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Vols notes: Walk-on Paul Bain now has Tennessee scholarship

Tennessee defensive lineman Paul Bain (97) celebrates after he blocked a Georgia Tech field goal attempt to send the game into overtime during the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday, Sept. 4, in Atlanta, Ga.
Tennessee defensive lineman Paul Bain (97) celebrates after he blocked a Georgia Tech field goal attempt to send the game into overtime during the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday, Sept. 4, in Atlanta, Ga. Tennessee defensive lineman Paul Bain (97) celebrates after he blocked a Georgia Tech field goal attempt to send the game into overtime during the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday, Sept. 4, in Atlanta, Ga.

By David Cobb 4 min read

KNOXVILLE – Tennessee fifth-year senior defensive end Paul Bain began his college football career at NCAA Division II member Tusculum, where he received a redshirt in 2014.

It was a humble start to a college football journey that is culminating with Bain now part of the defensive-line rotation at Tennessee.

photo Tennessee defensive lineman Paul Bain takes the field before the start of Monday night’s Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Bain made a crucial play in the Vols’ 42-41 double-overtime win.

Bain left Tusculum after one season with no guarantees of even making the Volunteers team. But he made the practice squad in 2015, appeared in two games as a reserve defensive lineman in 2016 and then turned into a folk hero with his game-saving blocked field goal in the 2017 season opener against Georgia Tech.

As of last week, he is on full scholarship.

Bain said Monday that he learned of the scholarship in a meeting with coach Jeremy Pruitt last Tuesday.