Danny O’Brien, football injuries, Josh Dobbs effect, and Lady Vols recruiting lead the Tennessee Volunteers news on Rocky Top for Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016.
It’s Hump Day, and it’s Alabama week! Those are two great reasons to be excited on Rocky Top today.
Tennessee football’s season is set to be decided this weekend with arguably the biggest Vols-Tide game in history. In the week leading up to it, there’s lots of football news to get to.
Some of it is shocking and surprising, some is unfortunate, and some is pleasant. There is a hilarious bit of football news to get to also.
Meanwhile, the Lady Vols are also an interesting topic. But it’s still football season, so football news takes precedent. We begin with the bad news there.
Danny O’Brien dismissed from Vols – Rhiannon Potkey of USA TODAY Network
"Tennessee redshirt senior defensive lineman Danny O’Brien has been dismissed from the team for an undisclosed violation of team rules, according to a release from the Tennessee athletics department on Monday night.O’Brien was carted off the field on a stretcher during the fourth quarter of Tennessee’s double-overtime loss to Texas A&M on Saturday. After having a precautionary examination at a local hospital, O’Brien flew back to Knoxville with the team."
Injuries: Hurd, Kirkland back at practice – Jesse Simonton of SEC Country
"After missing the Texas A&M game with multiple undisclosed injuries, Tennessee tailback Jalen Hurd was back at practice Tuesday as the Volunteers began preparations for top-ranked Alabama (3:30 p.m., CBS).…Meanwhile, linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. (ankle) and defensive tackle Kendal Vickers (undisclosed) were also back at practice. Kirkland, who has missed four straight games with a high-ankle sprain, had his ankle heavily-taped and gingerly did some light running on the side field. Vickers left the Texas A&M game with an injury but looked fine, taking his normal first-team reps at defensive tackle."
Josh Dobbs Hail Mary possibly boosting Tennessee admissions – Wes Rucker of 247Sports
"According to research compiled by Capture, there was a 70 percent rise in web traffic on the University of Tennessee’s admissions site in the immediate aftermath of senior quarterback Joshua Dobbs’ 43-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Jauan Jennings to lift the Vols to a dramatic win at Georgia in Sanford Stadium.Capture noted the traffic on UT-Knoxville’s admissions website on Sept. 3 — the last Saturday when the Vols didn’t have a football game — and compared them to the admissions website traffic on Oct. 1, the day of Tennessee’s game at Georgia that aired in CBS’ premier SEC game of the week slot."
Lady Vols pickup commitment from 6’4″ post player – Dan Fleser of Knoxville News Sentinel
"Kasiyahna Kushkituah, a 6-foot-4 post player from St. Francis High School in Alpharetta, Ga., committed to the Lady Vols Tuesday night. She announced her decision on Twitter.“After this long tough process, I am very excited to say that I have officially decided to commit and continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Tennessee,” Kushkituah wrote."