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Tennessee football: Five spring practice 2021 storylines

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 22: Smokey the live Tennessee Volunteers mascot on the sidelines during the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Florida won the game 47-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 22: Smokey the live Tennessee Volunteers mascot on the sidelines during the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Florida won the game 47-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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KNOXVILLE, TN – SEPTEMBER 12: A general view of the goalpost before a game between the UCLA Bruins and the Tennessee Volunteers on September 12, 2009 at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. UCLA beat Tennessee 19-15. (Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
KNOXVILLE, TN – SEPTEMBER 12: A general view of the goalpost before a game between the UCLA Bruins and the Tennessee Volunteers on September 12, 2009 at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. UCLA beat Tennessee 19-15. (Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

4. How will recent suspensions impact the roster?

It was honestly the worst timing for Tennessee football. Less than two weeks ago, the Vols had three players arrested for a March 9 incident. Two of them were early enrollee signees and another was a redshirt freshman who didn’t play at all last year. All of them have been suspended indefinitely while the investigation plays out.

Early enrollee defensive lineman Isaac Washington is one of the losses, but he’s playing at such a loaded position that the question of what happens with him isn’t that prevalent. He wasn’t likely to be a rotational player until a couple of years anyway.

However, early enrollee linebacker Aaron Willis and redshirt freshman linebacker Martavius French are both much bigger deals. Linebacker is a wide open position this offseason, something we’ll dive into later, and both of those players being suspended opens a ton of questions at that position, more than what was already there.

As a result, how these suspensions play out is a big deal. They are hanging over the head of the program the same way the investigation is, and unlike the investigation, they are impacting exactly how spring ball will go. If these players aren’t reinstated, it could create a larger problem for a program already plagued with problems.

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