Tennessee Football Will Be Without This Player in The First Half vs Alabama

Tennessee will be without this player in the first half of their game against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Josh Heupel exits the field after winning a game between Tennessee and Alabama at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (Amidst the chaos of the field storming I realized I could get in the line of Heupel coming off the field. It's hard to get a coach shot during a field storming so I was glad to be in the right place at the right time.) | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers have many players who have had to take on a bigger role this season compared to what they had last season. The Vols have many new faces as well, as this team is one of the younger teams that they have had in program history, to say the least. In fact, there have been multiple eye-catching stats, including the fact that 49.5 % of this team are freshmen right now.

The Vols have had to utilize a lot of young guys, including a lot of guys on the defensive side of the football. The Vols have been subbing a lot of guys on the defensive side of things. The Vols will be without one of their main players on the defensive side of the football. The Vols will be without one of their best linebackers for a half of the game, because of a targeting call.

Who Will the Vols Be Without For the First Half Against Alabama?

Tennessee linebacker Edwin Spillman (13) chases down Georgia running back Josh McCray (2) during a college football game between Tennessee and Georgia at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 13, 2025. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Vols will be without Edwin Spillman in this game due to a targeting call that sidelined him for the remainder of the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Spillman has a very great presence when it comes to the middle of the field. His skill set is unique, which makes this a huge loss.

Being in a game like this, the last thing you want is your hands tied behind your back, which is exactly what it must feel like for Spillman.

He will be available when the Vols return from halftime, which is the main positive to talk about. This is a huge plus, as he will be used in this game. The call against the talented linebacker was a fair call, but it happens to the best of the best. He is a hard hitter, and isn't afraid to put his body on the line, which you want from the linebacker group.

This will put a lot on the Vols linebacker core, but if there was a group of guys who could step up for the challenge it would be Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander.

This team will need a brilliant performance in order to win this game, and they will hope to do so. The Vols have won two of the last three games, which isn't something the modern fan knows much about, as the Vols nearly lost 20 straight before getting the best of the Crimson Tide.

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