An exodus of talent from the Tennessee football program appears to be underway after the dismissal of coach Jeremy Pruitt and nine team members left Volunteers in limbo this week. Rusher Eric Gray and tackler Henry To’o To’o entered the transfer portal on Wednesday, according to 247Sports, highlighting the problems the next coach of the program will face in rebuilding the squad amid the possibility of sanctions .
Gray ran 1,311 yards and eight touchdowns in 258 runs over two seasons, while also getting 43 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns. To’o To’o, meanwhile, has accumulated 140 tackles in two seasons. The two are among several players from Tennessee who have been transferred or entered the portal in the past few days. Most notably, former five-star striker Wanna Morris announced on Monday that he plans to move to Oklahoma after making 19 appearances in Tennessee.
Quarterbacks Jarrett Guarantano (Washington State) and JT Shrout (Colorado), running back Ty Chandler (North Carolina), wide receiver Brandon Johnson (UCF) and linebacker Deandre Johnson (Miami) are among the other top matches team level so far. University administrators said on Monday that they plan to hire a new athletic director to replace Phillip Fulmer, before hiring Pruitt’s replacement.
Former Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele is serving as an interim coach, but Steele was not on Pruitt’s team and apparently has no deep relationships with the current team. Gray and To’o To’o were among the few bright spots of the Pruitt era as highly praised members of the program’s 2019 autograph class, which was ranked 13th nationally by 247Sports.
Also joining the portal along with Gray and To’o To’o were former star striker Jahmir Johnson and four-star former linebacker Quavaris Crouch, who accounted for 85 tackles in two seasons.