Defensive Line
Nathanael: A
This game marked Aubrey Solomon’s best performance as a Vol so far. He wasn’t a dominating terror, but he played much more consistently and made plays. He finished with four tackles, a sack, and a tackle for loss. He, Darel Middleton, and Greg Emerson were causing a lot of problems for UAB’s offensive line, and all three made plays. Middleton forced a fumble, and Emerson helped defend two passes. Even if the defensive line wasn’t the one recording the tackle or the takeaway, they helped free up other players to do so. They were a big reason the Blazers managed just 63 rushing yards on 25 carries.
Ben: B+
Tennessee’s defensive front continues to improve and improve. It was really evident with the defensive line against UAB. Tracy Rocker’s group played a huge role in Tennessee’s defense forcing four turnovers, as the D-line constantly had a hand in the face of Blazers quarterback Tyler Johnston. Aubrey Solomon had a fumble recovery, a sack, and a tackle for a loss, while Darel Middleton forced a fumble and Greg Emerson had two pass breakups. It was a good outing for Tennessee’s defensive line.
