KNOXVILLE - Tennessee interim head coach Brady Hoke struck a vague tone for the second week in a row when discussing injuries as he met with reporters Monday.
He did reveal one bit of noteworthy injury news, however.
Hoke said freshman quarterback Will McBride will be available for Saturday's season finale against Vanderbilt. McBride was not active for the LSU game on Saturday with Hoke saying that McBride was not ready "protocol wise."
"Will will be available," Hoke said Monday. "It was just best that we didn't last week. Health and wellness is a big part of the game, so we wanted to make sure that he was OK and in a good spot."
McBride's return would keep the Volunteers from having to play a walk-on at quarterback if starter Jarrett Guarantano needed to leave the game for any reason. Guarantano has been dealing with an ankle injury.
Hoke said he would provide an update later in the week on the host of offensive linemen who have been injured. However, tight end Ethan Wolf shared Monday that senior center Coleman Thomas is out for the rest of the season, ending his Vols career.
"Coleman's season ended a lot earlier than he thought it was going to," Wolf said. "To see that he can't finish out the season, I'm going to try and carry that and play for him and those guys."
McKenzie not moving
With just four scholarship offensive linemen available at the end of the LSU game, Hoke was asked about the possibility of switching defensive tackle Khalil McKenzie to the offensive line.
"That would be way too far down the line to do something like that," Hoke said. "At this point, number one, Kahlil is playing pretty well for us defensively. I think the last three weeks he's played his best football. And I think trying to make that move midseason to some degree is tough.
McKenzie has recorded 36 tackles this season, 12 more than his previous season high from his freshman year. McKenzie also has two sacks and four tackles for loss. In those last three games that Hoke mentioned, McKenzie recorded eight tackles.
Senior defensive tackle Kendal Vickers, who had eight tackles against LSU, was asked by a reporter about his interest level in playing offense line.
"Nah, nah, nah," he said while chuckling.
Focusing on finale
The Tennessee staff will coach the final game Saturday not knowing whether they will be retained by the program's next head coach.
Hoke addressed the uncertainty Monday and said the coaches have one focus: facing Vanderbilt.
"We've got a bunch of guys who are professionals on the coaching staff and who are in it for the right reason," Hoke said. "We want to do a great job for these kids."
Wolf compared the uncertainty the coaches are facing to what the players are facing as well with who will be the next coach.
"I'd say it is similar to the players," Wolf said. "They are all here because they love the game. I think that they're probably just going to rely on their love for the game and their passion for competition and prepare for (Vanderbilt) as hard as they possibly can, and when Saturday is said and done then they'll probably address it when it gets there."
The Vols currently have four coaches with head coaching experience: Hoke, defensive coordinator Bob Shoop, offensive coordinator Larry Scott and quarterbacks coach Mike Canales. Scott and Canales were interim head coaches during previous jobs.
Contact Rob Harvey at sports@timesfreepress.com.