Tennessee Star Corner “Unlikely” To Suit Up vs. Arkansas

Image: Jermod McCoy/Instagram

By Aidan Sidoti

Tennessee will likely not see the return of one of its top defensive players this weekend.

Junior cornerback Jermod McCoy is “unlikely” to play against Arkansas as he continues to rehab from the torn ACL he suffered in January, according to a report from On3’s Pete Nakos and Chris Low.

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.

Head coach Josh Heupel addressed McCoy’s status on Monday.

“He’s got more to go,” Heupel told reporters. “I think it’s all about him being prepared to go play. There are a lot of things that go into that. You look at the position he plays, all the reactionary work that you have to have in so you’re always balancing his ability to be prepared and short‑term, long‑term health as well.”

In his first season with the Vols after transferring from Oregon State, McCoy quickly established himself as one of the SEC’s leading defensive backs, earning Second-Team All-American honors with 44 tackles, nine pass breakups, and four interceptions in 2024.

The possible return of McCoy could have provided a major lift for Tennessee’s secondary, which is giving up 259.2 passing yards per game – the highest in the SEC.

With McCoy sidelined, the Vols will once again turn to true freshman Ty Redmond, who’s set to make his fourth straight start when they face the Razorbacks.

Tennessee will host Arkansas at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, with kickoff set for 4:15 p.m. ET on SEC Network.