Another Tennessee player has been recognized for his performance in a huge win over Oklahoma on Saturday.
Sophomore defensive back Jermod McCoy was named the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award National Defensive Back of the Week on Tuesday for his performance against the Sooners. He recorded three tackles, one pass breakup, and a crucial interception off Oklahoma quarterback, Jackson Arnold. It was a pivotal play while the score was still tied 0-0 in the first quarter.
After his interception and 17-yard return, the Vols ended up kicking a field goal for their first points of the game. The interception also started what would become a nightmare game for Arnold. He was benched before halftime, in large part due to McCoy and the rest of the secondary’s excellent coverage throughout the game.
Entering the game, McCoy was the highest PFF-rated defensive back in the SEC. He showed why on Saturday. According to PFF, he played 48 snaps in coverage and did not allow a single completion during the game. Sooner quarterbacks had a 0.0 passing grade when throwing to McCoy’s assigned receiver.
McCoy is currently in his first season in Knoxville after playing his freshman season for Oregon State. He was one of the most sought-after defensive back prospects in the transfer portal. It was a huge victory for Tennessee’s coaching staff to land him, especially at a position of need like defensive back. That recruiting victory is already paying dividends for Tennessee’s secondary.
The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is given to the best defensive back in college football at the end of the season. The last time a Tennessee player won the award was when Eric Berry took home the trophy in the 2009 season. If McCoy can continue the stellar play that he has demonstrated through these first four games, he will have a chance to win the award himself.
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Publish date : 2024-09-24 12:02:00
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