The injury report for the Tennessee-Kentucky game tells two very different tales.
First, the Cats are an absolute mess. They have 12, yes one dozen, players listed as “out” for the Tennessee game. Four others are listed as probable. However, that’s not what stands out to me.
The most glaring listing on the Tennessee-Kentucky injury report is center William Satterwhite. The freshman has been upgraded from questionable to probable. Satterwhite has only played in garbage time this season so why is that so important?
If something were to happen to starting center Cooper Mays, I’ve been led to believe that Satterwhite would be the go-to Vol instead of the constant shuffling that Tennessee had to implement at the beginning of last season when Mays was sidelined with an abdominal injury.
Losing Mays would be huge since he’s a team leader and handles most of the line calls, but from a physical standpoint, Satterwhite has been impressive per various sources. Whether it’s now or next year, he’ll be the Vols’ starting center eventually.
That last thing that the Vols would want is to shake things up upfront with quarterback Nico Iamaleava who is seemingly coming into his own. The redshirt freshman may have turned a corner against Alabama, but, as was the case earlier this season, interior pressure could doom him against any foe. That’s the most difficult thing for any quarterback to overcome.
The interior pressure that Iamaleava had to face earlier this season came from the Vols’ offensive tackles getting beat to the inside. Tennessee’s offensive tackles have improved in that regard, but the game is ever-changing. That’s why Satterwhite could be so important, even if that’s not until next season.
The Vols’ offensive line interior is very good. And now, Tennessee is a bit deeper there as well.
