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Tennessee football: Top five Vols performers in 31-19 loss to Florida

By Caleb Calhoun

Dec 5, 2020; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Harrison Bailey (15) hands the ball off to running back Eric Gray (3) during the first half against the Florida Gators at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2020; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Harrison Bailey (15) hands the ball off to running back Eric Gray (3) during the first half against the Florida Gators at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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KNOXVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 12: Alontae Taylor #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on during a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 12: Alontae Taylor #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on during a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

Defensive back. Alontae Taylor. 839. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Junior. 2. player

4 tackles (3 solo); 1 pass deflection

We’ve been highly critical of Tennessee football’s secondary all year, and they deserved it. Saturday was no different, as the Vols allowed Kyle Trask to complete 35-of-49 passes for 433 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Trask outperformed Mac Jones of the Alabama Crimson Tide against the Vols, a feather in his cap for the Heisman Trophy race.

However, one player who was not at fault in the secondary was Alontae Taylor. Jeremy Pruitt and Derrick Ansley inexplicably played Warren Burrell over him at times, and Burrell got abused throughout the day. When Taylor was in, though, he didn’t let much get past him.

All of Trask’s touchdown passes were to players either guarded by Burrell or Bryce Thompson, or they were against a zone. Taylor, though, almost never let anybody beat him, and he quietly had one of the best games of the year for a UT defensive back.

On one fourth down pass in the game with the Vols still in it, Taylor came away with a huge deflection. Don’t forget that the Gators had an offensive scoring drought after the beginning of the second half as well, and Taylor was a huge reason for that.

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