A Look at the Newcomers
Getting to see the growth and maturation of returning players is a big plus, but watching new faces and intriguing new additions to the roster perform on the field brings a whole different level of excitement.
Tennessee will have several new players on the field on Saturday that Vol fans haven’t seen in action yet. The headliners are offensive lineman Wanya Morris, defensive lineman Aubrey Solomon, defensive back/wide receiver Deangelo Gibbs, and linebacker Quavaris Crouch. But there are several other newcomers who will be playing their first “game” in Neyland Stadium on Saturday too, such as Warren Burrell, Tyus Fields, Jaylen McCollough, Chris Akporoghene, Brian Maurer, and Ramel Keyton.
What kind of spark do these new players bring to a roster that was in need of speed, athleticism, and just overall play-making ability? Two of those players listed above — Wanya Morris and Aubrey Solomon — are on Tennessee’s first string roster, so be prepared to see quite a bit of them. The other younger players will likely vary in playing time, but Vol fans will definitely keep an eye on them.
The Vols don’t have a ton of new offensive talent at the skill positions that will catch anyone’s eye. Running back Eric Gray will be sitting out the game, and wide receiver Ramel Keyton is somewhat buried on the depth chart because of the veteran depth ahead of him. Not only that, but Deangelo Gibbs is expected to spend most of his time on defense rather than offense. Wanya Morris is a big name, but he’ll be on the offensive line and likely won’t make any highlight plays.
Still, there are plenty of new names to watch for regardless of which unit is on the field for Tennessee on Saturday.
