Warrior Recognized as PFF College All-America Honorable Mention

[Freak]

It's been amazing to watch Warrior's transformation down the stretch. He's been a key component of our defense, in my opinion.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee senior defensive back Nigel Warrior was named a PFF College All-America Honorable Mention earlier this week.

The Georgia native has been the leader of the Vols’ secondary this year and has been one of the major reasons for UT’s impressive turnaround on defense during the second half of the season.

Warrior is tied for the SEC lead with four interceptions (14th nationally) and ranks second on the team with 68 tackles. He also has two tackles for loss and a team-high seven pass breakups.

A 2019 Preseason All-SEC Third Team selection by the league’s coaches, Warrior was also named to the PFF College All-SEC Second Team earlier this week, joining teammates Jauan Jennings, Trey Smith and Brent Cimaglia. Marquez Callaway and Darrell Taylor were both honorable mention selections, as well.

Warrior was named to the PFF College SEC Defensive Team of the Week three times this season and was also named to the PFF College National Team of the Week following his performance in a 45-0 shutout victory over Chattanooga on Sept. 14.

Warrior Recognized as PFF College All-America Honorable Mention - FreakNotes


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[supersmo18]

Good for him, so glad for him that he made the turnaround he did. I just wish the light came on a little earlier in his career. Sure was fun watching him this year, though, and wish him the best going forward.

 

[Shirleyudontmeanthat]

You won’t find better evidence of this staffs ability to coach more than this...
Recruits listen up , you can go big here

 

[Nocleats]

Player Development,,,,,,,finally seeing it in Knoxville again on a large scale.

 

[spyfish007]

It's been amazing to watch Warrior's transformation down the stretch. He's been a key component of our defense, in my opinion.



Warrior Recognized as PFF College All-America Honorable Mention - FreakNotes


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I don't think anyone saw that coming at the start of the season. Excellent work and we'll deserved.

 

[Freak]

I don't think anyone saw that coming at the start of the season. Excellent work and we'll deserved.

If I remember correctly, early in the season it was questionable whether he was even going to hold on to his starting job.

 

[Ashevillevol]

Glad he’s getting the recognition but seems like there were others who had more of a consistent impact on our season. Like Bituli or T Smith

 

[Titan&Volfan4life]

CONGRATS to the young man!

Well earned and deserved.

I agree that we're finally seeing our coaches coach them up and we can all see the results.

VFL...GBO!!!

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

Half of this board doesn't believe in this group and their evaluations, it just doesn't match what they see from their couch!! I however believe they do a great job at highlighting the top players on a team as well as those throughout the conference and country. Congrats to Warrior on his great season and his part in returning the Tennessee Defense to the upper half of the SEC!

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

If I remember correctly, early in the season it was questionable whether he was even going to hold on to his starting job.

I think the never JG crowd was trying to add him to their collection of players they like to dump on.

 

[vader]

If I remember correctly, early in the season it was questionable whether he was even going to hold on to his starting job.

If he had made one more tackle against BYU, we would likely be 8-4

 

[supersmo18]

If he had made one more tackle against BYU, we would likely be 8-4

Or if Taylor hadn’t have blown coverage with 20 seconds left in the game

 

[Tennesseefan2019]

CONGRATS,NIGEL!

 

[05_never_again]

Warrior had such a strange career. Didn't play much as a freshman, had a really good sophomore season, started out I think fairly strong in his junior season before fading consistently all season long, was absolutely awful his senior season until about the Miss St game, whereupon he turned it around and started playing probably the best he's ever played here. Within the 2019 season, he played both by far the worst and the best football of his Tennessee career.

 

[spyfish007]

If I remember correctly, early in the season it was questionable whether he was even going to hold on to his starting job.

Yes and Volnation was brutal during that time. A group of us started noticing and well think we all held our breath as 1 good game turned to 2 and then 3....

 

[RollerVol]

PFF for one BMF...yep, he bad...

GO BIG ORANGE!

 

[Illinoisvolfan2]

Good for him. Hopefully he’s earning a good chance to play Sunday’s.

 

[Remy]

There's a lot of Tennessee kids that played better than some of their peers mentioned in the preseason All SEC selections and mentions. How many times was Bituli mentioned when SEC defensive player of the week was published?

 

[Freak]

If he had made one more tackle against BYU, we would likely be 8-4

Just a terrible play

 

[vader]

Just a terrible play

I shouldn't have clicked on that. Bad times

 

[Carl Pickens]

I’ll admit that I thought Warrior was a huge disappointment early in the year, but he’s proven me wrong

 

[marcusluvsvols]

^^^^^ that would drive me insane if I let it...and it is a testament to CJP that he didnt throw players under the bus which we all saw them throw the entire rest of the team under.. with their stupid, stupid play.

Having played ball all the way through HS, i know firsthand that when your team is playing a "prevent" defense...whether from a nickle(5DBs) dime (6DBs) or even just playing "quarters" with (4DBs) there is EXACTLY 1 RULE:

1. Never, ever let anyone get BEHIND YOU.

That's it. From Pee Wee to the NFL...that's it. Keep everyone in front of you. Period. 1 rule. That's it. 1....rule.


How our DBs. (Looking at you Taylor) managed to let a WR run right past them...or the others managed to never react to the ball in the air and back him up ....we will never know.

I cannot imagine how bad that hurt and upset both CJP and any defensive coach that currently or ever has coached those players. That is such a stupid mistake that the footage of it will be used as a "what not to do" example for coaches at ALL levels of football. It is that bad. Good grief.

I am glad I wasnt around my kids because I cursed in every language that I have ever heard, in tongues that I do not even know how to speak. I went outside and cussed at the trees, the neighbors dog...everything I saw. Absolutely unbelieveable.

What if that play had kept us from a bowl game? Wow. Just wow. It makes the turnaround this season an absolute miracle. Great coaching job to convince these players that they had what it takes to win.

 

[Volumnus 2011]

Player Development,,,,,,,finally seeing it in Knoxville again on a large scale.

And that's exciting. That's what makes me think Pruitt might finally be the keeper

 

[KBVol]

I’ll admit that I thought Warrior was a huge disappointment early in the year, but he’s proven me wrong

Nothing to admit, he was awful the first 3rd or so of the season. But his transformation has been remarkable, has played very, very well the last 5-6 of the year, has been a real strength/playmaker for the defense.

He’s made a lot of really good defensive plays in both run and pass defense, but his most amazing and best play play to me still was his discipline in running past Bowden on the goal line stand to carry out his assignment which was to take the pitch man....no way he makes that play earlier in the year or at any point of his first 3 years.

 

[Carl Pickens]

Nothing to admit, he was awful the first 3rd or so of the season. But his transformation has been remarkable, has played very, very well the last 5-6 of the year, has been a real strength/playmaker for the defense.

He’s made a lot of really good defensive plays in both run and pass defense, but his most amazing and best play play to me still was his discipline in running past Bowden on the goal line stand to carry out his assignment which was to take the pitch man....no way he makes that play earlier in the year or at any point of his first 3 years.

I agree.... I questioned his football IQ, but the play you mentioned did take an incredible amount of discipline