Defensive Line
Nathanael: B+
Tennessee’s defensive line was very instrumental in the Vols pulling off the upset over Auburn. Kyle Phillips had a career day with nine total tackles, and he forced the fumbled that Alontae Taylor ended up recovering for a touchdown that helped keep momentum on Tennessee’s side after they took the lead on Jauan Jennings’ touchdown grab. Phillips and Alexis Johnson paired up for that strip sack, and both those linemen had a great Saturday. Shy Tuttle had a good game, and Paul Bain was all over the field in the first half.
UT’s defense held Auburn to just 20 rushing yards in the second half, and they held them to just 3.7 yards per attempt overall. That improved run defense starts up front, and the Vols’ defensive line came to play on Saturday against a beleaguered Auburn offensive line.
Ben: B
Kyle Phillips was phenomenal, leading the team with nine tackles and forcing a fumble that led to a defensive touchdown. Phillips was consistently in the backfield, making life hard on Jarrett Stidham. Alexis Johnson and Shy Tuttle also had big days, combining for 10 tackles, a tackle for a loss and half a sack. It wasn’t all sunshine and roses for the defensive line, though. There were some plays where the line wasn’t able to get pressure on Stidham, and as a result, he threw for 322 yards on the afternoon. Tennessee’s defense was opportunistic, generating pressure and flushing Stidham out of the pocket when it needed a stop. The performance of the D-line is something the defense can build on going forward.
