Vols WR Von Pearson Out VS Oklahoma; What It Means For UT

Depending on your perspective, Monday’s news about Vols wide receiver Von Pearson’s injury could be either good or bad.

Butch Jones announced on Monday that Pearson will miss Tennessee’s game against Oklahoma this coming weekend with a high ankle sprain.

It’s obviously bad news that Pearson will miss the game, but it’s great news that the injury wasn’t something more devastating.

Pearson, a JuCo transfer in his first season with Tennessee, was developing as Justin Worley’s favorite target.

The Virginia native, who Butch Jones compared to Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, caught four passes for 71 yards in the first quarter against Arkansas State, before he was injured.

Pearson’s elusiveness, as well as his great hands, will be missed big time against Oklahoma. The Vols are already a long-shot to win in Norman. Losing one of their top playmakers will be hard to overcome.

In Pearson’s abscence, you should expect to see guys like Jason Croom, Josh Malone and Josh Smith step up. Jones also mentioned a potentially bigger role for Vic Wharton.

Smith, a sophomore from Knoxville, is playing at a high level right now. He’s catching the ball well and is turning into a very dependable receiver.

Obviously it hurts to lose a guy like Pearson, but the Volunteers are in a much better position to deal with the loss than they were just a season ago.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Josh Smith start in place of Pearson against Oklahoma, with Malone seeing a lot more playing time.