Four Tennessee football players are out for the Vols’ critical week two matchup with Pitt. Running back Tiyon Evans, defensive end Byron Young, defensive tackle LaTrell Bumphus and center Cooper Mays will not be available Saturday.
Byron Young missed last week’s opener due to eligibility concerns dating back to a prep school he played at after graduating high school in 2018. Tennessee had appealed the ineligibility to the NCAA and Josh Heupel expressed optimism Young would be available.
“We’re preparing like he’ll be back,” Heupel said Monday. “We’ll get word sometime this week from the NCAA.”
Young’s ineligibility last just two games and the talented pass rusher will be back next week against Tennessee Tech.
Tiyon Evans is out but didn’t appear to suffer an injury in last week’s win over Bowling Green. Evans tweeted support to his teammates Friday night while implying he wouldn’t be available.
https://twitter.com/darealballer_15/status/1436433241427353629?s=20
With Evans out, Tennessee will give sophomore Jabari Small a larger work load and freshman Jaylen Wright will see the first major action of his career.
Cooper Mays injured his leg late in the first quarter of Tennessee’s season opener against Bowling Green. Mays even came in to play a few plays later in the game, but was ruled as questionable all week.
With Mays unable to go, Jerome Carvin will slide to center and Ollie Lane will start at left guard.
Defensive lineman LaTrell Bumphus is out for reasons that are unclear at this time. The back up defensive tackle played well in the 2021 season debut after missing the last month of the 2020 season due to a leg injury.
Receiver Jimmy Calloway is available against Pitt after missing last week’s season opener.
