Josh Heupel, Tennessee players earn weekly honors after top-15 road win at Oklahoma
No. 5 Tennessee was in total control on Saturday night in Norman, as the Vols walked out of Gaylord Memorial Stadium with a 25-15 victory that was never as close as the score appeared. After the top-15 victory, the Vols have raked in several weekly honors.
Starting at the top, Tennessee Head Coach Josh Heupel was named the Bear Bryant Awards National Coach of the Week. Heupel’s win over the Sooners marked his 10th-ranked win at Tennessee. With the victory, the Vols became one of just two teams in the nation with wins versus opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time of the game.
Elsewhere, Tennessee sophomore defensive back Jermod McCoy continued to build a strong start to the 2024 campaign on Saturday. Heading into the contest, McCoy had looked the part as one of the top corners in the country, and he showed up in a big way.
McCoy logged 48 coverage snaps and did not allow a completion during the contest while registering a passer grade of 0.0, according to Pro Football Focus. The efforts earned him the honor of being named the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award National Defensive Back of the Week.
For the first time since its win over Alabama in 2022, Tennessee had three players earn SEC weekly honors.
Nico Iamaleava went 13-21 for 194 yards and a score through the air against a stout Sooners defense, and the effort earned him SEC Freshman of the Week honors for the third time this season.
Standout EDGE Joshua Josephs was named SEC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week following the Vols victory. Josephs had three solo tackles and forced and recovered a crucial fumble in the second quarter with Oklahoma inside of the Tennessee 10-yard line. Josephs was graded as the highest-grade run defender this week by Pro Football Focus.
Max Gilbert was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week after connecting on field goals of 27, 41 and 32 yards and converting both of his extra-point attempts.
