Four Tennessee football players are inactive for this afternoon’s matchup agains UTSA at Neyland Stadium. Elijah Simmons, Keenan Pili, Will Brooks and Christian Charles are inactive for the non conference matchup.
Simmons has yet to make his season debut after suffering a lower body injury in the Vols’ second fall practice. With the backup defensive tackle sidelined, Bryson Eason, Kurrott Garland and Daevin Hobbs will all earn more opportunities.
The Vols will be thin at defensive tackle, at least in the first half, when Omarr Norman-Lott serves a one-half suspension for his role in last week’s brouhaha to end the Florida game.
Pili is missing his third straight game after suffering an upper body injury in the season opener against Virginia which is expected to sideline him for much of the season.
Sophomore linebacker Elijah Herring is starting in Pili’s place while freshman Arion Carter is expected to earn more playing time in Pili’s absence.
Safeties Brooks and Charles are misses their second straight games. They both missed last week’s game at Florida leading to a thin safety room. Wesley Walker and Jaylen McCollough played nearly every snap at safety with Andre Turrentine serving as the backup.
Center Cooper Mays is active and dressed out but it’s unclear how much or little he will play against the Roadrunners.
Kickoff between Tennessee and UTSA is set at 4 p.m. ET. Dave Neal, Derek Mason and Taylor Davis are on the call for SEC Network.
