On a defense devoid of many established leaders following the departures of Cam Sutton, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, and Derek Barnett, junior Darrin Kirkland Jr. understands that it’s now his time to step up and fill in the void.

While speaking to the media following Thursday’s practice, Kirkland came up with a creative way to describe his new role on the Tennessee defense.

“This is my third spring now, it’s a lot different now,” Kirkland said. “I’ve always been you know, a good player surrounded by great players. Now I’m kind of the Last Mohican now, so I find myself being the main guy, the leader of the defense now. I’ve embraced that role, and I know I have to bring it to another level every day.”

After missing five games in the middle of last season following a significant ankle injury, the Last Mohican Kirkland claims he is finally back to 100 percent after suffering the tough injury. Kirkland managed to return following the team’s bye week but didn’t appear to be the same player on the field for the Vols until the Music City Bowl win over Nebraska.

Kirkland said talking to former players like Sutton and Reeves-Maybin has encouraged him to step up and assume a leadership role with the Vols.

“We always talk about next up and it’s your time, and it’s my time,” Kirkland continued. “I have to embrace that role and be the leader, be the alpha male that we’ve always talked about.

As for what that entails for Kirkland this summer, the junior explained.

“Being more vocal, pushing my teammates and much as I push myself knowing that they look at me to push the energy of the practice and knowing that I have to elevate my game so that they elevate theirs,” he said.

Now entering his second spring under defensive coordinator Bob Shoop, Kirkland believes his coach has also assumed a stronger presence with the team moving into the spring.

“It’s his second year and as he’s gotten his feet wet after this last season,” Kirkland said. “I feel like he’s a lot more comfortable with putting his own stamp on the defense and it has shown and I feel like we’ve embraced that.”

Tennessee fans had better hope that’s accurate, as the team struggled mightily in the second half of the season once injuries started to take their toll. While every team suffers from injury, the Vols simply had no answer for many of them. If and when injuries strike again in the fall, Shoop and the defense had better come up with some better answers this time around if Tennessee plans to finish the regular season in Atlanta.

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