Defense: Jamarcus King, DB, South Carolina
Jamarcus King was a force in the Gamecock defense against Tennessee. His two interceptions were vital in helping South Carolina secure the upset. He also added five tackles and broke up two more passes.
South Carolina’s upset of the Volunteers was by far the biggest story in the SEC Football world last weekend. While Jake Bentley and the offense performed admirably, most of the credit should go to the stout Gamecock defense. They held a potent Tennessee offense to just 21 points and got the win for Will Muschamp. King was the single most important player on that defense on Saturday.
Honorable Mentions:
Tray Matthews, DB, Auburn
The Auburn defense got lit up by Chad Kelly on Saturday. That means that there were lots of wide receivers running loose all over the field. The man who was responsible for tracking them down was safety Tray Matthews.
Matthews led the team in tackles with 11, six of which were solo. Since transferring from Georgia, he has been a standout in the Auburn defensive backfield. He could go pro after this season, but may be better served by returning for his senior year.
Blake McClain, DB, Kentucky
Another individual who was responsible for cleaning up wide receivers running amok was Kentucky’s Blake McClain. McClain made eight tackles against Missouri, all of which were solo. McClain is small, at just 5’11” 200 pounds, but the senior is a sure tackler.