A few days after Tennessee fired football coach Jeremy Pruitt for cause, several of his best players entered their names on the NCAA transfer portal.
Linebackers Henry To’o To’o and Quavaris Crouch, running back Eric Gray and striker Jahmir Johnson entered the portal on Wednesday. All four players were Vols holders in 2020.
To’o To’o is the most significant loss. To’o To’o immediately became a starter upon his arrival on campus in 2019. During his two seasons in Knoxville, To’o To’o accumulated 148 tackles and 15 tackles for loss. He led UT in tackles in 2020 and was second in the team in 2019, when he received SEC freshman honors.
Crouch was a member of UT’s 2019 recruiting class. He registered 28 tackles as a freshman reserve before becoming the team’s main linebacker in 2020. He was third in the team with 57 tackles.
Gray was also in the second year of the Vols in 2020. He ran for 539 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman. In 2020, Gray was the team’s leading driver. He ended the season with 772 yards and four scores, adding 30 receptions to 254 yards and two more TDs.
Johnson started 17 games over three seasons in Tennessee, making appearances on both the left guard and left tackle. He was a fifth-year veteran in 2020. Upon transfer, he will take advantage of the NCAA’s decision to give players an additional year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although these defections occurred shortly after the school dismissed Pruitt under the cloud of various investigations, several other prominent players abandoned the program beforehand. This includes offensive tackle Wanya Morris, running back Ty Chandler and linebacker Deandre Johnson. All three have already committed to the Power Five programs: Morris for Oklahoma, Chandler for North Carolina and Johnson for Miami.
With Pruitt out of the picture, Tennessee brought in former Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele to serve as the program’s interim head coach as he begins his search for training. Before a coach can be hired, the school plans to hire a new athletic director to replace Phillip Fulmer.
Fulmer, who hired Pruitt after ex-AD John Currie’s attempt to hire Greg Schiano caught fire, said he plans to retire. Fulmer was the head coach of UT from 1992 to 2008.
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