Tennessee coach Josh Heupel gives injury updates ahead of South Carolina
Tennessee will have to wait until Saturday to determine the status of some key players ahead of the Vols' home opener against South Carolina. Josh Heupel met with the media on Thursday, and the UT head coach advised regarding WR Ramel Keyton and RB Jaylen Wright that they'll make a decision at game time if […]
Tennessee will have to wait until Saturday to determine the status of some key players ahead of the Vols' home opener against South Carolina.
Josh Heupel met with the media on Thursday, and the UT head coach advised regarding WR Ramel Keyton and RB Jaylen Wright that they'll make a decision at game time if they'll be available but indicated he's feeling good about their chances to suit up.
"All the guys that you didn't see at the end of last week have had a really good week," Heupel said. "As always, game time decisions, but feel really good about all of them."
If he can't go, Keyton would be a significant loss to the Vols. The team's top deep ball threat on the outside, he would have a strong opportunity to create some long plays against a South Carolina secondary that just got carved up for 487 passing yards by Will Rogers and the Mississippi State offense. Despite a relatively slow start to the season – which is the case for basically all of UT's passing game participants – he remains the team's biggest chunk-play threat down the field.
Wright boasted one of the nation's best yards per carry average leading into the Florida game, but Dylan Sampson provides the Vols with a dynamic option out of the backfield if Wright can't go. Both he and Jabari Small would see plenty of touches regardless of if Wright goes, as that's Heupel's typical usage, but their snaps certainly will increase of Wright is out.
Heupel also weighed in on Cooper Mays' status.
"Practiced really well. Like those other guys that I talked about, we'll ensure that through tomorrow and then obviously gameday that they're ready to go compete at the level that you need to in this one. South Carolina is big, strong, physical, explosive up front. Hopefully we'll have him locked and loaded and ready to go."
The Vols and Gamecocks are set to square off at 7:30 pm ET on Saturday night from Neyland Stadium.
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