Tennessee took a tough blow to its offensive line on Monday.
According to VolQuest.com, senior left guard Marcus Jackson suffered a biceps injury. Vols head coach Butch Jones did not offer any specifics about the injury, but said Tuesday that Jackson will have surgery and could be out for the entire season.
“It could be the season, it could be eight months, it could be nine months,” Jones said. “It's really based on how his surgery comes, and how his body performs.
“If he has any opportunity of returning, it will probably be towards the tail end of the season to a bowl game.”
[Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football: Sign up and join a league today!]
Jackson is Tennessee’s most experienced lineman with 17 career starts, including 12 in 2014. The 6-foot-2, 308-pound Jackson took a redshirt in 2013, played in 12 games without a start in 2012 and started five games as a true freshman in 2011.
With Jackson likely done for the year, Jones mentioned that sophomore guard Jashon Robertson asked the coaching staff if he can wear Jackson’s No. 75 this season to honor his teammate.
“Jashon Robertson came and he wants to wear 75. That's the type of culture that is built here,” Jones said. “That's the way our players are starting to think right now. So we've got to work through Nike to see if we can make that happen.”
With Jackson out and Robertson nursing a sprained ankle, Jones said freshman Jack Jones and Coleman Thomas have seen increased action but are still a “work in progress.”
"We moved Coleman back to tackle and it's a lot different from playing in the interior to the outside. Same thing with Jack. Jack is still going through his first training camp. But I see progress every day. I thought today our offensive line took a big step in moving forward with their practice today,” Jones said.
For more Tennessee news, visit VolQuest.com.
- - - - - - -
Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
