A look at No.11 Tennessee’s injury situation ahead of SEC East showdown with Florida
No.11/9 Tennessee (2-0) will square off against SEC East rival Florida (1-1) later tonight at 7 pm E.T. on ESPN. The Vols are coming off a lackluster 30-13 victory over Austin Peay last week. Following the first two games of the season, Tennessee is dealing with some injuries. Volquest’s take a full look at where Tennessee’s injury status stands ahead of tonight’s matchup.
LB Keenan Pili
Volquest reported earlier in the week last week that Tennessee had been dealt a significant blow on the injury front as the veteran linebacker, who got his first start as a Vol during the season-opener had suffered an upper body injury against Virginia that will sideline him for an extended period of time. Josh Heupel confirmed the news on the following week’s SEC Teleconference.
“I don’t believe it’s season ending at this point,” Heupel said at the time. “We’ll see how he continues to heal up in the coming days and weeks.”
Last week, Tennessee was able to get plenty of work for Elijah Herring, Jeremiah Telander and Arion Carter. The young linebackers will be pivotal in tonight’s contest.
Nico Iamaleava
Iamaleava’s status was questioned ahead of Saturday’s game due to a wrist injury reportedly sustained in the opener. However, he was a full participant during warm ups and was available for Tennessee against Austin Peay. All signs point to him being available again this week with no further concerns.
DL Elijah Simmons
Simmons has missed the first two games of the season and a timetable for his return remains uncertain. He is dealing with a lower body injury sustained in fall camp.
“A guy that has been great all training camp and really all offseason. He’ll be out for this one,” Vols Head Coach Josh Heupel said ahead of the Virginia contest. “But we’ll see where that goes moving forward.”
Center Cooper Mays
Veteran offensive lineman Cooper Mays has not been able to suit up for Tennessee since undergoing a “minor procedure” during fall camp. Mays has continued to progress this week and is expected to be available for Tennessee later today. He will be one we keep a close eye on during warmups.
“Yeah, he will be going with us. He’s done really good all week long,” Heupel said on Thursday. “I anticipate him being ready to play. He’s smart, competitive and communicates at a really high level. His experience is beneficial for us.”
Freshmen DL Tyree Weathersby, RB Desean Bishop
Tennessee freshmen Tyree Weathersby and Desean Bishop both suffered long-term injuries around the same time in fall camp. Weathersby will be out for the season with a lower extremity injury, while Bishop’s injury could allow him to return at some point, but he could miss an extended period of time.
“Weathersby will be out for the year. Deshaun is not out for the year but will be out for an extended period of time. Probably a couple of months,” Josh Heupel said on August 16th.
Volquest will have a full “Who’s in, Who’s Out” injury report available tomorrow during pre-game.
Christian Charles
Charles left last week’s contest against Austin Peay with an ankle injury. He is expected to miss an extended period of time for the Vols following the injury. He has continued to battle injuries throughout his career.
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