL). The middle of the line was vulnerable at times, but they stepped up when it mattered most. Grade: B+
Average Grade: B+
