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    • Tennessee Football used a special offensive set to beat Florida in overtime
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    Tennessee Football used a special offensive set to beat Florida in overtime

    Vaseline Posted on

    Jaxson Moi led the way.

    The Tennessee defensive lineman lined up in the offensive backfield and crashed into Florida’s defensive front. Tight end Miles Kitselman followed Moi. Running back Dylan Sampson walked into the end zone behind both.

    “It’s definitely like they can’t even see me in person when they put everyone like that,” Sampson said.

    No. 9 Tennessee (5-1, 2-1 SEC) scored the winning touchdown in a 23-17 overtime win against Florida (3-3, 1-2) on Saturday at Neyland Stadium by throwing an oversized offensive set on the Gators. It featured Moi and fellow defensive lineman Nathan Robinson.

    Vols coach Josh Heupel turned to the wrinkle on three crucial plays and it came through every time – including on the game-winning touchdown.

    Why Tennessee Football used a jumbo package against Florida

    Heupel consulted with defensive coordinator Tim Banks late in the second quarter. He wanted to attempt a fourth-and-1 at the Tennessee 10-yard line.

    He felt like Tennessee needed to keep Florida off the field while boosting its offense. He turned to Moi and Robinson for extra muscle.

    “I brought in some defensive guys,” Heupel said. “Go put a border there.”

    The Vols placed quarterback Nico Iamaleava under center, with Kitselman behind him and Sampson deeper in the backfield. The 6-foot-1, 307-pound Moi lined up to Kitselman’s left and moved to line up next to Robinson, the 6-6, 275-pound freshman lined up on the left side of the offensive line.

    “I think you put a little bit of fear into the defense when we get into that big jumbo package,” Sampson said.

    Redshirt freshman DeSean Bishop gained six yards and a first down. Iamaleava was intercepted three plays later, but Florida failed to take advantage to extend the lead beyond 3-0 at halftime, fulfilling Heupel’s hopes.

    Heupel explained that the Vols had seen a Florida defensive structure on film that led to the jumbo set’s shot.

    He turned to it again late in the third quarter as Tennessee threatened to score for the first time. Moi, a transfer from Stanford, was paving the way for a 6-yard Sampson touchdown when Tennessee scored for the first time.

    Jaxson Moi and Nathan Robinson were the perfect fit for Vols vs Florida

    Bryson Eason is not lobbying for inclusion in the jumbo package. The senior defensive lineman insisted he is good at his role on defense. He’s a tackler, not a blocker.

    The attacking secondary job remains delegated to Moi and Robinson.

    “They’re two big, fat, explosive, tall guys,” Heupel said. “They have the ability to move people.”

    They did that on the final play in overtime. Robinson again set up the left edge of the line and Moi took his place in the backfield. Moi rushed straight to Robinson for reinforcements. Sampson was confident he would score no matter what. The defensive duo made sure of that.

    “I know I’m going to get positive yards every time we get in there, so I like it,” Sampson said.

    ADAMS: Not artistically, but Tennessee football cherishes every win over Florida

    Florida’s defensive front — including 449-pound defensive tackle Desmond Watson — never had a chance.

    Sampson, who has 15 rushing touchdowns this season, got into the end zone. Moi signaled a touchdown and jumped around frantically. Robinson followed suit.

    The defense that has helped the offense in recent weeks went one step further on Saturday by loaning a pair of players to the offense – and the Vols won thanks to the assist.

    Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @By MikeWilson. If you like Mike’s reporting, consider a digital subscription that gives you access to it all.

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