Tennessee Football Smokey Points: Top 5 Vols Who Performed vs UK

Tennessee Football Smokey Points: Top 5 Vols Who Performed vs the Kentucky Wildcats

Nov 12, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Josh Malone (3) and wide receiver Jauan Jennings (15) celebrate after Malone scored a touchdown against the Kentucky Wildcats during the third quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

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Nov 12, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; General view during the first half of the game between the Kentucky Wildcats and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

Once again, Derek Barnett found a way to get on this list. Despite facing double teams all day from the Kentucky Wildcats offensive line, the junior defensive end still managed to be a huge playmaker against a mobile quarterback in Stephen Johnson.

Barnett finished the game with another sack. That was part of five overall tackles he had and one and a half tackles for a loss.

And this was a down game for him! The guy was drawing double teams all day and had plays designed to run away from him.

But he still managed to get in on the action. In addition to his sack, Barnett also forced at least three bad throws with impressive hurries, even if he only got credit for one of them.

Now, the junior has 10 sacks on the season, all in SEC games, and he is only two sacks away from tying Reggie White’s Tennessee football record for career sacks. That record currently stands at 32, and White needed an amazing 15-sack senior year to get it.

We didn’t think that Barnett could get better after his first two years. Well, this year, he got better. It showed on Saturday. He continues to be exciting to watch.

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