KNOXVILLE — Rashaan Gaulden’s welcome-to-college-football moment was also a painful one.
While making the first tackle of his career on special teams during his Tennessee debut against Utah State last September, the cornerback broke his hand.
“That,” Gaulden said with a tone of disbelief after Saturday’s scrimmage inside Neyland Stadium, “was my welcome to college football.”
The Volunteers welcomed the 6-foot-1, 173-pound Gaulden a little more warmly.
With an eye toward this season, Tennessee’s coaches turned Gaulden into an understudy of sorts to then-senior Justin Coleman, who’s currently preparing for the NFL draft after starting every game at the nickel corner position in 2014.