Tennessee football vs. South Carolina: Five Gamecocks to watch for against Vols

Jeremy Pruitt said that Javon Kinlaw is as good as any player he has seen in a long time. And his importance in this game is also due to an injury. With Aaron Sterling questionable, Kinlaw is the defensive lineman Will Muschamp will be turning to for big plays, especially in stopping the run. And Tennessee football needs to be ready for him to deliver.

Despite being a defensive tackle, Kinlaw leads the team in sacks this year with five. He has 22 total tackles on the year, 11 of which were solo, and also has one pass deflection and two fumble recoveries. So he’s been a major force, and he’s had eight tackles and a sack over the past two games, so he’s not going anywhere.

The 6’6″ 310-pound lineman is a rare playmaker up front for his size. As Jim Chaney tries to establish the run, he’ll have to account for Kinlaw at all times, and that will be difficult. Kinlaw can also get a major push to allow for players to bring pressure and get sacks.

Considering the quarterback situation for the Vols, that’s a very dangerous scenario. Simply put, the Vols want to wear down the Gamecocks’ defense, but Kinlaw makes that really tough to do. He’s a major playmaker and can blow things up immediately, so UT will have to be ready for him at all times.