While it remains to be seen just how good Tennessee’s secondary is, it has been pretty darn good already. Sure, one could argue that the Vols’ defensive backs haven’t been tested, but there’s no denying there’s a game-changer in the defensive back field.
It seems just a matter of time until Jermod McCoy completely flips another game with a key interception. Why? The sophomore has already done as much. It didn’t take long for McCoy to start getting comfortable in his new surroundings after arriving on campus in January.
“I would say before the season,” McCoy said on Tuesday when asked when he began feeling comfortable as a Vol, “then playing through the first four games solidified that and made me feel way more confident in the defense.”
There’s reason to be confident in the No. 4 Vols’ defense. Tennessee is at the top or towards the top of every defensive statistical category in the nation. McCoy is a big part of that.
The cornerback transfer from Oregon State was named the Thorpe Award defensive back of the week last week after he manhandled Oklahoma’s receivers. McCoy registered three tackles, one pass breakup and an interception against the Sooners. His interception did, indeed, flip the game for the Vols, or at least solidified it. The pick led to Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold being benched in the second quarter.
Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks isn’t surprised. After years of being questioned about his secondary, the Vols targeted McCoy in the transfer portal. He became an instant hit, even before the season began.
“We thought Jermod had a chance to be special, just based on what we saw in the spring, and it was a carryover to the fall,” Banks said. “I just think his work ethic, his communication, he doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low.
“He’s very even keeled in terms of his preparation and how he performs on Saturdays. We’re excited for him, and we think his best football is still ahead of him to say the least.”
McCoy is part of a Tennessee secondary that was completely overhauled in the offseason. The Vols lost over a half-dozen defensive backs, including all the starters, from last year’s team and replaced them with a group that seems more athletic, faster and, well, just better than what the Vols had before.
“I’d be lying if I told you we knew right away, but you can say that for any portal kid,” Banks said when asked what he thought of McCoy when he first viewed video of the former Beaver. “We have a checklist of things that we’re looking for when you’re evaluating guys out of the portal. We liked his athleticism.
“We thought, with his background as a receiver, he had really good ball skills. I think the thing that really jumped out was how big he was when we got a chance to see him up close and in person. But we saw the ball skills on tape, we saw the fluidity in which he played with.
“For me personally, it was just his overall size once we saw him. We thought this kid had a chance to be special.”
For the record, McCoy is 6-foot and 193 pound. Yes, he’s stout, but he’s also a game-changer – already.
