Tennessee football vs. BYU: 10 keys for Vols and Cougars
2. Health of Daniel Bituli and Trey Smith
Two of these keys on our list, the back seven containment and the protection up front, may come down to whether or not Tennessee football has a couple of players at full strength and ready to go. They are probably the most important players on each side of the ball for the Vols, and their absence or limitations were glaring.
On the offensive line, Trey Smith has been cleared to play and is back at guard. But Jeremy Pruitt limited him last weekend, which led to Jim Chaney and Will Friend rotating other guys in and out at guard, including moving Wanya Morris, a true freshman who has practiced the whole time at tackle, to the inside. That had a lot to do with the poor protection.
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Meanwhile, Daniel Bituli, the senior linebacker and signal-caller for the defense, had a minor injury that needed to be cleaned up. With him out, Will Ignont stepped in along with Henry To’oTo’o, a true freshman, and that combination had a lot to due with the Vols being unable to contain Dan Ellington and the Georgia State Panthers at all.
Pruitt said that Bituli is doing everything he can to go Saturday, which is usually what he says when a player is going to play. And it’s also worth noting that the coaches are doing everything they can to get him back on the field knowing how much they need him. The same is true with Smith. If both guys can be fully good to go on Saturday, some key weaknesses should improve.