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LEXINGTON, Ky. — Desperation doesn’t even begin to describe it, but that’s what the play is called.
With its SEC championship aspirations down to one final play, Tennessee called the only play left to call Saturday.
“We called ‘Desperation Block,’ ” UT defensive tackle Dan Williams said, “and I jumped up, it just so happened it hit me in the face.”
That’s not hyperbole.
Kentucky kicker Lones Seiber’s 34-yard field goal try hit Dan Williams right smack in the facemask.
No. 19 Tennessee’s 52-50 victory over Kentucky in four overtimes — and the trip to Atlanta for next weekend’s SEC championship game it ensures — owes much to Williams, and his well-placed noggin.
But it owes just as much to a defensive line that was maligned since August.
Heck, since February.
The Vols didn’t have players like Leonard Little or Shaun Ellis or Albert Haynesworth or John Henderson up front.
They didn’t even have Justin Harrell or Turk McBride, who were off the board by the third round of April’s NFL draft.
What they have now are players who have shown consistent improvement since the beginning of the season.
“Miles and miles,” UT defensive coordinator John Chavis said when asked how far the defensive line has come since August. “They’ve done a tremendous job all year getting better.”
Saturday they showed a flair for big plays, too.
And only one came off Williams’ facemask.
Just as big as Williams’ blocked kick was senior Antonio Reynolds’ tackle of Kentucky quarterback Andre’ Woodson to seal the victory on a failed two-point conver-sion.
Up 52-50, Reynolds corralled the SEC’s highest rated passer near the goal line to preserve UT’s lead and a spot in Atlanta.
“He stepped up and I just figured I’d retrace and see what I can do,” said Reynolds, who had four tackles and a sack, as well as an interception of Kentucky’s two-point try in the third overtime.
Xavier Mitchell came up with an interception just before halftime that set up a Tennessee touchdown.
In addition to blocking the potential game-winning field goal, Williams forced a fumble that end Wes Brown corralled.
And tackle Demonte’ Bolden, struggling with a toe injury for the past two weeks, came up with two tackles and a sack.
But the defensive effort was about more than just the defensive line.
“It’s just about making plays and playing football,” Mitchell said. “We just wanted to get the job (done). It doesn’t matter who gets the credit. We just played a team game today.”
Defensive backs, defensive linemen and linebackers all contributed to Tennessee’s season-high six sacks.
Freshman safety Eric Berry had 14 tackles, while strongside linebacker Ryan Karl had 10 stops of his own.
Reserve defensive back Ricardo Kemp had a pair of sacks and a interception, caused when Mayo decked Wildcats tight end Jacob Tamme over the middle.
Middle linebacker Jerod Mayo finished with a career-high 19 tackles.
But a lot of those plays came about because of the defensive line’s ability to get pressure on Woodson and keep UT’s linebackers and defensive backs free to make plays.
“I can’t say enough good or how much they’ve grown over these past few weeks,” Mayo said. “Dan Williams, J.T. Mapu, Demonte’ Bolden, Walter Fisher. I got to call them out by name. Those guys have been playing excellent for a long time now.”
Still, Saturday wasn’t excellent all around.
Sure Tennessee held Kentucky to seven points and 133 yards of offensive in the first half.
However, it gave up a 17-point lead in the final 16½ minutes of regulation.
It allowed Kentucky to gain 348 yards between halftime and the end of the fourth quarter.
But that same defense kept Kentucky out of the end zone on a 18-play, 90-yard drive in the fourth quarter.
And it made the plays it needed to make in overtime to send the Vols back to Atlanta as the SEC East champion for the second time in four years.
“We’re not perfect. You saw that tonight,” Chavis said. “But we’ve become a pretty doggone good football team.”
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.
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Comments » 22
steve22043#233791 writes:
Scrappy play wins it. Again, it wasn't pretty, but they found a way to get er done. On to Atlanta and after all they've done till now I'd give them a good chance of winning it.
FWBVol writes:
I had moments where I doubted, but in the end I reminded myself in football Tennessee is Tennessee and Kentucky is Kentucky. When the smokre cleared, the Vols were standing and the Cats were wondering what might have been once again.
djstatik writes:
I can't imagine how tired the players are because I'm exhausted just watching it. As bad as I hate to see the Vols give up another big half-time lead they never quit. 9-3 and going to the SEC championship!! Go Vols!
la_vol writes:
I'm still upset about that nasty facemask following the blocked field goal. I suppose that it hasn't happened before, but the penalty just goes away? What a stupid rule. Berry could possibly have returned the block all the way, to to mention that he could really have been injured. Could the officials have ejected the Kentucky player?
dfreeman writes:
I don't understand why, when Kentucky got flagged for the facemask (personal foul) that it didn't carry over to the next overtime. Then, the very next freaking overtime we ARE flagged for a bs call on Foster and we have to start on the 40 yard line?? WTH?? Can someone explain that??
aj_vol#248433 writes:
Evidently the penalty on Foster was assessed in the next OT because it was a dead ball foul that occurred after the play was over.
The facemask on KY occurred during the play.
I agree that the rules need to be adjusted - that facemask was brutal, lucky that Berry wasn't hurt.
vol4good#206163 writes:
HOORA!! Great effort D Line, Great Effort!!Rest for now and get ready for the greatest test of all!! Lay waste to another pack of cats in GA. GO VOLS!
dfreeman writes:
Their BS explanation was that (and I quote) "the penalty can not be assessed on a change of downs!" Was or was not the penalty on Foster assessed after a change of downs?? That was phooey!! That penalty on Foster was bs anyway! What are they supposed to show no emotion?? I think everyone with the exception of the UT faithful wanted us to lose!! Also I am sick and tired of our guys getting into the backfield and getting gang tackled or held trying to get to the quarterback!!
mtnvol writes:
Berry could have had a broken neck while the cats could have had hurt feelings. You tell me which is worth 15 yards! Unbelievable!
If the rules don't get changed, and that happens again, a team can go after knees, facemasks, etc. with nothing to lose; not even 15 yards. Let's see how badly the NCAA REALLY cares about the kids this off season.
rubbervol writes:
I thought it was beautiful and a great football game.GO BIG ORANGE !My flags fling down here in Bama !!!
Ironcity writes:
It was a good play by the UK player on Berry since he had a good chance of scoring without the face mask but at the very least he should have been ejected. I am usually not one to complain about the refs but it seems that the SEC has stop calling holding this year. I wonder if they made a point of letting teams play because I am seeing linemen (especially ours) getting just mugged on there way to the QB.
dfreeman writes:
The refs were still talking out of both sides of their mouths! We were hit with a personal foul and docked 15 yards on the next overtime. Something they themselves said you can't do during a change of possession! Was that rule made just for us?? Ironcity yes we have been getting mugged in the backfield all year with no calls!! You know what though, we are STILL SEC EAST CHAMPIONS!!!! Go Vols!!
gohawks1 writes:
Foster's penalty was a stupid call by the refs. If that is unsportsmanlike conduct and the previous facemask call gets no penalty yards, then something is wrong with the system. NCAA MUST re-evaluate that no call penalty for the safety of the players.
gohawks1 writes:
OK, so here's my take on the two penalties -
The facemask penalty was during a live play.
The unsportsmanlike call was a dead ball foul.
Apparently, according to the rules, the dead ball foul is enforced on the next play, but the live play foul is not.
That don't make it right, and I don't have to like it either. The NCAA should take a closer look at that. That facemask could have seriously injured a player, while a simple slinging of the ball after the play puts no one at risk.
THE_VOL writes:
dfreeman - are you through crying yet? My God get over it dude! We just beat the weakest slate of SEC teams in years and get to go play for an undeserved trophy! And just think we beat the worst three teams in the East by a combined SIX points!!!! Two of them were at HOME! WE ARE BACK!!! WE ARE ELITE AGAIN!!! BE THANKFUL WE OWE PHILIP SO MUCH MONEY LEST WE COULD FIRE HIM!! IT IS A GREAT DAY!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
err... D-line, get ready again! Soon, here comes Hester who runs straight ahead like a Peterbilt! McCoy, Karl need game of your life Sat nite. Go Vols, somehow press on.
asleep#212036 writes:
I watched the game with a relative who refs high school. He said in HS, and he thinks also in college, OT possessions are separate little games. No live ball penalty can be assessed because that "game" (possession) is over, period. A dead ball foul, however, can be assessed because it occurred after the possession. I think that is phooey. I wouldn't be surprised if that is one of those things that has never happened before and the rules just don't address it properly. It is ridiculous that they could literally have ended Berry's career, or even his life, and no penalty was assessed. Had I been Penn Wagers, I would have ejected the player.
THE VOL - Dude, lighten up. Ask Georgia how good SC and Vandy are. In fact, while you're there, ask Coach Richt how good we are. While you're at it, ask LSU how good Kentucky and Arkansas are. We won as many conference games as anyone else, East or West and we absolutely deserve to be in Atlanta. Not Georgia, not Florida - Tennessee. And while we're on the subject, that would be 5 East titles since 1997, the start of the so-called glory days. Not too shabby. Does this team have warts? Certainly. But the hallmark of this team is their guts, something earlier, more talented teams (2005, 2003, 2002, 1999, etc...) were conspicuously missing. When things got tough, those teams tanked. The coaches didn't give up on these players and subsequently, they didn't give up on themselves or the season. We're young and maybe not as talented as the coaches would like, especially in the upper classes, but we don't give up and we always get back up, even after a beat-down. Credit where credit is due - that's all I'm saying bro'. Go Vols!!!
wisonsinvol writes:
I really don't understand how the penalty on Foster is enforced on the next possession and the face mask on Ky is ignored by the rule. Can anyone help on that? BTW, that was a vicious facemask penalty. Surprised Berry whoever it was got back up.
BigUn writes:
"But that same defense kept Kentucky out of the end zone on a 18-play, 90-yard drive in the fourth quarter."
I don't understand. It's good about giving up an 18 play 90 yard drive in under 3 minutes and good that UK QB dropped the snap then overthrew a wide open WR in the endzone with 1 second left.
Look, I love the players on this team. I appreciate how hard they play, but Chavis and Larry Slade suck. This defense has a chance to be special, but with Chavis and Slade here, unfortunately we will still be seeing 12-15 yard cushions with teams at the 10 yard line.
asleep#212036 writes:
The penalty wasn't enforced because once an overtime possession ends, there is no mechanism in the rules to enforce a defensive penalty, even a personal foul. Think of OT possessions like individual games. Once the game is over, you don't enforce the penalties if they don't change the outcome of the play. Dead ball penalties, however, are different. Dead ball penalties are always enforced. I thought the call on Foster was phooey to start with and I also think Penn Wagers should have ejected the KY player for such a vicious penalty. I'll bet the rules change next year. I'm guessing this has never happened before and the rules for OT didn't address it properly. I'll bet they go back to letting only players on the field call TO as well after all the placekick antics this season. Go Vols!!!
dfreeman writes:
THE_VOL, man don't lighten up get lost!! I'm venting that frustration because it could've seriously injured Berry and they did nothing! This board is a football discussion and I was discussing something that happened in the FOOTBALL game. Georgia almost lost to Vandy and dominated Florida as well!! Kentucky and Arkansas both beat LSU. We stomped Arkansas and Georgia!! Your lack of brain matter leaves me laughing at the rest of your moronic post!! In the past yes
volstout writes:
Asleep----------------
You are so right dude!!!! TOUGH TEAM...........GO VOLS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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