One of the primary talking points this offseason has been about Tennessee football’s depth at wide receiver. With Josh Heupl’s team losing multiple starters and reserves and only bringing in one transfer, the numbers in the room are a bit scarce.
However, there is still plenty of talent at the top. This includes Mike Matthews, a sophomore and former five-star recruit, who is turning heads during camp. During the Vols’ Friday scrimmage, Matthews was apparently on the receiving end of some splash plays.
“Mike made some big plays down the football field,” Heupel said. “Tight ends were a part of it as well. I thought early in the scrimmage in particular operated well offensively and moved the football.”
More From RTI: Who Josh Heupel Said Did, Didn’t Participate in Tennessee’s Friday Scrimmage
While Matthews was able to go, his pair of projected starting receiver running mates were inactive. Heupel told the media that outside receiver Chris Brazzell II did not participate. Brazzell is nursing a lower-body injury, but has returned as a limited participant at practices. Slot receiver Braylon Staley is also believed not to have participated.
Matthews is coming off his true freshman year, which saw him battle through injury. He still appeared in 11 games, recording seven receptions for 90 yards and two touchdowns. His best game against SEC competition was against Vanderbilt when he recorded three catches for 30 yards and a touchdown.
Now, he’s expected to step into a sizeable role within the offense as a starting receiver. He’s taken first-team reps all of fall camp, and particularly given the status of Brazzell and Staley, his role is even more amplified. This could mean getting snaps in on the outside and in the slot at times.
“Wherever they put me at, I just got to do my job the right way and everything will be ok,” Matthews said. “… It’s definitely, you’ll have to get more in the playbook, of course, but it definitely should be an easy transition for me.”
The season-opener is just over two weeks away. Tennessee will meet Syracuse in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Aug. 30. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET on ABC.
