Tennessee linebacker Daniel Bituli (35) rests on the bench during the close win over Massachusetts on Sept. 23. He had the Vols’ highlight play in last Saturday’s 45-7 loss at Alabama — a 97-yard interception return for a touchdown.KNOXVILLE – Tennessee linebacker Daniel Bituli’s assignment was to “spy” Alabama running back Joshua Jacobs as the Crimson Tide faced a third-and-goal while threatening to extend a 28-0 lead last Saturday.
But Jacobs stayed in the backfield to block for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, so Bituli camped out in the middle of the field ready to react to whatever came next.
As fellow linebacker Quart’e Sapp shed Jacobs’ block and approached Tagovailoa, the freshman quarterback let the football fly toward a receiver in the end zone.
“Luckily,” Bituli said, “I was under the ball and able to make a play.”
Standing on the 3-yard line, Bituli tipped the ball in the air with one hand, then caught it and came to a realization.
“I can’t get caught by an offensive lineman or my teammates will make fun of me,” Bituli said. So the Nashville Christian School graduate took off and ran 97 yards for a touchdown and Tennessee’s best highlight in a 45-7 loss.
For Bituli, a sophomore, it was a fresh validation of his ability at the highest level of college football after he hit something of a lull following his 23 tackles in the season opener.
“At the end of the day, it’s football,” Bituli said of his adjustment from Class 1A high school football to the Southeastern Conference. “I know what I signed up for. I love to hit. I am where I’m at because of my physicality. It really didn’t take that long. It’s just mental aspect, all that learning you have to do, that was really the hardest thing.”
Bituli continues to lead Tennessee in tackling even as he adjusts mentally to the middle linebacker position that requires him to be what defensive coordinator Bob Shoop refers to as “the quarterback of the defense.”
“I think we’re all very pleased with Daniel Bituli,” Shoop said Monday. “You look at him and he looks like an SEC linebacker, and he continues to get better. I think his positives and his negatives were exposed in that game, his positives being he can run, he’s physical, he can attack. Obviously, he had a pick-six that was just a really good play. Then his inexperience shows up when the team goes full throttle and does some tempo things.”
Colton Jumper, a Baylor School graduate, possesses a firm grasp of the defense and continues to start at middle linebacker while splitting time with Bituli.
“Jumper is probably a little bit better at that stuff but probably doesn’t make some of the plays Bituli made. We’re going to need both those guys moving forward,” Shoop said.
Injury update
Head coach Butch Jones said Wednesday that senior safety and kick returner Evan Berry remains day-to-day. Berry practiced last week for the first time since leaving the season opener against the Georgia Tech with an injury. He did not play in last week’s loss at Alabama.
“We want to make sure that he’s the Evan Berry that we all know that he is before we put him out there,” Jones said.
Linebacker Austin Smith, who has not played yet this season because of an injury he suffered late in preseason practice, is “fully expected” to be able to play Saturday, Jones said.
Senior kicker Aaron Medley (mononucleosis) returned to practice Wednesday and also will be available Saturday. Jones said freshman kicker Brent Cimaglia will start.
Backup quarterback Quinten Dormady (shoulder) is expected to be available against Kentucky. Sophomore defensive back Baylen Buchanan will be unavailable.
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com.