Tennessee football is down two defensive starters for Saturday night’s divisional matchup at Kentucky. Linebacker Keenan Pili and cornerback Kamal Hadden are out for the critical SEC game.
Pili is missing his seventh straight game after suffering an upper body injury in Tennessee’s season opening win against Virginia.
Sophomore Elijah Herring replaces Pili in the starting lineup as he has since the Austin Peay game. Fellow underclassmen Arion Carter, Kalib Perry and Jeremiah Telander will also get snaps at linebacker alongside senior Aaron Beasley in Pili’s absence.
Pili is with the team in Lexington. He also traveled to road games against Florida and Alabama.
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Hadden is missing his first game of the season but will not return this year after having season ending surgery earlier this week. The senior cornerback injured his shoulder in the second quarter of Tennessee’s loss at Alabama last week.
Doneiko Slaughter moves into the Hadden’s starting spot opposite of Gabe Jeudy-Lally. Veteran Warren Burrell and Brandon Turnage could also earn playing time against Kentucky.
Hadden is not with the team in Lexington after undergoing shoulder surgery late in the week.
Kickoff between Tennessee and Kentucky is set at 7 p.m. ET at Kroger Field. Mike Monaco, Jesse Palmer and Katie George are on the call for ESPN.
