As Tennessee looks to reach bowl eligibility for the second straight year under Derek Dooley, backups to the Vols’ backups have taken a bit of a hit depth-wise thanks to some off-field “issues”.
The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that wide receiver Matt Milton, linebacker Robert Nelson and defensive backs Nick Branum and C.J. Fleming have been suspended for violating unspecified team rules. Each player will miss the season finale against Kentucky.
The News Sentinel notes that it appears the suspensions are not related to a single incident. It’s unclear if all, some or none of the players would return if the Vols qualify for a bowl.
The news on the suspensions qualifies as non-devastating on at least three fronts. One, they’re playing UK. Two, Milton and Branum have only played in six and two games, respectively, this season, while the other two have yet to make an appearance. And, three, they’re playing UK.