Tennessee’s injury list got longer on Monday, and this time the hit landed right in the middle of the offense.
Vols tight end Ethan Davis has a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season, as first reported by Ben McKee. Josh Heupel confirmed the news, saying, "Josh Heupel said Vols TE Ethan Davis has a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the season."
For Tennessee, that’s a major loss. Davis had been the starter at tight end and brought a strong mix of route running, reliable hands, and balance to the position. He was the kind of player the Vols trusted to do a little bit of everything.
Now the job shifts to younger options. DaSaahn Brame looks like the next man up, and Tennessee appears to see him as the best fit to handle the role.
He offers value as both a receiving threat and a blocker, which has become a big part of his profile. Trent Thomas has also been used in key spots, and that points to him as the likely top backup behind Brame.
Luca Wolf is another name that could earn more run in important moments as the season goes on.
The injury adds another setback to a Tennessee team already dealing with multiple absences, including Jadais Richards, Joakim Dodson, and Jaedon Harmon, all of whom are out for the rest of the year.
There is at least one small silver lining for Davis: he can return next season, which will be his fifth with the Vols. That does little to soften the blow for Tennessee right now, but it does mean his time in Knoxville is not over.
In Other News...
Jeremiah Telander Said What Tennessee Fans Wanted To Hear After That Win
After Tennessees 45-24 road win over Georgia Tech, Jeremiah Telander had every reason to feel good about the start of the season, and he sounded like a player who knew exactly what the performance meant. The linebacker turned in a productive afternoon with three tackles, a sack and an interception, then used his time with the media to point to the way the Volunteers handled the game and the impact of the freshman quarterback in his first big outing.
Telander also touched on the shift in his own defensive role, which has been part of the early-season adjustment for Tennessees defense. Even with the convincing victory in hand, he kept the focus on progress and the details the Vols still need to clean up, a familiar message but one that carries more weight when it comes after a road win against a Power Four opponent. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee May Be Getting A Needed Defensive Line Boost Just In Time
Tennessee is starting to get some encouraging news in the trenches at a good time. Josh Heupel said several defensive linemen who were banged up in preseason and the early part of the season are expected to be closer to full strength for the upcoming game against Kennesaw State, a welcome development for a group that has been dealing with uneven availability.
Freshman defensive tackle JJ Finch, who missed the previous game because of injury, is expected to be ready to play. Senior Daevin Hobbs and sophomores Isaiah Campbell and Ethan Utley have also worked back after dealing with their own setbacks, giving the Vols a chance to restore some depth and stability up front as the schedule continues to move forward. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Freshman Pecking Order Is Already Taking Shape
Tennessees opener against Georgia Tech gave an early look at how quickly the freshman class is being folded into the rotation. The Volunteers played 11 true freshmen, with three of them getting snaps on both offense and defense, a sign that the staff is already comfortable leaning on new talent in meaningful spots rather than easing everyone in slowly.
Faizon Brandon set the tone by starting at quarterback and finishing 10 of 21 for 148 yards with two touchdowns, giving Tennessee an immediate reason to keep expanding his role. Elsewhere, several freshmen mostly showed up on special teams, while a separate group did not get on the field at all, leaving the first game to start sketching out a pecking order that could keep evolving as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]