Josh Heupel updates the status of Cedric Tillman for South Carolina game
Josh Heupel on Monday didn’t have a final answer on Cedric Tillman’s availability for No. 5 Tennessee’s game at South Carolina on Saturday, but sounded optimistic about the redshirt senior wide receiver returning to the field.
“It’s obviously just Monday for us,” Heupel said during his weekly press conference, “but as the week unfolds, (I) believe he’ll have that ability to be able to play in this one. We’ll always evaluate it on the back half of the week for sure.”
Tennessee (9-1, 5-1 SEC) and South Carolina (6-4, 3-4) are scheduled for a 7 p.m. Eastern Time kickoff Saturday (TV: ESPN) at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.
Vols held Cedric Tillman out of Missouri game
Tillman, who missed four games earlier this season with a high-ankle sprain, was held out of Tennessee’s 66-24 win over Missouri on Saturday at Neyland Stadium due to his ankle and the wet field conditions.
“Ced could’ve played in this one,” Heupel said after the game. “Just everything going on, it has nothing to do with the ankle. He’ll be ready to go next week. As a program, and talking with him after warmups, just felt like it was probably best to sit this one out.”
Tennessee didn’t need Tillman against Missouri, rolling up a school-record 724 yards of total offense. The Vols completed 28 of 38 passes for 460 yards and four touchdowns. The Vols rushed 37 times as a team for 264 yards and five more touchdowns on the ground.
Hendon Hooker completed 25 of 35 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 50 more yards and another score on the ground. Joe Milton III replaced the Hooker late in the fourth quarter, completing all three of his pass attempts for 105 yards and a touchdown.
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No. 5 Tennessee at South Carolina, 7 p.m. ET, Saturday, ESPN
Bru McCoy caught nine passes for 111 yards and Jalin Hyatt had seven catches for 146 yards, including a 68-yard touchdown. Squirrel White caught two passes 67 yards, including a 58-yarder. Ramel Keyton caught two passes for 60 yards, with a 46-yard touchdown.
Tillman had a breakout redshirt junior season in 2021, catching 64 passes fro 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s played in just five games this season, after suffering the ankle sprain in the win over Akron on September 17 at Neyland Stadium. He has 28 catches for 336 yards and one touchdown this season.
Missouri scored 10 straight points to trim what was a 28-14 deficit in the first half down to four in the third quarter. From there, the Vols scored 38 straight points, scoring 21 in the third quarter and 17 more in the fourth.
“The statement for us,” Heupel said after the game, “is that we’re a good football team playing good football. What the scoreboard ultimately ends up being, and what people down the line may judge us for, we’re out of control of some of those things.
“There were a lot of things that were good in the first half, some things that weren’t — offensively, in all three phases. Our best football is still out in front of us. I am proud of the fight, the competition, the ability to reset. The second half, the way our guys went out and competed in all three phases, it was a good win.”
