Tennessee’s secondary will be down a key piece during spring practice.

Jermod McCoy, who burst onto the scene at corner last season, will miss “several months” after tearing his ACL in offseason training with a projected return near the start of the 2025 season.

VolQuest was the first to report.

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McCoy was among the headliners of the Vols’ defense during their run to the College Football Playoff in 2024.

The sophomore, who began his career at Oregon State before transferring to Tennessee, started 12 games at corner. He defended 13 passes and totaled four interceptions and nine pass-breakups.

Among McCoy’s highlights was his touchdown-robbing interception in the end zone in the Vols’ 24-17 win over Alabama at Neyland Stadium in October.

McCoy was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and was tabbed a Second Team All-American by several selectors. His 90.3 grade in pass coverage ranked second in the SEC, according to Pro Football Focus.

Tennessee is slated to begin spring practices in the coming months. Rickey Gibson III, who is coming off a strong sophomore campaign, will anchor the other side of the field at the second corner position.

Temple transfer Jalen McMurray, who appeared in 12 games as a transfer from Temple, will likely fill the void in McCoy’s absence.

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