Tennessee football’s top five performers in 65-24 win vs. UT-Martin
Linebacker. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Solon Page III. 3. 839. r-Senior (GR)
2 tackles (2 solo); 2 TFLs; 1 sack
One of the reasons more defensive players aren’t on here is because in the first half, they relied on big plays more than outright stops. Sure, they allowed a three-and-out on the first drive, but then they allowed a touchdown on the second drive. The next four drives were all stalled due to big plays, and Solon Page III caused two of them.
Before getting to Page, three other Tennessee football defenders deserve shoutouts. William Wright deserves one, as he got the first big play by intercepting Dresser Winn as UT-Martin was driving into the red zone. Trevon Flowers deserves a shoutout for forcing a Sam Franklin fumble two drives later, one that Aaron Beasley recovered.
In between those two drives, though, Page made the key drive-killing play. Jason Simpson called a trick play for Zoe Roberts to take a handoff on a reverse, but Page stayed home and made a tackle for a nine-yard loss. That stopped UT-Martin’s fourth drive, allowing the Vols to take a three-score lead when they got the ball back.
After the fumble, Page made another play, sacking Winn for a nine-yard loss to kill another drive. That pinned UT-Martin back on a punt, and Dee Williams returned that punt 33 yards to the UT-Martin 27 to set up another touchdown, which put the Vols up 38-7. Big plays defined the defense, and Page was the only one to make two of them, so he makes the list.