It appears the drama surrounding wide receiver Jauan Jennings is over. For now.
According to 247Sports, Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt confirmed that Jennings is back on the team now but won’t participate in spring practices because of a recent surgery.
“He’s part of the team, but we’re giving him an opportunity to do what he needs to do to have success in the future,” Pruitt said of Jennings. “He has a list of things that he’s got to do and he knows what they are, and he’s in the process of doing them. And it’s kind of hard not to do them if you’re not a part of the team.”
Jennings was dismissed from the Vols’ roster right before Thanksgiving after he posted a video of a profanity-laced tirade to Instagram where he bashed Tennessee’s coaching staff. Interim head coach Brady Hoke and then-Athletics Director John Currie made the joint decision to kick Jennings off the team just days before the Vols’ final regular season game of the year against Vanderbilt.
Pruitt and new AD Phillip Fulmer have spoken about Jennings’ status with the team multiple times over the last month, and both have said repeatedly that Jennings was making progress towards coming back with the team.
Although Pruitt says Jennings is back on the roster, the star wide receiver won’t be participating in spring practices.
“He’s just rehabbing his knee,” Pruitt stated. “He had a knee done, a little scope done. And right now he’s doing everything we’re asking him to do, being a good teammate.”
Jennings burst onto the scene in 2016 as the No. 2 target behind Josh Malone in the passing game. Jennings hauled in 40 receptions for 580 yards and seven scores in his sophomore season two years ago. He was set to be the Vols’ No. 1 target in 2017, but he injured his wrist in the Vols’ season opener against Georgia Tech and never played after that. He finished last year with just three catches for 17 yards.
Pruitt says Jennings’ status is “irrelevant” right now because he won’t be able to be on the field in the spring, but the new coach seems optimistic things will work out.
“We’re going day by day,” Pruitt said. “It’s really right now irrelevant because of the injury that he has. He’s getting his treatment and all that, but he’s doing what we’re asking him to do.”
