A week ago, the Tennessee Volunteers lost projected starter Jourdan Thomas to a season-ending knee injury. Although Thomas had never started a game for the Vols, he played a key role as the sixth defensive back throughout the 2023 season, appearing in 12 games. He was expected to be the primary player at the nickel position this fall.
With Thomas now out, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel discussed the impact of the injury and how the team plans to fill the void left by his absence.
Heupel on Thomas’ injury:
“I feel for him. It was a noncontact injury, and he’s someone who has consistently grown in our program, both as a player and as a leader. It’s one of the hard parts of this game. He’s handling it with a lot of maturity, staying involved and supporting the team. The guys really care about him.”
Heupel on replacing Thomas:
“This opens up opportunities for others. Boo (Carter) has been performing really well, and I think the last few days leading up to the scrimmage have been his best. He’s young and still has room to grow, but he’s a dynamic playmaker.
On other players to watch:
“Christian Harrison has generally done a nice job. We have several players who can rotate between safety and the star position, so we need to keep developing our secondary. Overall, I’m pleased with how they performed tonight.”
Be the first to comment