All for Tennessee
Fansided

Tennessee football 2021 highlights: Top 10 plays of the season

By Caleb Calhoun

Nov 27, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Theo Jackson (26) celebrates after a sack during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Theo Jackson (26) celebrates after a sack during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 10
Next

9. Omari Thomas safety vs. Ole Miss

Although this game came in a loss, Omari Thomas had the most impressive play of the year by any defensive lineman. It came at a crucial moment against a good team, and it put Tennessee football in position to win the game late despite losing 31-26.

The Vols allowed the Ole Miss Rebels go up 7-0 on them and were struggling to move the ball. To this point, they had muffed a punt that set up the one score and then had a drive stall at the 50. After that stalled drive, Paxton Brooks had an epic punt to pin Ole Miss at their own seven.

On 2nd and 12, Thomas sacked Matt Corral in the end zone. Corral tried to get rid of the ball, but it was a clear intentional grounding. UT scored on the next drive to go up 9-7. The other two safeties by the Vols came when they were up 56-14 over the South Alabama Jaguars. One was unforced, but the first came from Kurott Garland.

Also, in that same. game Thomas got the safety, Matthew Butler got two sacks, and one should have resulted in a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. It came the drive before Thomas picked up his safety.

However, Butler’s play was ruled just a sack, arbitrarily by the officials, and Garland’s play came against a Group of Five team with the game in hand. As a result, Thomas had the standout play on the line for Tennessee football.

Home/Vols Football