By: Dallas Bowlin
Senior Staff Writer/Editor/Host
All Vol Call In Show
With Tennessee Football heading into the season’s final stretch, the Vols are using this bye week to regroup. Despite the offense's ups and downs, standout performances have kept them competitive—and one player has proven essential to their success.
Through seven games, Dylan Sampson has been the heartbeat of Tennessee’s offense, amassing 838 yards on 144 carries (a 5.8 yards-per-carry average) and scoring 17 touchdowns. His performance against Alabama was unforgettable, rushing for 139 yards on 26 carries with two touchdowns, and he dominated Kent State with 101 yards on just 13 carries, racking up four touchdowns.
His absence from the Heisman Watch List feels like a glaring oversight, though it’s hardly surprising. The Heisman Trophy has become little more than a façade. Without question, Tennessee’s offensive MVP is Dylan Sampson.
The defensive MVP is a bit trickier to pinpoint. I’d love to give it to Jermod McCoy, especially since I just wrote an entire article about him (ICYMI). I almost went ahead and named him anyway, but ultimately, I decided against it. McCoy is undoubtedly the runner-up, but the MVP has to be James Pearce Jr. He has been the top pass rusher in the SEC by a wide margin, generating a pressure rate of 22.2%—the next closest is R. Mason Thomas at 16.5%.
While his actual stat line may not leap off the page, his presence on the field is undeniably the biggest force on the defense. He makes everything easier for the entire unit.
In a season filled with challenges for the Volunteers, these two have consistently kept Tennessee afloat and in the thick of every game they play.
Photo | Vol Report
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