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Tennessee football: 10 best 2018 single game performances by returning Vols

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 10: Darrell Taylor #19 of the Tennessee Volunteers gets a strip sack from Terry Wilson #3 of the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half of the game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 24-7. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 10: Darrell Taylor #19 of the Tennessee Volunteers gets a strip sack from Terry Wilson #3 of the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half of the game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 24-7. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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10. Alontae Taylor at Auburn

Stat line:  7 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 defensive touchdown

Result: Tennessee wins 30-24

Alontae Taylor did not make the same splash Bryce Thompson did as Tennessee football’s two freshmen starting cornerbacks last year. But he certainly showed flashes of a great future, and this was one major example of that.

This final spot came down to either Taylor or Daniel Bituli’s 13 tackles against the Charlotte 49ers. We gave it to Taylor because, despite making fewer plays, he made bigger plays, and it was in a bigger game overall.

Taylor showed, despite being an athlete who converted to cornerback, that he could be a very physical player in this game. After all, he had seven tackles and forced a fumble. And he was in on the key play of the game.

Having just taken a 20-17 lead in the third quarter, the Vols’ defense pressured Jarrett Stidahm on the next drive, and they forced a fumble as a result. Taylor was the guy to recover the ball in the end zone and give UT a two-score lead, one they would not relinquish.

Although Alexis Johnson, Shy Tuttle and Kyle Phillips deserve credit for the pressure on that play, Taylor got the touchdown. As a result, his play in such a crucial game allowed him to be on this list. That he was a freshman when he did it only makes his future more exciting. This was a huge game, and Taylor managed to step up in a lot of ways.

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