Several renowned Tennessee football players will be assigned new jersey numbers for the 2024 season, according to the Vols’ updated roster.
Tennessee football’s 2024 season is quickly approaching, and the Vols have revised their official roster as SEC Media Days continue in Dallas this week. It’s the first update since before spring practice began in March, and it contains updated jersey numbers, heights, and weights for all of Tennessee’s newcomers, as the freshman class, including seven summer enrollees and transfer additions, accounts for more than a third of the scholarship roster. The roster update also indicated that numerous returning players, including projected starters at wide receiver and in the secondary, will change jersey numbers for the 2024 season.
The shifting and shaking of jersey numbers – even two guys on opposing sides of the football wearing the same number – has become an annual occurrence for Tennessee, whose spring roster had several single-digit numbers unclaimed. Many freshman wear one number in spring ball and then switch to their preferred numbers before the season begins. Veteran gamers can also make changes.
The Vols, led by head coach Josh Heupel and three senior team captains, offensive lineman Cooper Mays, defensive lineman Omari Thomas, and linebacker Keenan Pili, will attend SEC Media Days on Tuesday at the Dallas Omni Hotel.
Here are Tennessee’s returning players who will sport new jersey numbers this season:
- Bru McCoy, the physical wide receiver, switched to No. 5 after wearing No. 15 the past two seasons after transferring in from USC.
- Wide receiver Squirrel White is now No. 3 after wearing No. 10 in his first two seasons – freshman wideout Mike Matthews is the new No. 10 on offense.
- Jaylen McCollough might be gone, but Andre Turrentine will wear his old number (No. 2) at safety, and defensive backs Jourdan Thomas (No. 25 to No. 4) and Christian Harrison (No. 29 to No. 5) switched to single-digit numbers. Sophomore safety John Slaughter went from No. 33 to No. 12.
- Sophomore cornerback Rickey Gibson III switched from No. 18 to No. 1, while Oregon State transfer cornerback Jermod McCoy is now No. 3 after wearing No. 13 during spring ball. Temple transfer cornerback Jalen McMurray (No. 12 to No. 6) also changed numbers. Middle Tennessee State transfer safety Jakobe Thomas wore No. 30 in the spring, but is now No. 9.
- Wide receiver Chas Nimrod is now No. 11 after wearing No. 81 the past two seasons. Tulane transfer receiver Chris Brazzell II wore No. 11 in the spring, but he’s No. 17 now.
- Redshirt freshman tight end Ethan Davis (previously No. 86) and walk-on defensive back William Wright (previously No. 36) both switched to No. 0.
- Stanford transfer defensive lineman Jaxson Moi is now No. 51 (his number with the Cardinal) after wearing No. 99 in the spring with redshirt freshman offensive lineman Vysen Lang switching from No. 51 to No. 54.
- Defensive lineman Tyree Weathersby is now No. 18 after wearing No. 41 during his freshman season.
- Linebacker Kalib Perry is No. 8 having worn No. 40 the past two seasons.
- Among the freshman class, linebacker Edwin Spillman (No. 13), cornerback Kaleb Beasley (No. 25) and freshman safety Edrees Farooq (No. 15) also changed numbers from the spring.
- Offensive lineman Masai Reddick went from No. 68 to No. 59, and Trevor Duncan went from No. 67 to No. 65.
