Jermod McCoy Will Remain Sidelined Ahead Of Crucial Alabama Matchup

Image: Jermod McCoy/Instagram

By Aidan Sidoti

One of Tennessee’s top defensive contributors will remain sidelined this weekend.

Star cornerback Jermod McCoy has been ruled out for Saturday’s showdown against Alabama, continuing his recovery from a torn ACL suffered in January. McCoy has yet to play this season, but his potential return has been a lingering storyline around Vol nation.

The Oregon State transfer underwent surgery in the offseason and has been gradually working his way back, taking part in limited drills but not yet cleared for game action.

In his first season at Tennessee after transferring from Oregon State, McCoy made an immediate impact, finishing with 44 tackles, nine pass breakups, and four interceptions while earning Second-Team All-American honors in 2024.

The potential return of McCoy could have been a significant boost for Tennessee’s secondary, which is currently allowing 257 passing yards per game — the most in the SEC.

With McCoy still unavailable, Tennessee will once again turn to true freshman Ty Redmond, who’s shown flashes of great play but hasn’t played anywhere like Bryant-Denny before.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday in Tuscaloosa, with the game airing on ABC.