One of the Tennessee Vols’ key offensive starters will likely be on a snap count in the season opener against Furman on September 5.

Senior tight end Ethan Davis has been sidelined for much of fall camp. Tight ends coach Alec Abeln said earlier this month that Davis has been held out for precautionary reasons.

“Yeah, he’s good,” said Abeln in early August. “Just being a little, I don’t know the right word — probably precautious with that. But he’ll be fine.”

If Davis plays in the opener against Furman, he’ll likely be on a snap count, according to VolQuest’s Austin Price.

“Ethan Davis, a young guy who doesn’t stay healthy very easily, has missed all of fall camp,” said Price on Tuesday on 104.5 The Zone’s Ramon and Will. “The hope is that he should be able to get back out there (for practice) later this week.

“Even if he’s back for game one, and again, they’re letting on like he will be, I would expect him to be on a snap count. I don’t see them going, ‘Oh yeah, go out and play 50 or 60 snaps.’ I think he’ll go out and play 25 snaps, and then let’s see how the other tight ends do — because at the end of the day, it is Furman, and you want to have him healthier for the Georgia Tech game. It’s a knock the rust off type of game for a guy like Ethan Davis.”

Tennessee needs to play it safe with Ethan Davis

There’s certainly no reason to push it with Davis in Week 1. It would be nice to get some live game reps, but as Price noted, it’s much more important to have Davis for the Georgia Tech game in Week 2.

Davis missed four games last season (UAB, Mississippi State, Arkansas, and Alabama) due to injury. He caught 21 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns last season.

DaSaahn Brame, Trent Thomas, and Luca Wolf should see extended action against Furman with Davis expected to be limited.