According to a report from Tennessee’s Rivals.com affiliate site, defensive end Darrell Taylor will be available to play for the Vols against Kentucky after serving a suspension.
Taylor had been suspended for the last two games after several incidents occurred. Taylor was ejected late in Tennessee’s game against Georgia for getting into a fight, and then he allegedly was involved in an altercation at practice before the South Carolina game.
By rule, Taylor was going to be suspended for the first half of the South Carolina game because of his ejection in the Georgia game. But Jones announced prior to the South Carolina game that Taylor was suspended indefinitely. He did not play the entire South Carolina or Alabama games.
But now Taylor is reportedly with the team in Lexington, and his suspension is over.
The Vols have been woefully thin at defensive end all season, but the absence of Taylor over the last two games had depleted that depth even more. With Taylor back in the fold, Tennessee’s defensive end rotation is a little better.
Taylor has totaled 20 tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss, a pass break up, and a forced a fumble in five games this season.
UPDATE: Butch Jones has confirmed via a press release that Taylor’s suspension has been lifted.
“Darrell has completed the requirements we had set for him to return to play and he will be available tonight against Kentucky,” Jones said. “He must continue to meet criteria we have set forth for him on a daily and weekly basis.”
