9. The Return of Jauan Jennings
Star wide receiver Jauan Jennings was dismissed from Tennessee’s football team near the end of the 2017 season, but once Phillip Fulmer was named Athletics Director and Jeremy Pruitt was hired as head coach, new hope emerged for Jennings to eventually return to the team.
Then, in March, Jennings was welcomed back to the program.
The Tennessee native was brought back on to UT’s football team after Jeremy Pruitt said he followed all the rules and guidelines placed before him. Jennings, who was granted a medical redshirt for the 2017 season, didn’t partcipate in spring practices as he recovered from an injury. But he practiced for most of fall camp, and he was good to go for the start of the Vols’ 2018 season.
Jennings battled nagging injuries throughout the season, but he appeared in 11 games and totaled 30 receptions for 438 yards and three touchdowns. He had his first 100-yard game since 2016 when he hauled in six receptions for 102 yards against Alabama, and he caught his first touchdown pass since 2016 when he brought down a touchdown against UTEP in Week 3.
