Vols praise Gaulden's production, say he'll be a 'key component' vs. Tide
Bright spots have been few and far between for Tennessee this fall, but redshirt sophomore Rashaan Gaulden has quietly emerged as a legitimate All-SEC candidate for the Vols.
Asked if Gaulden has been “unheralded” to date, defensive coordinator Bob Shoop shook his head and stated, “Not by me he’s not.”
Tennessee’s nickel-back had a career-best 10 stops in the 15-9 loss to South Carolina, and Gaulden ranks No. 3 on the team in tackles behind only Daniel Bituli and Nigel Warrior.
“When you turn on the tape, no matter who is watching, you know where No. 7 is on the field,” secondary coach Charlton Warren said.
“He’s a playmaker.”
Gaulden has lined up all over the field for the Vols in 2017, with Shoop taking advantage of Gaulden’s versatility. The 6-foot-1, 193-pound defensive back from Independence High played boundary cornerback against Georgia Tech, has seen spot duty at safety and traditionally lined up in the box at the nickel.
“His effort, his style of play. Whether it’s in coverage or blitzing off the edge,” Shoop said. “That’s a guy who week-in and week-out who has played at an exceptionally high level and deserves any recognition that he receives.”
Against South Carolina, Gaulden allowed just two receptions for four yards, earning a shoutout from Pro Football Focus. On the year, the redshirt sophomore has yielded just a single completion over 10 yards, per College Football Film Room.
“He’s playing at a really high level for us,” Warren said.“We are going to need to lean on his and others’ leadership in our style of play down the stretch. He’s having a very productive year. As a whole unit, we have to make more plays and get more takeaways.”
Tennessee has forced just six turnovers in six games this season, but Gaulden has had a hand in two game-changing takeaways. He forced a fumble deep in UT’s territory in the win over Georgia Tech, jumpstarting that comeback. Two weeks later, he intercepted a pass at Florida, giving the Vols a chance to win the game in regulation.
“Rashaan is playing so well for us,” linebacker Quart’e Sapp said.
“Blitzing off the edge, showing a lot of energy and allowing us linebackers to feed off of him.”
Tennessee faces an uphill battle against Alabama’s No. 1 scoring offense this Saturday (3:30 p.m., CBS). The Crimson Tide also the lead the conference in rushing, averaging more than 300 yards per game. While the Vols have played more traditional 4-3 defense against Tech and UGA, Shoop indicated a plan to keep No. 7 on the field Saturday.
“If you’re a basketball team you try to get your best players some touches,” Shoop explained.
“Against Alabama, we’re sitting there saying alright, ‘What are the good matchups?’ And we keep thinking about Nigel and Rashaan, guys who are athletic enough, tough enough and have an edge to them. Rashaan is going to be a key component in this week’s game plan for certain.”