KNOXVILLE -- A pair of red-shirt freshmen, tailback Ja’Kouri Williams and linebacker Jerod Mayo, underwent knee surgeries this week at UT Medical Center. Head athletic trainer Keith Clements made the announcement after Thursday’s practice at Haslam Field.
Williams, who hails from Plaquemine, La., and has appeared in seven games in mostly a special teams role, underwent arthroscopic surgery Wednesday and will miss Tennessee’s final two regular season games. Clements and the UT training staff believe there is a chance Williams could return to playing shape by late December if his rehabilitation goes ahead of schedule.
Mayo appeared in six of UT’s first seven games, making 10 tackles from his second-team linebacker position and three more on special teams. The Hampton, Va., product had open surgery to repair a torn knee ligament and will miss the remainder of the season along with spring practice. Mayo, who is spending Thursday night in the hospital, is expected to return for the 2006 playing season.
Dr. Greg Mathien and the team orthopedic surgeons from Knoxville Orthopedic Clinic handled both procedures.
VOLS LINEMAN DISMISSED FROM TEAM
Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer announced Thursday that redshirt-freshman offensive lineman Ell Ash has been dismissed from the team for violation of team rules.
‘TOUCHDOWN FOR TURKEYS’ SLATED FOR MONDAY DELIVERY
Several members of the Tennessee football team will travel to Second Harvest Food Bank Monday at 11:30 a.m. to deliver turkeys earned through the "Touchdown for Turkeys" project.
For the 2005 football season, UT and Second Harvest along with Food City, Butterball and Action Sports Media joined forces for "Touchdown for Turkeys." For each touchdown scored at a UT home football game, seven butterball turkeys have been donated to Second Harvest.
(E-mail Stan Crawley at wscrawley@earthlink.net)