Linebacker who was once called out by Butch Jones says playing in Neyland Stadium against Tennessee was 'electric'
One of the biggest letdown moments of the Butch Jones era in Knoxville was the Tennessee Vols' loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in 2015. Tennessee led Oklahoma 17-3 at halftime, but the Vols were shut out in the second half while the Sooners rallied to tie the game. Oklahoma outscored Tennessee 14-7 in overtime to […]
One of the biggest letdown moments of the Butch Jones era in Knoxville was the Tennessee Vols' loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in 2015.
Tennessee led Oklahoma 17-3 at halftime, but the Vols were shut out in the second half while the Sooners rallied to tie the game. Oklahoma outscored Tennessee 14-7 in overtime to leave Neyland Stadium with a 31-24 win.
After the game, Oklahoma linebacker Eric Striker taunted Vols fans, which led to Butch Jones telling him to "have some damn class".
"Zack (Sanchez) got the pick, and I ran over there talking to our fans and saying, 'Yeah, yeah,' to all their fans, and [Jones] grabbed me and said, 'Eric, you're a hell of a player, but have some damn class,'" said Striker after Oklahoma's win against Tennessee in 2015.
"I just shrugged it off. I didn't say anything back, but I didn't see what was so classless about that," added Striker. "I was just passionate. I'm a passionate competitor. If we win, I'm going to stick my chest out a little bit. But I wasn't trying to be classless. I was looking at their fans and our fans. I didn't see anything wrong with it."
Earlier this week, Striker joined the Dial It Up podcast with former Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight. And he told Knight that the game against the Vols in 2015 in Knoxville was the most electric road atmosphere he played in during his time with the Sooners.
"You know, I gotta give it to the Vols, man. Gotta give it to Tennessee," said Striker when asked about his favorite road atmosphere. "Notre Dame was electric. But man, just that lead up. We played Tennessee the year before, to go into that stadium, oh my gracious — 100,000 (fans).
"We had to communicate with signs because we couldn't talk — we couldn't hear each other, [even] being right next to each other. But man, what an electric game, electric night, electric time. Definitely one of my best venues, favorite venues I played in. And the competition was on 1,000. Energy was on 1,000 from both squads. So I had a great time in Knoxville."
That game was certainly one of the most electric atmospheres you'll ever see in a college football game. And for most of the night, it looked like Tennessee fans were going to have plenty of reason to celebrate.
But unfortunately for the Vols, Baker Mayfield and the Sooners were able to come back in the second half — thanks to some missed opportunities from Tennessee — and steal a win in Neyland.
