Late in Tennessee football’s win against Arkansas, slot receiver Braylon Staley went down with an injury. The Vols’ starter did not return as the team closed out the 34-31 win in Knoxville.
However, after the game, Staley was in good spirits. He hung around to interact with fans and was seemingly living it up in the locker room. That was a part of Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel’s encouraging update on his status after the game.
“Braylon is celebrating, having fun in the locker room,” Heupel said. “So I anticipate him being ready to go.”
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The positive news is a great sign considering his performance against the Razorbacks. Staley was the go-to option with Chris Brazzell consistently double-teamed, and he stepped up in a big way. The redshirt sophomore recorded a team-high six catches for 109 yards. A good bit of this was in the first half when Tennessee was trading punches with Arkansas, as well.
The Vols couldn’t afford to lose Staley going forward, either. Tennessee is extremely thin at wide receiver, and the slot role is no different. Behind him are true freshman Joakim Dodson and redshirt freshman and Alabama transfer Amari Jefferson.
The next game for the Vols isn’t easy, either. Tennessee heads to Tuscaloosa to square off with Alabama at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will air on ABC.
Tennessee is looking for its first road win in the rivalry under Heupel, as well. The Vols coach has won both meetings in Knoxville, but couldn’t close out a very strong start in 2023. Now, with an offense that’s rolling and a defense that’s shown flashes despite shortcomings, he’s headed to play one of the hottest teams in the country.
