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Tennessee football 2018 recap: Vols postseason awards

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 20: Defensive lineman Kyle Phillips #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts after an interception for a touchdown during the second half of the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Alabama won 58-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 20: Defensive lineman Kyle Phillips #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts after an interception for a touchdown during the second half of the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Alabama won 58-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images /

Most valuable player: Kyle Phillips

There was just no way around this one. Kyle Phillips was easily the best player for Tennessee football when you combine making big plays along with doing the grunt work that doesn’t get all the credit on the field.

Phillips and Tuttle both had great senior seasons. They were members of the heralded 2015 recruiting class on the defensive line, with Phillips a five-star and Tuttle a four-star. Both suffered season-ending injuries their freshman and sophomore seasons as well. And both were looking for a resurgent senior season on the defensive line under Jeremy Pruitt.

Just like Alexis Johnson Jr., that’s exactly what they got. But Phillips was the guy to be the splash player. As a senior, he registered 56 tackles on the season and had eight tackles for a loss along with five sacks.

In addition to those stats, Phillips also had a pick-six, blocked an extra point, broke up four passes, picked up five quarterback hurries, and forced and recovered a fumble. So he did it all for the Vols in 2018.

Like many players on this team, his standout play came against the Auburn Tigers. He joined Johnson in hurrying down Jarrett Stidham and then strip-sacked him in the third quarter for a fumble that Alontae Taylor recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. The play gave the Vols a two-score lead on the road.

Next. Ranking all 5 wins from 2018 season. dark

Plays like that by a resurgent senior like Phillips are what great college stories are all about. Tennessee football may have had another bad season Jeremy Pruitt’s first year, but players like Phillips are always positive stories no matter what season it is. He was the MVP of the Vols all year, and for that it’s worth mentioning him in this post.

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