Today On Rocky Top: Vols Make LB Plans Without AJ Johnson

From The Leaf Chronicle

"“There’s some good energy,” said linebacker Curt Maggitt. “We had a great practice today. Good focus, great focus.”Still, it was impossible not to notice that Johnson is gone and that the Vols will need to look at other personnel to patch the hole left at middle linebacker.Johnson has 25 more tackles than any the next two UT players — safety Brian Randolph, who is suspended for the first half because of a targeting infraction against Kentucky, and Northeast product Jalen Reeves-Maybin, a linebacker.Coach Butch Jones, who agreed it was a phyiscal, high-energy day of practice, said he’ll need Jakob Johnson, Kenny Bynum and Cortez McDowell to step up, in addition to Reeves-Maybin in Saturday’s game against Missouri.Read more at The Leaf Chronicle"

From The Times Free Press

"Tennessee is playing a high-stakes football game Saturday night.The Volunteers need to ensure their focus is on that rather than what’s bumped it to the backdrop.Amid the accusations of rape and sexual assault and ensuing suspensions of All-SEC linebacker and team captain A.J. Johnson and cornerback Michael Williams, Tennessee is trying to maintain its focus on a huge game against 19th-ranked Missouri on Saturday night.“We don’t let things get to us,” cornerback Cam Sutton said after Tuesday’s practice. “Through all the adversity that we go through, it bonds us, it brings us together. We’re a tight-knit family.”Read more at The Times Free Press"

From The Tennessean

"In the aftermath of allegations of rape and sexual assault last weekend, the University of Tennessee suspended football players A.J. Johnson and Michael Williams.It was the prudent thing to do.It was the right thing to do.And it was the only thing to do.Read more at The Tennessean"

From WBIR

"There was plenty of energy at Tennessee’s practice Tuesday.Not even the absence of A.J. Johnson, one of the team’s vocal leaders, could change that. The practice was the first one open to the media since Monday’s news that linebacker Johnson and cornerback Michael Williams were suspended amid a rape investigation that’s in the process of being conducted by the Knoxville Police Department.“There’s some good energy,” said linebacker Curt Maggitt. “We had a great practice today. Good focus, great focus.”Read more at WBIR"