Tennessee will have to move forward without one of its key young pieces after coach Josh Heupel confirmed on Sept. 7 that wide receiver Joakim Dodson suffered a season-ending leg injury in the Vols’ opener against Furman.
Dodson, a sophomore, is part of Tennessee’s return game and had been the backup behind Braylon Staley at slot receiver. With him out, freshman Tyreek King - the former Knox Catholic standout - is expected to slide into that backup slot role.
The injury happened late in Tennessee’s 56-9 win over the Paladins, when Dodson was hurt on a kickoff return in the fourth quarter. He remained on the turf for several minutes before UT trainers helped him off the field, and he was later spotted on crutches.
Dodson’s first year in Knoxville gave Tennessee a small but memorable special teams moment. As a freshman in 2025, he played in five games and made most of his impact there, finishing with just two catches.
His biggest play came in the Music City Bowl against Illinois, when he took a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown. That made him only the third Tennessee player ever to return a kickoff for a touchdown in a bowl game, alongside Pete Panuska in the 1984 Sun Bowl and Willie Gault in the 1981 Garden State Bowl.
A three-star recruit in the 2025 class, Dodson arrived from Baylor School in Chattanooga after spending three years at Collierville High School near his hometown of Memphis. The 247Sports Composite listed him as the No. 91 receiver in the class and the No. 21 prospect in Tennessee.
Tennessee, now 1-0, heads to Atlanta this weekend to face Georgia Tech, which is 0-1, on Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
In Other News...
Dejuan Lane Just Added Edge To Tennessees Transfer Bet
Dejuan Lane arrived in Knoxville with something to prove, and Tennessee has already given him a clearer lane to do it. A former four-star prospect, Lane came over from Penn State after two seasons that included limited starts, then found a familiar coaching connection waiting for him on Rocky Top. Since the move, he has stepped into a more meaningful role in the secondary, giving the Vols another transfer who fits both the need and the story line.
Lane recently added a little more edge to that transition with a social media post about being overlooked, though he did not say whether he was aiming that message at Penn State or someone else. For Tennessee, the intrigue is less about where the shot landed and more about what it says about the player taking it, because the Vols are betting on transfers who arrive with something to prove as much as they do with talent. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's Quarterback Battle Just Got Tougher For Josh Heupel
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Faizon Brandon remains in the equation despite dealing with an injury, while George MacIntyre made the most of his limited snaps and gave the staff something to think about. Heupel has acknowledged the competition, but he has not made a call yet, leaving Tennessee with a real camp-style battle in the middle of the season and a little less clarity than it would like at the game's most important position. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Made A Real Impression On A Priority Tight End Target
Lee Steeles trip to Tennessee for the Auburn game gave the Volunteers another chance to show why they remain a major player for one of their priority tight end targets. The four-star recruit came away talking positively about the coaching staff, the atmosphere, and the way the program is developing players, all the kinds of details that matter when a prospect is weighing more than just wins and losses.
Steele said Tennessee is among the schools near the top of his list, which is exactly the kind of position the Vols want to be in as they continue building momentum on the recruiting trail. He is still sorting through other offers, though, so Tennessee has clearly made an impression without closing the deal just yet. [Read more 🡒]