Tennessee loses another defensive star for Florida game

Published Nov. 15, 2016 3:36 p.m. ET

Bruce Feldman

Tennessee's defense will limp into its game against arch-rival Florida. The Vols were already down one of their top defenders with Darrin Kirkland sidelined with a high-ankle sprain and now you can add their best defensive back Cam Sutton and redshirt freshman linebacker Quart'e Sapp to the list of players who are out for the UF game.

Coach Butch Jones updated their status on Monday, saying that Sapp will be out for the season with a torn ACL and Sutton, a cornerback-returnman, is out for an extended period of time with a fractured ankle.

Senior LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin, the leader of their defense, suffered a muscle strain in his shoulder in the Ohio win over the weekend but is expected to practice this week and play.

Kirkland, a play-making middle linebacker with 4.5 speed, may not be back for the next few weeks, according to a source, as UT enters the roughest month of their schedule.

One bit of good news for UT is that starting offensive tackle Chance Hall, who has missed the first three games with a knee injury, will be back at practice this week with a shot to play in the game this weekend.

The Vols will try and snap an 11-game series losing streak against the Gators on Saturday.