KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 24: Derek Barnett #9 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates after sacking Austin Appleby #12 of the Florida Gators in the second half at Neyland Stadium on September 24, 2016 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee defeated Florida 38-28. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Tennessee's best remaining defender could miss Georgia game

That is not what the Vols were hoping to hear today.

Coach Butch Jones revealed on his coaches' show that the status of All-SEC linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin for Saturday's CBS afternoon game at Georgia is more in question than first believed. He left the game against Florida last week early and suffered a "shoulder strain"against Ohio the week before.

RELATED: Tennessee will be without Jalen Reeves-Maybin for the rest of the UF game

"Jalen Reeves-Maybin, we're still waiting on some final tests, another MRI, waiting on a word from there to see how his health is progressing," Jones said Wednesday night, two days after saying the star linebacker was expected to play against the Bulldogs.

Reeves-Maybin was the leading tackler last season and suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder and missed all of the spring because of it. "You talk about resilience, not many teams in the country handle that when  you take out three NFL type of players, three  all-conference  players," Jones said. "We've had individuals step up, and we'll need that same monumental effort in Athens, Georgia, on Saturday."

RELATED: Tennessee finds new middle linebacker after Darrin Kirkland's injury

The Vols definitely will with safety Cam Sutton likely out for the year with a fractured ankle and freshman linebacker Quart'e Sapp out for the year as well. Linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. will miss his third straight game with a high ankle sprain, but is expected to come back this season.

 

[h/t SEC Country]