In the midst of all the recruiting hullabaloo on Wednesday, a Vol offensive lineman also decided on a new home for himself for next season.
Earlier this month, redshirt junior offensive tackle Marcus Tatum announced he would be transferring away from Tennessee. On Wednesday, he posted on his Twitter account that he will be spending his final year of eligibility at Central Florida with the UCF Knights.
Appreciate all the support and love. Excited to say The University of Central Florida is where I’ll be calling home for my final year of eligibility. #2020KnightVision ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/izehVDTa2T
— Marcus Tatum (@AsapTatum) December 18, 2019
Tatum appeared in all 12 of Tennessee’s regular season contests this year and started the first two games of the season at right tackle. He made a third start in the Vols’ contest against UAB in November.
The 6-foot-6, 316-pound lineman from Daytona Beach, Florida began the season as a starter for the Vols, but he was eventually unseated by five-star freshman Darnell Wright. Redshirt sophomore K’Rojhn Calbert has also played at right tackle this season.
Tatum joined the Vols as an undersized offensive tackle project in the Butch Jones era. Tatum signed with Tennessee as a three-star prospect in the 2016 class and played in two games due to the rash of injuries the Vols suffered along the offensive line. At only 265 pounds, Tatum was far from ready for game action, but he played against Alabama and Tennessee Tech as a freshman.
As a sophomore in 2017, Tatum played in four games and made three starts before suffering an injury and taking a medical redshirt in the second half of the season. Tatum played extensively in his redshirt sophomore year in 2018, appearing in all 12 games and starting five contests.
Tatum has added over 50 pounds of mass to his 6-foot-6 frame since joining the Vols, and he was praised by head coach Jeremy Pruitt this offseason for his hard work and dedication in the weight room and on the practice field.
The decision to transfer to UCF will serve as a homecoming of sorts for Tatum, considering he’s from Daytona Beach in Florida. UCF is only about two hours away from Daytona Beach.
Tatum is the second Vol offensive lineman to transfer out as a graduate this offseason. Redshirt junior guard/center Ryan Johnson announced earlier this week that he will be transferring to Georgia Tech for his final year of college eligibility.
One Response
Daytona Beach, 2 hours away from UCF? More like 45 minutes.