Tennessee football opening SEC play this week means that the SEC availability reports return. Beginning Wednesday night, the Vols will release an availability report, effectively an injury report, every day until 90 minutes before kickoff.
With the availability report back, fifth-year head coach Josh Heupel was uninterested in providing any injury updates during his Monday press conference.
“I’m gong to refer you guys to the injury, availability report,” Heupel said. “It’ll be out on Wednesday.”
Tennessee has a multitude of injuries, especially on the defensive ball, through the first two weeks of the season. At cornerback, starters Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson are each expected to miss this week’s rivalry matchup. McCoy continues to work back from an offseason knee injury and has yet to play this season. Gibson suffered an injury in Tennessee’s season-opening win over Syracuse that will sideline him for “an extended period of time.”
The Vols have had young corners step up with McCoy and Gibson sidelined. Colorado transfer Colton Hood and true freshman Ty Redmond have each performed very well through the first two weeks of the season.
At defensive tackle, Daevin Hobbs is expected to miss this game as he continues to work back from the foot injury he suffered in fall camp. Jaxson Moi will likely be questionable on Wednesday’s availability report after suffering an upper-body injury against Syracuse and missing the Vols’ week two matchup against ETSU.
More From RTI: Vegas Betting Odds Take Decent Swing in Favor of Tennessee vs. Georgia After One Day
With Moi and Hobbs sidelined against the Bucs, strongside defensive end Dominic Bailey slid to defensive tackle while Nathan Robinson, Jamal Wallace and Ethan Utley played backup reps.
The most unknown defensive injury is Tyree Weathersby. The redshirt sophomore defensive end played a career-high 45 snaps against Syracuse before missing the ETSU game. It’s unclear whether he will return against Georgis this week.
There are much fewer injury questions on the offensive side of the ball though there’s on big one. Starting right tackle David Sanders has missed Tennessee’s first two games with an injury he suffered in practice leading up to the Syracuse game.
Heupel originally downplayed the injury and indicated that he would be back for the ETSU game but the five-stra freshman was unable to give it a go against the Bucs.
“Dave, anticipated him being ready,” Heupel said following the win. “Ultimately, medical decided for him, for us, it probably wasn’t the best move to play him today.”
