Sucks to be Vol fan... but then doesn't it always? I really am sorry for this kid, even if he has horrendous taste in colleges...
The offseason hasn't been a good one for Tennessee on the injury front.
Fifth-year senior receiver Austin Rogers tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee Friday during voluntary workouts and will miss the 2009 season.
The school made the announcement Tuesday afternoon.
A statement released by the school said Rogers will have reconstruction surgery sometime in the next two weeks.
Freshman running back Toney Williams, an early enrollee who was coming off a promising spring, already underwent ACL surgery last week after injuring his right knee earlier this summer during workouts.
Rogers was Tennessee's active career leader in receptions with 76. Losing him for the season would mean four of the Vols' top five pass-catchers from a year ago will not be back. Rogers' leadership also will be sorely missed.
Because he already redshirted during the 2006 season after suffering a shoulder injury and then coming down with mononucleosis, Rogers would have to apply to the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility to continue his career at Tennessee.
Rogers' best season was 2007, when he started all 14 games and caught 56 passes for 624 yards and four touchdowns. He dipped to 14 catches last season, but the Vols' passing game was one of the worst in the Southeastern Conference.
Tennessee signed two players in this freshman class, Nu'Keese Richardson of Pahokee, Fla., and Marsalis Teague of Paris, Tenn., who could factor in the Vols' passing game immediately this fall.
Rogers' younger brother, Zach Rogers, also will be a freshman this season after signing with the Vols in February.
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