The senior started in every game during his sophomore and junior years, leading the team with over 100 total tackles both seasons. He started in all four games this season before going down with a shoulder injury against Ohio on Sept. 17. He attempted to play against Florida the following week, but was unable to play. He had season-ending surgery this week.
LB Cortez McDowell
The junior linebacker backed up Reeves-Maybin last season, playing in 13 games and making 12 tackles. He came in for Reeves-Maybin after his injury, but left vs. Texas A&M due to an undisclosed injury. He missed the Alabama game last week.
LB Darrin Kirkland Jr.
The sophomore made the Freshman All-SEC team last season after recording 66 tackles as UT’s starting middle linebacker for 10 games. Against Virginia Tech, Kirkland suffered a high-ankle sprain. He hasn’t played since. He was a game-time decision against Alabama a week ago, though, which could be a good sign.
LB Quart’e Sapp
The redshirt freshman was expected to contribute, especially with Kirkland’s injury, but he suffered a stress fracture in his foot against Appalachian State. Head coach Butch Jones said Sapp will be out for “an extended period of time.”
DB Cameron Sutton
Sutton started in all 38 games over his first three seasons at cornerback. He began returning punts in 2014, too. The senior suffered a fractured ankle against Ohio and, per Jones, he could return for the last couple games of the season.
DB Malik Foreman
Foreman made arguably the play of the year in the fourth quarter against Texas A&M two weeks ago. The senior forced the ball loose from TAMU’s Trayveon Williams' hands in the end zone for a touchback, which led to a game-tying score for the Vols. Foreman started in 10 games as a junior last season and made two starts this year. He was suspended for the Ohio game and missed the Alabama game, apparently due to an undisclosed injury.
DL Kahlil McKenzie
McKenzie played in all 13 games last season as a true freshman, mostly at defensive tackle. He played in all of the Vols’ first seven games this season, but suffered a torn pectoral muscle against Alabama. According to Jones, he is likely out for the rest of the season.
SHY TUTTLE
It’s the second straight year that Shy Tuttle had his season cut short. The sophomore defensive tackle injured his leg on Saturday against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
With Tuttle’s injury, the Vols have now lost three scholarship defensive tackles this year. Kahlil McKenzie also got hurt for the season, and Danny O’Brien was dismissed from the team.
They are now down to two scholarship players who are regulars at the position, Kendal Vickers and Dimarya Mixon.
DT Kendal Vickers
Vickers made 13 starts as a redshirt sophomore last season, and was a starter at defensive tackle this season. He sustained injuries against Texas A&M and Alabama, but Jones hasn’t made the details known.
DL Danny O’ Brien
The redshirt senior started in each of the Vols’ first six games at defensive tackle, but was carted off against Texas A&M.
One day later, Tennessee announced O’Brien had been dismissed for an unrelated "violation of team rules."
DT Alexis Johnson
Johnson, a former four-star JUCO prospect, was supposed to step in with O’Brien’s dismissal, but did not dress out vs. Alabama. Jones said earlier this weekthat he is dealing with a hip flexor injury.
MICAH ABERNATHY
Hamstring vs Alabama
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Shoop blows for not overcoming this in his first season. I really can't care that his 2017 defense forced game changing turnovers, never quit, and made the game winning stop.
