KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee linebacker Daniel Bituli was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week after a stellar performance in UT’s closely-contested 17-13 comeback win at Kentucky, the conference announced Monday.
The senior led Tennessee with a season-high and SEC-best 19 tackles to help lift the Vols to their third consecutive win.
Bituli spearheaded a defense that shutout the Wildcats in the second half. No stop, however, was bigger than Bituli’s tackle on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line when he stuffed Kentucky quarterback Lynn Bowden’s quarterback option run with just over one-minute remaining to secure the victory.
The Nashville native finished with 10 solo tackles and added a half-tackle for loss as the Vols erased a 13-0 first-quarter deficit and held the Wildcats scoreless in the second half at Kroger Field.
His 19-tackle performance is tied for the fifth-highest total by a Power 5 player in 2019.
The honor marks the second of the year for Bituli who was previously recognized on Oct. 28 after an impressive display in UT’s 41-21 victory over South Carolina when he paced Tennessee with 15 tackles, 1.0 TFL and blocked a punt he returned for touchdown to provide the final scoring margin, which was the largest win the Vols have had over the Gamecocks since 1999’s 30-7 victory.
Bituli was also named to the PFF College National Team of the Week.
Jennings Added to Biletnikof Award Watchlist
Tennessee wide receiver Jauan Jennings has been named to the 2019 Biletnikof Award watchlist, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced Monday.
The redshirt senior is fifth in the SEC in receiving yards (771) and in touchdown receptions (7) while ranking sixth in receptions (50) and eighth in yards per catch (15.42). Jennings has three 100-yard games this season, including a career-high 174 receiving yards in UT’s win over South Carolina to go along with two multi-touchdown receiving games.
Jennings opened the season with at least one receiving touchdown in the Vols’ first three games, becoming the first Tennessee player since Josh Malone in 2016 to do so. He is also the first UT receiver since Malone in 2016 to haul in multiple touchdowns on two occasions in the same year.
His 174-yard receiving performance against South Carolina was the most receiving yards by a Tennessee player in an SEC game since Denarius Moore had 228 at South Carolina in 2010.
Adding to his career year, the Murfreesboro, Tenn., native has been vaulting up the record books this season. For his career, Jennings has hauled in 137 passes which ranks him sixth all-time in program history. His 1,955 career receiving yards rank eighth while the Blackman High School product’s 17 career touchdown receptions place him in a tie with Robert Meachem for eighth all-time in Tennessee history.
The Biletnikof Award is presented annually to college football’s most outstanding FBS receiver at any position by the Tallahassee Football Club Foundation, who will name its 10 semifinalists on Nov. 18. Finalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 25, and the winner will be revealed on Dec. 12 during the Home Depot College Football Awards show.
Past Biletnikof Award winners include Calvin Johnson, Randy Moss, Michael Crabtree, Amari Cooper, Larry Fitzgerald and the late Terry Glenn.
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