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Freshman QB Jauan Jennings named in connection with assault/robbery

The offseason of legal woes continues for the Vols with latest allegations against former Class AAA Mr. Tennessee

By Michael W Bratton
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Should we start calling this the summer of discontent?

As the football program has begun to take steps to return to the upper echelon of the SEC, the team's ability to stay out of off the field issues continues to haunt the Vols with the latest allegations involving freshman quarterback Jauan Jennings, according to WGNS News Radio.

The report indicates Jennings pushed the accusser, who is a juvenile, twice, causing injuries to his neck, threw a rock at his mother's car, which caused damage to the hood and windshield and stole a cell phone, jacket and arm brace from the car. (Side note: who steals an arm brace???)

The charges Jennings face include assault, vandalism and theft of over 500 dollars worth of items.

While no allegations should be taken lightly, especially when someone else was allegedly injured due to someone's actions, the news of this incident appear to be worse then anything else in my mind. You would have to push someone really hard to cause serious damage to someone's neck, wouldn't you think?

For anyone wondering, Jennings is also a minor, he turns 18 in one month so he won't be charged as an adult if charges are sought.

I won't be surprised if Jennings is suspended a game or two at the very most, but he was most likely head for a redshirt season anyway in 2015. The more troubling issue is the fact the Tennessee football program can't stay out of the news for the wrong reasons.

Sooner or later, Butch Jones will have to get to the heart of this issue and attempt to stamp it out. While the coaches and program can't be held responsible for the actions of a small majority, benefit of the doubt may be hard to come by down the line for the team if these issues don't subside.

If this news ruined your day, I'm sorry. Here's something that should cheer you up:

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