Tennessee Football Jersey Countdown: No. 39, Ryan Karl

Tennessee will open its 2024 campaign against Chattanooga at Neyland Stadium on Aug. 31.

In anticipation of the season opener, VolReport is highlighting a former Vols player whose jersey number matches the amount of days until kickoff.

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With 39 days to go, Ryan Karl, who was a linebacker and three-year letterman at Tennessee between 2005-07, is selected.

Karl played high school football at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee, and signed with the Vols in 2004. In his first season, Karl was featured in the secondary at safety, the position he was recruited to play.

Karl appeared in 11 games and had an interception that he returned for 36 yards in Tennessee's 38-7 win over Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl before moving to linebacker the following season in 2005. He had more production there, recording 13 tackles, including 10 solo.

During Karl's junior campaign in 2006, he totaled 66 tackles along with nine tackles for loss and a sack, as Tennessee improved from five wins the year before to nine wins, reaching the Outback Bowl against Penn State.

Karl had his best season as a senior in 2007, racking up a career-high 85 tackles and 5.5 TFLs. His second-career interception against No. 15 South Carolina was key in a 27-24 overtime victory to keep the Vols in the SEC title race.

Tennessee won 10 games and played in the conference championship game, capping the season with a 21-17 win over Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl.

Over four seasons, Karl combined for 170 tackles, 14.5 TFLs and 12 pass break-ups in 49 games.

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