KNOXVILLE - The ice bath Jalen Reeves-Maybin took late Saturday night treated the bumps, bruises and soreness that came from making so many tackles.
What the cold water couldn't remedy was the disappointment the Tennessee linebacker felt despite might have been the best performance of his career.
For three quarters, Reeves-Maybin spearheaded a stingy defensive showing against Oklahoma, but the Volunteers gave up two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter and lost in double overtime. The outcome overshadowed an outstanding individual game from Reeves-Maybin, who had 21 tackles (three for loss) and a sack in the second game of what could be an All-Southeastern Conference season.
Based on how Reeves-Maybin answered a question about himself, the ending still clearly bothered him.
"I just want to cut down on the missed opportunities," he told the Times Free Press after Tuesday's practice. "As a defense as a whole, we had some opportunities where we could have put the game away, and we came up short. For me, that's the biggest thing, is cutting down on those missed opportunities and trying to seal the game and finish it out for four quarters."
The Vols held the Sooners to 173 yards through three quarters, but Oklahoma went on two long touchdown drives to force overtime.
Tennessee's defense could have ended the game with one play on multiple occasions. Instead, it allowed the tying score on third-and-goal with 40 seconds left. The Vols also failed to make a fourth-and-goal stop in the first overtime.
"I thought they played really well," defensive coordinator John Jancek said. "We were on point. We had a great rhythm. We were all over those guys, and I'm proud of the way they played. I'm proud of the way they played in the fourth quarter.
"We didn't make some plays, but we also had some calls that really, really hurt us at critical times - two on third down and the other one on second-and-long and the guy's scrambling. Those things happen. Overall, I am proud of the way they played, the way they prepared, some of the things that we were able to do as far as adjustments even before the game and during the game. That one's a tough one."
It had to be tougher on Reeves-Maybin. The junior was the first Tennessee player since A.J. Johnson in 2012 to have 20 tackles in a game. Reeves-Maybin made or assisted on the tackle on 23 percent of his 90 snaps against Oklahoma.
"I texted him right after the game and told him that I'm happy he's on my team and not on the opposing team, because he imposed his will last Saturday," safety Todd Kelly Jr. said.
"I told him that's what we need out of him as a leader. He's one of the leaders on our team, and basically he just has a dogged mentality that no one can block him and that he can make every play on the field. I told him to keep doing that, and hopefully he can rub off on me."
Through two games, Reeves-Maybin has 30 tackles (five for loss), two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He acknowledged that the game feels like it is slowing down and that he is able to "recognize things a lot more" in his second season as a starter.
"I can predict things a lot better," he said. "Just being in this defense for two years and going on my third year, it just helps me grow as a player that much more."
It was clear last year that Reeves-Maybin was going to be a playmaker and a potential star, and though he was productive (101 tackles, 11 for loss, two sacks, an interception and two fumble recoveries), he often was overshadowed by Johnson, the program's second-leading all-time tackler.
In the five games since Johnson's suspension last November, Reeves-Maybin is averaging 11 tackles per game.
"He stole a lot of people's tackles," Reeves-Maybin said of Johnson. "He was just a beast, so I always knew there would always be more plays out there to be made without him out there. I'm just trying to replace what he did and make a lot of tackles. That's my goal."
Reeves-Maybin said in the preseason he had All-SEC aspirations, and his burden to lead is likely to increase with defensive end/linebacker Curt Maggitt, one of Tennessee's top defenders and team leaders, out six to 10 weeks with a chipped hip bone.
"He has really worked himself into what I feel," Tennessee head coach Butch Jones said Wednesday, "is one of the best linebackers not only in the SEC, but in the country."
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.