How Vols' Dont'e Thronton Jr. approached season-ending injury, recovery

A season that seemed to being turning around had ended abruptly on the same play that Thornton scored his first touchdown as a Tennessee wide receiver on an early second quarter drive at Missouri on Nov. 11, 2023.

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Thronton, who arrived at Tennessee as a transfer from Oregon, had only recently moved from the slot to the outside where he appeared to be growing more comfortable late in the Vols' 2023 season.

Instead, he missed the last three games.

But Thornton didn't let the frustrations of a rocky transition, a position change and a season-ending injury get to him. He used the time away from the field to better learn the offense and his place in it. Now four months later, he sees the injury as a positive.

"I feel like me getting better at the end of the season and me going down, that's something that I couldn't control," Thornton said. "I just used that as a way to get deeper into the playbook and build my faith and know what I needed to work on when I come back. I feel like the injury, it was a bad thing, but at the same time, it was something good for me."

The 6-foot-5, 214-pound Thornton was put in the slot after the departure of Biletnikoff Award winner Jalin Hyatt to the NFL following the 2022 season and split time with Squirrel White there, but it was clear through the first couple of games that Thornton wasn't gelling at the position.

That started to change when the coaching staff moved him to the outside, in part because of necessity due to a season-ending injury to Bru McCoy at the end of September that caused a shift in the Vols' receiving rotation.

It was more of a natural fit for Thornton, who played on the outside for much of his career before arriving in Knoxville a year ago. Now he feels at home three weeks into spring practices and it shows.

"Once (Thornton) had gotten to the outside, it was a little more natural for him. It was unfortunate that he dealt with that injury right after that transition," Tennessee wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope said. "He's picked up right where he left off. He's been consistent in the spring. He's been playing fast. We try to make sure we watch his play load, his volume to make sure we keep him healthy but he's competed at a high level."

Thoronton has been one of the early headliners in a highly-competitive and deep wide receivers room that includes notable returners in McCoy and White as well as Kaleb Webb, Nathan Leacock and Chas Nimrod, who were thrust into bigger roles themselves because of injuries last season.

The room also features a few highly-touted newcomers in freshmen duo Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley as well as Tulane transfer Chris Brazzell II.

Though Thornton's newfound confidence in the offense has improved his game, part of his approach during his recovery over the offseason was to help improve others, too.

WATCH ON VOLREPORT: Recapping Tennessee football's spring practice and talking WRs

Pope started to notice as much early in spring practices when Thornton would be the first over to a fellow receiver following a rep, providing instruction and encouragement.

"(Thornton) has had really good energy this spring," Pope said. "He's done a great job of leading us as well. He's vocal in that room. A lot of guys look to him for answers and advice. He's done an awesome job of being able to be that leader for us, one of those leaders, so far."

Now heading into his senior season, Thornton remembers being in a similar spot not too long ago. First it was as a freshman wide receiver at Oregon in 2021 and again as a transfer trying to make his way at a brand new program and in a new system.

"When I was a young guy in college, I knew how hard it was for me in my transition," Thornton said. "I tried to lean on a bunch of older guys for help, so I just try to give back to all the younger guys...I try to my best just to help those young guys out and make it a little bit easier for them."

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