LEXINGTON, Ky. – Malik Jackson was unable to come up with a way to define his two-year stint at Tennessee, but the senior Volunteer unknowingly had summed it up already.
“It really was just a blind leap of faith that went really well,” he said earlier this week.
Jackson was preparing for his junior season at Southern Cal before deciding to transfer to UT last July. More than 16 months later, the 6-foot-5, 270-pound California native has been the Vols’ best defensive lineman, and his influence goes beyond the field.
“I think he’s had a huge impact,” said fellow senior Austin Johnson, the linebacker who is UT’s leading tackler. “He’s kind of developed into a leadership role, and I think he’s come in and embraced his moment here and the situation here. I think he’s played very well and made an impact on all the guys. I think it was great to get him.
“I just think guys listen to him. He’s always positive. You don’t really see him [complaining] at practice and always upset or anything like that. It kind of encourages the younger guys. He’s kind of taken under his wing the younger guys – that’s what we need. He doesn’t take any BS from anybody. That’s really helped him a lot being here.”