Volunteer Country

Defensive Grade Report: Tennessee Vs. Kentucky

Tennessee defeated the Kentucky Wildcats after a great defensive effort. Here are all the grades for Tennessee's defense following Saturday's win.
Caleb Sisk|
Tennessee defensive back Will Brooks (35) runs after intercepting a pass during a game between Tennessee and Kentucky at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024.
Tennessee defensive back Will Brooks (35) runs after intercepting a pass during a game between Tennessee and Kentucky at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In this story:

Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee defeated the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday night after a great defensive effort by the Vols defense. The Vols would win the contest 28-18 and extended their winning streak as well as move their win-loss record up to 7-1 on the season.

Here are the defensive grades following Saturday’s performance.

Defensive Line: A

The Vols defensive line did a great job as they had three sacks on the night including a forced fumble. This was one of three turnovers the Wildcats offense would have on Saturday night as Tennessee’s defensive line would dominate for majority of the game. Tennessee did struggle a bit in the rushing attack but overall one can’t complain about this performance.

Linebackers: A

Tennessee’s linebackers have been performing well despite being without their leader Keenan Pili who went down early in the Florida game with a season ending injury. Jalen Smith had a huge game alongside Arion Carter who were the two leaders in tackles on the team. Jeremiah Telander also had a big moment as he recovered the fumble that Joshua Josephs forced.

Defensive Backs: A+

This position group did a great job, especially forcing turnovers. Andre Turrentine had an interception and Will Brooks had an interception that nearly resulted in a defensive touchdown. Tennessee made some huge plays in the pass defense even when the ball wasn’t picked off. Rickey Gibson had a huge defensive play on the first drive of the game against Dane Key which turned the ball over on downs inside the red zone.

Other Tennessee News:

Join The Community:

Follow Our Website

Make sure to follow our website Tennessee on SI.

Published
Caleb Sisk
CALEB SISK

Caleb Sisk is a talented sports journalist from the state of Georgia. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sisk's passion for sports grew. Bringing years of recruiting coverage experience, he has been named a National Recruiting Reporter and covers various college sites on the On SI network. He takes pride in covering recruiting and has been featured by numerous companies for his excellent coverage and knowledge. He has also spent time at other companies, including Rivals, where he covered the Tennessee Volunteers.

Home/Football