KNOXVILLE – Jason Croom’s last reception for Tennessee was a 4-yard touchdown catch against Missouri 642 days ago in November 2014.
The Volunteers have plans on making up for the lost time.
Croom, a fifth-year senior, will make his debut as a tight end a week from today when ninth-ranked Tennessee hosts Appalachian State to open the season. The former wide receiver could add a wrinkle on offense the Vols didn’t have last season, which the 6-foot-5, 250-pounder missed after multiple knee surgeries.
“He can be a huge weapon,” quarterback Josh Dobbs said Tuesday. “His body type, his expertise coming from the receiver position and moving to tight end, he’s very physical, but he also runs very clean routes and he’s very good catching the ball in space. We’ll definitely be able to utilize him in a lot of ways.
“He presents a lot of matchup issues for the defense, so it’s definitely great to add that dynamic to the tight-end room to complement Ethan (Wolf).”