Don't look for injured Tennessee linebacker Curt Maggitt to return to the Volunteers lineup in the second half of the season. Coach Butch Jones indicated Tuesday that Maggitt would probably redshirt this season.
Maggitt has been working to return from a torn ACL in his knee. The injury, however, is not yet a year old, and rehabilitation hasn't gone quickly enough to get Maggitt back on the field. Jones has said more than once this season that Maggitt wasn't far from a return, but it appears now he'll save the year of eligibility.
"Right now I don't anticipating him playing. I always think of the worst case scenario, we are not expecting him to play this year," Jones said, according to allfortennessee.com. "If he doesn't he will redshirt and we will move on. If he is ready to go and based on where we are at in the season we will make the determination. Right now I am not expecting him to play."
A redshirt would allow Maggitt to return as a junior next season, likely the best option for both Maggitt and the Volunteers. Playing the 6-3, 240-pounder could serve little purpose if he were to return at less than 100 percent. Meanwhile, the Vols are winless in SEC play and face a daunting upcoming stretch against South Carolina, defending national champion Alabama, and undefeated Missouri.
Bottom line, Maggitt could bring Jones' program a lot more value as a senior in 2015, by which time Jones could have the program back on track in his third year as coach, than he could in 2013.
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.
