Tennessee (3-6) takes on No. 5 Texas A&M (8-1) this Saturday in its regular season-finale. Kickoff with the Aggies is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Rocky Top Insider is tracking throughout the week which players are expected to be available and which players are not expected to play due to injury. We’ll continue to update that status of players from both teams leading up until kickoff.
Here’s a look at the injury report for this weekend’s matchup between the Vols and Aggies:
Tennessee’s injuries:
- RB Eric Gray, So. (OUT)
- Tennessee announced prior to the game that Gray will not be playing against Texas A&M, but did not specify why.
- QB Brian Maurer, So. (OUT)
- Tennessee announced prior to the game that Maurer will not be playing against Texas A&M, but did not specify why.
- OL Cade Mays, Jr. (OUT)
- Jeremy Pruitt said during his press conference on Wednesday that Mays will not play against Texas A&M. Mays suffered a lower leg injury against Florida two weeks ago and did not play against Vanderbilt.
- OL Brandon Kennedy, Sr. (Questionable)
- Kennedy has missed the last two games. Pruitt has not given a reason publicly as to why the Vols’ starting center has been out. True freshman Cooper Mays has started in Kennedy’s place against Florida and Vanderbilt.
- OL K’Rojhn Calbert, R-Jr. (Questionable)
- Like Mays, Calbert suffered a lower leg injury against Florida two weeks ago and it did not look good. Calbert did not play against Vanderbilt last weekend because of the injury.
- CB Bryce Thompson, Jr. (Probable)
- Thompson only played on third down against Vanderbilt due to a hamstring injury. He’s also dealing with a torn pectoral, but he’s expected to play against Texas A&M.
- WR Jimmy Holiday, Fr. (Probable)
- Holiday did not travel to Vanderbilt last Saturday because he was caught up in contact tracing. He’s expected to be available against Texas A&M.
- OL Riley Locklear, Sr. (Doubtful)
- Locklear was lost for the season when he had surgery on his shoulder in October.
- DL LaTrell Bumphus, Sr. (OUT)
- Bumphus suffered a knee injury prior to the Arkansas game when a teammate fell into his leg during pregame warmups. Pruitt later said that it would be four to six weeks before Bumphus recovered.
- TE Austin Pope, Sr. (OUT)
- Pope had offseason back surgery over the summer. Though he was ahead of schedule and on track to be ready for the season opener, Pope had a setback and will “probably” not play this season according to Jeremy Pruitt.
- RB Len’Neth Whitehead, Fr. (OUT)
- Whitehead has not played this season due to multiple injuries. Not only was he overcoming a injury he suffered during his senior season of high school, he suffered a shoulder injury in practice that required surgery. Pruitt said he was out until the spring.
Tennessee opt outs:
- WR Deangelo Gibbs
- Gibbs opted out before the season began.
- K Brent Cimaglia
- Tennessee’s starting kicker opted out due to injury prior to the Vanderbilt game. Walk-on Toby Wilson filled in for Cimaglia against Texas A&M.
- DB Shawn Shamburger
- Shamburger is focusing on academics for the remainder of the season.
- WR Ramel Keyton
- Keyton is focusing on academics for the remainder of the season.
- WR Brandon Johnson
- Johnson announced that he was transferring on Monday, following the Vanderbilt game. He will not play against Texas A&M.
- LB JJ Peterson
- Peterson has been away from the team for undisclosed reasons.
- DT Savion Williams
- Williams announced that he was transferring earlier in the season prior to the Auburn game.
Texas A&M injuries:
- DE Michael Clemsons, Sr. (OUT)
- Clemons is in the midst of his best statistical season and one of the vocal leaders of A&M’s defense. He was injured in the Aggies’ fifth game of the season against Arkansas and according to head coach Jimbo Fisher, underwent surgery on his ankle. Clemons has not played since and is not expected to play against Tennessee. He was replaced by junior Tyree Johnson, who has ten tackles and a sack since Clemons got hurt.
- S Demani Richardson, So. (Probable)
- Fisher said Richardson was “nicked” and “day-to-day” in Texas A&M’s 31-20 win over Auburn. Fisher said this week that he is practicing, which indicates he’ll likely play against the Vols.
- WR Caleb Chapman, So. (OUT)
- Chapman suffered a knee injury in A&M’s upset win over Florida that cost him his season.
- WR Camron Buckley, Sr. (OUT)
- Buckley suffered a season-ending knee injury during fall camp.
Texas A&M opt outs:
- LB Anthony Hines (opted out and declared for the NFL Draft)
- WR Jhamon Ausbon (opted out and declared for the NFL Draft)
- CB Elijah Blades (opted out and declared for the NFL Draft)
- The senior opted out right before the start of the 2020 football season in fall camp but reportedly was said to be back on the team prior to the Aggies’ game last Saturday at Auburn. Blades did not travel with the team to Auburn and Fisher was asked about how soon he would be able to play in a game.”I don’t know when we’ll see Elijah” said Fisher. “We’re doing really well. He seemed to have good practices last week for the most part. We’ll play accordingly.”
- WR Dylan Wright (transfer)
- WR Kam Brown (transfer)
- QB James Foster (transfer)
- S Derrick Tucker (transfer)
- DB Clifford Chattman (transfer)
