Tennessee trimmed its freshman usage Saturday night against Georgia Tech, but the Vols still got a look at several first-year players in a 45-24 win at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta.
The biggest freshman spotlight again belonged to quarterback Faizon Brandon, who made his second career start and handled a solid chunk of the offense without carrying the whole load. The former five-star from Grimsley High School in Greensboro, N.C., finished 10 of 21 for 148 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also added 22 rushing yards on five carries and picked up first downs on three of those runs.
Tennessee also worked in wide receivers TK Keys and Tyreek King on offense, though neither came away with a catch. Both were targeted on second-quarter throws from Brandon. Keys logged four offensive snaps, while King played two.
Beyond that, the freshman action was mostly about getting bodies into the game and giving them exposure on special teams. Offensive lineman Gabriel Osenda, linebacker TJ White, defensive back Joel Wyatt, defensive end Kedric Golston II, safety KJ McClain, cornerback Jamyan Theodore, tight end Luca Wolf and defensive lineman Breeze Carter all saw the field, but none of them recorded statistics.
In total, Tennessee played 11 true freshmen, with most of that work coming on special teams in a game the Vols led 21-7 at halftime and controlled after the break.
Through two games, the freshmen who have already seen action for Tennessee are led by Keys, who has played in two games and logged 30 snaps. Luca Wolf has 20 snaps over two games, while Tyreek King has eight. Gabriel Osenda has seven, Breeze Carter six, and several others have chipped in smaller workloads: TJ White, Joel Wyatt and KJ McClain each have four snaps, Jamyam Theodore has 10, Kededric Golston II has nine, and others have also appeared in limited roles.
A handful of freshmen still have yet to make their debut this season. That group includes four-star linebacker Brayden Rouse, four-star offensive tackle Kamari Blair, four-star edge Zach Groves and four-star cornerback Zay Anderson, along with three-star edge CJ Edwards, cornerback Javonte Smith, safety Jowell Combay, athlete Luke Thompson, running back Will Rajecki, wide receiver JaColby Cooper and wide receiver Brayden Carroll.
Their 247Sports rankings coming out of high school were listed as follows: Brayden Rouse - No. 73 overall prospect, No. 6 linebacker; Kamari Blair - No. 114 overall prospect, No. 13 offensive tackle; Zach Groves - No. 210 overall prospect, No. 23 edge; Zay Anderson - No. 16 cornerback, No. 9 player from Tennessee; CJ Edwards - No. 54 edge, No. 8 player from New Jersey; Javonte Smith - No. 55 cornerback, No. 16 player from Tennessee; Jowell Combay - No. 44 safety, No. 59 player from Georgia; Luke Thompson - No. 53 athlete, No. 22 player from Tennessee; Will Rajecki - No. 74 running back, No. 131 player from Georgia; JaColby Cooper - No. 205 wide receiver, No. 53 player from Tennessee; Brayden Carroll - No. 326 wide receiver, No. 74 player from Tennessee.
In Other News...
Tennessee Just Took Another Brutal Hit At A Key Offensive Spot
Tennessees offense has taken another hit at a spot that matters in both the passing game and the run game, with head coach Josh Heupel confirming that starting tight end Ethan Davis suffered a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season. Davis had been part of the Vols plan at the position, and his absence adds to an injury list that keeps growing at a bad time for the offense.
With Davis out, Tennessee is expected to lean more heavily on younger options such as DaSaahn Brame and Trent Thomas to handle the tight end role. That puts more pressure on a group that now has to absorb a significant workload shift while the Vols try to keep the offense on track without one of its established pieces. [Read more 🡒]
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 🡒]