KNOXVILLE - Gerald Jones has been cleared to practice today with a splint on his surgically repaired broken hand, but Tennessee coach Derek Dooley said the Volunteers' most experienced wide receiver isn't a sure bet to play Saturday at LSU.
Jones injured his hand while making a diving catch in the second half of UT's 50-0 season-opening win over UT-Martin.
"He's cleared," Dooley said Monday afternoon. "We've just got to go see him get in the mix. He's back, but I haven't seen him go run a route or hit somebody."
Dooley said three other injured starters - junior tailback Tauren Poole, junior cornerback Art Evans and sophomore weakside linebacker Herman Lathers (unspecified) - are officially listed as day-to-day and could play Saturday. Evans has a knee bone bruise.
"We'll find out more tomorrow, but there's a chance all four of them could play," Dooley said. "And we need them to play."
Dooley said first-team center Cody Pope (stinger, concussion) and first-team left guard JerQuari Schofield (broken foot) probably won't play Saturday.
"Nothing tells me that they'll be back," he said.
This and that
Senior middle linebacker Nick Reveiz, the first Vol since Jerod Mayo in 2007 to make at least 10 tackles in three consecutive games, is tied with Ole Miss linebacker Jonathan Cornell atop the SEC standings with 9.8 stops per game.
The Vols have allowed 3.5 sacks per game, which ranks 113th out of 120 major college teams. They're also 109th in kick-return average and 107th in punt-return average.
Fifteen freshmen have played for UT this season. That ranks third nationally.
Contact Wes Rucker at wrucker@timesfreepress.com or 865-851-9739. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/wesrucker or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tfpvolsbeat.