Tennessee isn’t one of the best red zone defenses in the SEC just by luck or good fortune. The Vols prepared to be great with their backs against the goal line.
“Really, it just falls back on our training,” defensive tackle Omari Thomas said on Tuesday. “We go through fall camp, spring practice, regular practice, we have red zone moments where we get a chance to be in the red zone where the offense is trying to score and we just take pride in those moments.
“We take pride in not letting people score and getting in the end zone. So as a defense, we know that’s important and usually you get in situations like that from sudden changes, different things like this. So you just have to be ready to capitalize and not get scared about it and just be ready to go out there and do what you do.”
The Vols certainly haven’t been scared inside their own 20-yard line this season. Tennessee has held opponents to just six touchdowns in 19 trips inside the red zone. The Vols could have certainly used a red zone stop last year when Alabama beat the Vols 34-20 despite Tennessee having a 20-7 lead at halftime.
“You have to finish,” Thomas said. “Learn from that game. We used it for every other game. You have to be able to finish and play four quarters and win the fourth quarter. So that way you’re able to come out big at the end.”
The Vols will face an incredibly gifted quarterback this week when Jalen Milroe takes the field for the Crimson Tide. Milroe is widely considered one of the most athletic quarterbacks in the nation. The junior is averaging four yards per carry and almost 13 rushing attempts per game, but can also beat teams with his passing arm. The junior ranks first in the SEC in passer rating at 191.
“He’s mobile,” Thomas said. “He can make the passes. He can run the ball a lot, so you have to be able to hold your gap and know your gap integrity to be able to rush the corners of the quarterback and stay in your gaps”.
Thomas, who is from Memphis, certainly knows about Milroe. He also knows what this rivalry means for the Vols and the Crimson Tide.
“It means a lot,” Thomas said .”You get a chance on the ‘Third Saturday in October.’ Tennessee-Alabama, that’s what you come to Tennessee (for is) to play in big games like this, win big games like this, so it’s exciting.”
