The Tennessee Volunteers received some good news on Sunday evening.
Highly touted true freshman linebacker Dillon Bates received a medical redshirt from the NCAA, preserving his four years of eligibility at Tennessee.
Blessed to be awarded a medical redshirt today. Thank you to Mr.Hart, @UTCoachJones and the training staff for helping me along the way!
— Dillon Bates (@dillonbates) January 12, 2015
Bates played in the Vols’ first four games of the season, accounting for six total tackles. In September, he suffered a torn labrum that required surgery.
The assumption is that Bates will be Tennessee’s starting middle linebacker next season. Jakob Johnson and Kenny Bynum were tried at middle linebacker the final three games of the season, after A.J. Johnson’s indefinite suspension was announced.
Bynum and Johnson played well, and the reps they received were valuable (and so were the ones that Bates received at the start of the season), but there’s no doubt that Bates is the future of the position
It’s hard to replace a guy like A.J. Johnson, but the Volunteers have a pretty good option in Dillon Bates.
The fact that Bates still has four years to play on Rocky Top is just an added bonus.
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