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Butch Jones confirmed the news that most feared to be true on Friday night after Tennessee’s first padded practice. Talented junior tackle Chance Hall won’t be available this season. He’s going to undergo season ending knee surgery.
.@UTCoachJones just confirmed after tonight's practice that #Vols OT Chance Hall will need season-ending surgery on his knee.
— Ryan Callahan (@RyanCallahan247) August 5, 2017
As Rucker points out below, Hall is just a junior and has a redshirt season available. It’s going to hurt Tennessee this season, but it’s the right call for Hall’s career moving forward. Hall would still have two years of eligibility left.
#Vols Jr OT Chance Hall will have season-ending knee surgery. I think that’s the right move. He’s a talented kid and has a RS available.
— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) August 5, 2017
This just shuffles the line combination up even more. Tennessee has a lot of experienced and talented bodies on the offensive front, but it’s still a mystery as to what the winning combination might turn out to be.
Hall started seven games at right tackle as a freshman in 2015 and six last season. He was named a freshman All-American by multiple publications after his outstanding freshman campaign.