Qua Moss is set to give Tennessee a major boost against Arkansas.
The starting nickelback is not on the injury report, which means he has been cleared to play after missing the Auburn game with a concussion suffered late in Tennessee’s loss to Texas the week before. That update matters for a Volunteers defense getting ready for a conference test.
Moss has been one of Tennessee’s more versatile pieces through the first month of the season. At nickelback, he has to do a little of everything: cover receivers in space, come up and tackle against the run, and hold up in a spot where reliable play is non-negotiable.
In his first four games, he posted 16 tackles and two tackles for loss. Against Texas, he added five tackles, including four solo stops, along with one pass defended.
His return also gives Tennessee another body it can trust in the secondary. Tevis Metcalf filled in against Auburn and made the most of the opportunity, grabbing a red zone interception to help seal the win. If Moss is back in the mix, the Volunteers can lean on more depth and give the staff more flexibility with personnel against Arkansas.
Moss’s impact goes beyond defense, too. He is Tennessee’s primary punt returner, and he already delivered one of the biggest plays of the season in that role.
Against Texas, he took a third-quarter punt 57 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 10-10 and give Tennessee a lift while the offense was struggling. That performance landed him on the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll, which recognizes players who excel in multiple phases of the game.
Through four games, Moss has returned seven punts for 95 yards, an average of 13.6 yards per return. That kind of production can change field position in a hurry and take some pressure off Tennessee’s offense. Against Arkansas, his availability gives the Volunteers help in two important spots: stopping drives and setting up better ones.
In Other News...
Tennessee Gets An Encouraging O-Line Sign Before Tough Arkansas Test
A small but meaningful bit of good news surfaced for Tennessee ahead of a tricky Arkansas matchup: Shamurad Umarov was not included on the initial injury report. For an offensive line that has been sorting through pieces and trying to keep the unit steady, Umarovs status matters because he brings real flexibility, with starting experience at both guard spots and a track record of doing the dirty work well in pass protection and in the run game.
His availability would give Tennessee another dependable option in front of a young quarterback who could use every bit of help he can get. It would also matter in the trenches against an Arkansas defense that can force an offense to earn everything, which is why Umarovs potential presence feels like more than a routine depth note as the Volunteers head into the weekend. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Shorthanded Defense Takes Another Hit Before Arkansas
Tennessee heads into its matchup at Arkansas already dealing with another adjustment on defense, and the timing is less than ideal with the teams meeting for the third straight season in Fayetteville. The Volunteers have built enough depth to stay sturdy on that side of the ball, but the list of unavailable players keeps growing and the rotation is getting thinner.
Kedric Golston II is now listed as out, making him the eighth Tennessee player unavailable for the game, though there is no reported season-ending injury tied to his status. His absence trims another piece from a defense that has otherwise held up well, and it leaves the Vols trying to piece together the right mix as they head into a difficult road spot. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Heads To Arkansas With One Much Bigger Question Than Uniforms
Tennessee heads to Razorback Stadium this weekend with the usual SEC road-game variables, from crowd noise to the kind of physical football that tends to follow the Volunteers away from Knoxville. The uniform choice is settled, with Tennessee set to go all white in Fayetteville, but the bigger intrigue surrounds the offense and who will be running it against Arkansas.
George MacIntyre is expected to get the start because Faizon Brandon is dealing with a shoulder injury, giving Tennessee a different look at quarterback at a moment when the defense has carried plenty of the load. The Vols enter the game leading the nation in team sacks, which only raises the stakes for a matchup that could turn on whether the offense can do enough to let that pass rush matter. [Read more 🡒]