Squirrel White injury update: Josh Heupel reveals status in bye week

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel offered some good news on the injury to receiver Squirrel White in his weekly press conference. White has been playing through a shoulder injury and left this past week’s contest against Alabama in the third quarter.

The Volunteers have a bye this week that will allow him some extra time to recover before a matchup against Kentucky in Week 10. Heupel is confident that White will be good to play in that game.

“I feel like Squirrel will be ready to roll when we get to the next football game,” the coach said. “He was limited today. One of those guys that’s been dinged up a little bit. But he’ll be ready to roll.”

White was held without a catch Saturday against the Crimson Tide but Tennessee still won by a score of 24-17. The receiver is tied for the team lead with 20 catches this season and ranks fourth with 230 yards.

White is part of a deep receiving corps for the Vols as they are off to a 6-1 start. He had his best game of the season the week before the Alabama game as he recorded five catches for 71 yards in the overtime win against Florida. However, he is still looking for his first touchdowns of the year.

The recent win against the Crimson Tide puts Tennessee in a great position to close out the year. The Vols now look in great shape to receive an at-large bid to the College Football Playoff or even still potentially challenge for the SEC Championship.

They’ve got a lot of tough games left on their schedule, including one against Georgia in Week 12, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out. Getting White and others healthy will be critical as they enter the final stretch of the season.

That will be the main goal during the bye this week as they have plenty of time to prepare to face Kentucky on Nov. 2 at home.