Tennessee's official depth chart for the South Carolina game
Tennessee on Monday released its official depth chart for this week’s game against South Carolina. The 21st-ranked Vols (3-1, 0-1 SEC) host the Gamecocks (2-2, 1-1) on Saturday at Neyland Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time start on SEC Network.
Quarterback
| Starter | Joe Milton III |
| Backup | Nico Iamaleava |
| Backup | Gaston Moore |
| Backup | Navy Shuler |
Milton started Tennessee’s 45-14 win over UTSA with an 81-yard touchdown run on the first play of the game. He completed 18 of 31 for 209 yards and two touchdowns. He had an injury scare late in the first half, grabbing his left knee after an awkward tackle, but stayed in the game in the second half wearing a brace. Josh Heupel updated Milton’s status on Monday, saying he anticipated Tennessee’s starting quarterback would be available against South Carolina.
Running Back
| Starter | Jaylen Wright |
| Backup | Jabari Small |
| Backup | Dylan Sampson |
| Backup | Cameron Seldon |
Sampson rushed 11 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns against UTSA, after not being in the Tennessee running back rotation at Florida. The sophomore is now up to a team-high six touchdowns on the season. Small rushed nine times for 61 yards and Wright had four rushes for 16 yards, leaving the game in the first half after being slow to get up after a hard tackle.
Wide Receivers
| Starter | Bru McCoy |
| Starter | Ramel Keyton |
| Slot | Dont’e Thornton -or- Squirrel White |
| Backup | Chas Nimrod |
| Backup | Kaleb Webb |
Keyton caught a 48-yard touchdown pass and McCoy had three catches for 30 yards, but both players left the game early with apparent injuries. Tennessee wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope said on Monday that he expected all wideouts to be available against South Carolina. Webb caught two passes for 22 yards against UTSA, including an 18-yard touchdown, and White had four catches for 29 yards.
Tight Ends
| Starter | Jacob Warren -or- McCallan Castles |
Castles caught two passes for 19 yards and Warren had two receptions for six yards. Castles now has five catches for 89 yards and a touchdown and Warren has four catches for 28 yards and a touchdown.
Offensive Line
| Left Tackle | John Campbell |
| Backup | Gerald Mincey |
| Left Guard | Andrej Kuric -or- Jackson Lampley -or- Ollie Lane |
| Center | Cooper Mays |
| Backup | Ollie Lane –or- Dayne Davis |
| Right Guard | Javontez Spraggins |
| Backup | Addison Nichols |
| Right Tackle | Jeremiah Crawford |
| Backup | Dayne Davis |
Tennessee is still awaiting the return of senior center Cooper Mays, who has missed the first four games of the season after undergoing hernia surgery on August 9. Mays dressed for the last three games but ultimately did not play. His status for Saturday’s game against South Carolina will likely be a game-time decision.
Defensive Tackle
| Starter | Omari Thomas |
| Backup | Kurott Garland -or- Elijah Simmons |
| Starter | Omarr Norman-Lott -or- Bryson Eason |
| Backup | Daevin Hobbs |
Thomas has 10 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss, through Tennessee’s four games. Norman-Lott has 11 tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack. Eason has nine tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks.
LEO
| Starter | Roman Harrison |
| Backup | James Pearce |
| Backup | Joshua Josephs |
| Backup | Caleb Herring |
Harrison has 11 tackles while Pearce is second on the team in both tackles for loss, with five, and sacks, with two. Herring has two tackles, including one tackles for loss and one sack. Josephs has one tackle for loss and one sack as well, with four total tackles.
Weakside Linebacker
| Starter | Aaron Beasley |
| Backup | Kalib Perry -or- Arion Carter |
Beasley leads the team in tackles (29.0) and tackles for loss (7.5). He has two sacks, too. Carter is up to 10 tackles on the season and Perry has six.
Middle Linebacker
| Starter | Elijah Herring |
| Backup | Jeremiah Telander |
Herring is second on the team with 24 tackles, including nine solo and 15 assists. Telander has nine tackles.
Cornerback
| Starter | Doneiko Slaughter -or- Gabe Jeudy-Lally |
| Starter | Kamal Hadden -or- Warren Burrell |
Slaughter has missed the last two games with a foot injury. Jeudy-Lally has 11 tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss, and Hadden has 12 tackles with five passes broken up and one interception. Burrell has two tackles on the season and had an interception against UTSA.
Safety
| Starter | Wesley Walker |
| Backup | Andre Turrentine -or- Christian Charles |
| Starter | Jaylen McCollough |
| Backup | Jourdan Thomas |
| Backup | Will Brooks |
Walker is third on the team with 18 tackles. He has 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack. McCollough has 13 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss.
Star
| Starter | Tamarion McDonald |
| Backup | Brandon Turnage |
McDonald is Tennessee’s third-leading tackler with 18. He has 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Turnage has four tackles.
Special Teams
| Placekicker | Charles Campbell |
| Backup | Josh Turbyville |
| Punter | Jackson Ross |
| Backup | Josh Turbyville |
| Kickoff | Josh Turbyville |
| Backup | Max Gilbert |
| Longsnapper | Matthew Salansky |
| Holder | Jackson Ross |
| Kick Returner | Dee Williams -or- Cameron Seldon |
| Punt Returner | Dee Williams -or- Squirrel White |
Campbell is 5-for-6 on field goals for Tennessee this season, with a long of 42. Ross is averaging 40.9 yards over 18 punts this season, with three traveling 50 or more yards. He’s had seven downed inside the 20.
