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Tennessee football: Five key Vols to watch for at Missouri

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee running back Tiyon Evans (8) runs out on the field before an NCAA football game against Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021.Tennflorida0925 0200
Tennessee running back Tiyon Evans (8) runs out on the field before an NCAA football game against Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021.Tennflorida0925 0200 /
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Tennessee defensive back Alontae Taylor (2) during a game between Kentucky and Tennessee at Kroger Stadium in Lexington, Ky. on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019.Kns Kentucky Vols Football
Tennessee defensive back Alontae Taylor (2) during a game between Kentucky and Tennessee at Kroger Stadium in Lexington, Ky. on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019.Kns Kentucky Vols Football /

The last time Tennessee football faced the Missouri Tigers, the Vols were ranked in the top 25 and on a seven-game winning streak. They moved the streak to eight games with Mizzou, against first-year head coach Eliah Drinkwitz, and that got them to 2-0 to start 2020. Then the bottom fell out, they went 3-7, got hit with an investigation and fired Jeremy Pruitt.

Now, Rocky Top is back to facing the team that began and ended its seemingly meteoric rise from 2019 to 2020. This is a completely different group, though, with many key players in the last two wins now gone and a brand new system under head coach Josh Heupel.

As we get set to look at the players who will be key in this matchup, those changes have a huge effect on what our list looks like. We are obviously taking into account Mizzou’s key weaknesses, but the strengths we’ve seen from UT have to come into play also. Let’s take a look at the five Vols to watch for in Tennessee football’s Saturday matchup with the Tigers.

Alontae Taylor. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Senior. 839. Defensive back. 5. player

6’0″ 195 pounds; Hometown: Manchester, Tenn.

Missouri really spreads the ball around in the passing game, and they are averaging over 320 yards through the air along with about eight yards an attempt. This is the bread and butter of Drinkwitz’s offense. As a result, the Vols’ secondary will be crucial to shutting them down, and their best cornerback will be a huge part of that.

Alontae Taylor struggled at times last week, but he’s the most reliable pass defender. So far this year, he already has an interception, a pass deflection and a forced fumble. He also has 17 tackles, 13 of which were solo, but what’s key is he’s not letting a lot of people throwing his way.

With big receivers like Keke Chism to throw to, Taylor’s diverse skills set will be key to making sure the Vols don’t get torched next game. They struggled against the last pass-happy offense they faced, the Pittsburgh Panthers. To avoid that again, Taylor needs to be the leader and the playmaker that Heupel designated him to be at the start of the year.

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