KNOXVILLE – The contributions of Tennessee’s freshman trio of Henry To’o To’o, Darnell Wright and Wanya Morris have not gone unnoticed, and with that the first-year Vols have each been named to the FWAA Freshman All-America Team Midseason Watch List, as announced by the Football Writers Association of America on Wednesday.
Morris and Wright have been staples for the Vols burgeoning offensive line, with Morris earning six starts at left tackle and Wright starting the last five games – two at right guard and three at right tackle. Their efforts have paved the way for the Vols’ backfield to gain impressive yardage, including a 242-yard game on the ground against BYU and a standout moment at No. 1 Alabama when the O-line pushed the pile on a run from junior Tim Jordan to gain the first down.
Defensively, To’o To’o has made an immediate impact as a linebacker with 35 tackles so far, the second most on the team. He led the Vols in the season opener against Georgia State with seven tackles. The Sacramento, Calif., native has also recorded 2.5 tackles-for-loss, three quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and fumble recovery. He’s recorded a career-best eight tackles on two occasions, versus BYU and at then No. 9 Florida.
Newcomers have seen a lot of action for the Orange and White this season with 21 true freshmen taking the field through UT’s first seven games.
The Vols are back in action on Saturday at 4 p.m. (ET), hosting South Carolina at Neyland Stadium. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.