UPDATE: On his weekly coach's radio show "Vol Calls" on Wednesday night, Tennessee coach Butch Jones ruled Darrin Kirkland Jr. out for Saturday's game at Texas A&M.
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KNOXVILLE -- Tennessee again will be shorthanded at linebacker for its top-10 showdown with Texas A&M on Saturday, but the Volunteers could get a key player back from injury.
Head coach Butch Jones on Wednesday ruled Jalen Reeves-Maybin (shoulder) out of Saturday's game in College Station against the Aggies, but there's a possibility Darrin Kirkland Jr. (ankle) could play after missing the past three games.
"Darrin Kirkland is day to day," Jones said. "We'll probably know more (later this week). He practiced yesterday. We have to make sure that he's game ready.
"I spoke earlier in the week with all the different cutting and linebacker movements that it takes, and obviously this game is a challenge in and itself because of their different formations and personnel groupings that they give you.
"I'll know a little bit more (later) in the week, but it's been great to have him out there."
Jones said the team is gathering more information and further evaluate Reeves-Maybin's injury "to see what's in his best interest short-term (and) long-term."
With Kirkland and Reeves-Maybin out Tennessee has taken a all-hands-on-deck approach at linebacker with Colton Jumper and Cortez McDowell playing most of the snaps and Gavin Bryant, Dillon Bates and even Elliott Berry seeing the most significant action of their respective careers.
Jumper and McDowell are second and fourth on the team in tackles. In Kirkland's absence Jumper has 26 tackles in three games, including an 11-tackle performance at Georgia. McDowell has 20 tackles in the past three games and made nine in the opener against Appalachian State when Reeves-Maybin was ejected.
HurdGate
It's not totally clear why running back Jalen Hurd didn't play down the stretch of Saturday's win at Georgia. An in-game report from CBS sideline reporter Allie LaForce suggested Hurd essentially was benched, but Tennessee coach Butch Jones said after the game Hurd was dealing with a "lower extremity" injury.
On Monday Jones said Hurd would practice, but on the SEC teleconference on Wednesday the coach said Hurd was "day to day" and wouldn't specify his injury or why he was on the kickoff return team on the game's final kick.
"He's day to day," Jones said. "He did have a lower extremity injury in the game. He did play on the final play of the game. He's been day to day. Monday he came out (to practice) and he'll be day to day."
Martin will travel
Cornerback Justin Martin will be on the travel roster for Saturday's game, and his playing time will be determined by how he practices and approaches preparation the rest of the week.
"He's responsible for what he creates on and off the field," Jones said. "He determines his own playing time. He came out with a good approach yesterday, and he's still competing just like everyone else. We'll make that determination come Friday of how much he'll play."
Jones also said Coleman Thomas (ankles) would be "available" on Saturday, but he doesn't anticipate making any changes to the starting offensive line.
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.