Tennessee’s 2018 football season came to a disappointing end on Saturday with a 38-13 loss to in-state rival Vanderbilt. The Vols had a chance to earn a berth to a bowl game if they beat the Commodores, but Vanderbilt dominated Tennessee from start to finish in the game, and the outcome was never really in doubt.
Vol fans voiced their frustrations all weekend about the loss, and many hoped and claimed that a “purge” of the roster was needed moving forward. It turns out, some of UT’s own players agree with that sentiment.
On Saturday night just a few hours after Tennessee’s loss to Vanderbilt, Nyles Gaddy — a walk-on linebacker from Nashville — tweeted out that “everything is going to come together” once “we root out the cancers on the team.” He also vowed that what happened on Saturday “will never happen again.”
Greatness comes with time. When we root out the cancers on the team everything is going to come together. Starting today I make a promise to myself and to Vol Nation that what happen today will never happen again. Not just the lost but quitting. Never again‼️ #ThisIsMyState ?? pic.twitter.com/yypmBTKuJZ
— King G✨? (@nylesgaddy) November 25, 2018
Gaddy walked on with Tennessee prior to the 2018 season and played for Father Ryan out of Nashville in high school. He didn’t appear in any games for the Vols this past season, but he’s been vocal on social media throughout the season. As a senior for Father Ryan, Gaddy totaled 38 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, and two fumble recoveries.
But Gaddy wasn’t the only Vol player who talked about things changing for Tennessee in the future.
Junior college transfer tight end Dominick Wood-Anderson tweeted out on Sunday night that the culture “will change” around the program moving forward.
We Will Change The Culture Around The University Of Tennessee ?? #NewTennessee
— 4PocketsFull (@TheRealYungDom) November 26, 2018
In his debut season with the Vols, Wood-Anderson caught 17 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns. Wood-Anderson appeared in 10 games for Tennessee this season after joining UT as part of their 2018 signing class. He was one of the top junior college products in the 2018 cycle, playing for Arizona Western.
It’s clear some of Tennessee’s players believe things need to change at UT moving forward, and Gaddy wasn’t shy about saying the culture won’t change until some players leave the roster. Time will tell just how many players will end up leaving the roster early this offseason.
