KNOXVILLE -- Tennessee will be without a second offensive lineman for its Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl clash with Nebraska next week.
Head coach Butch Jones after Tuesday morning's practice announced redshirt freshman guard Venzell Boulware will not play in the Volunteers' finale due to academics.
"Venzell is a great young man," Jones said. "He'll be better for it. He has still practiced and he's had one of the best bowl practices that we had, but due to academics he will not be available."
Tennessee held off a late push from Ohio State to land Boulware out of the Atlanta area in 2015, and he redshirted his first season in Knoxville.
Injuries prompted the Vols to turn to Boulware for a start at left guard against Alabama, and he earned the starting right guard spot for the season's final two games against Missouri and Vanderbilt.
"He's a real strong dude who gets it done in the weight room," guard Jashon Robertson said last week. "Hard worker, just a grinder. I've seen him since day one just working his tail off. That's really what it comes down to at the end of the day.
"His preparation for his opportunity, being what it is was coming into the season, allowed him the chance to capitalize on it. That's what he's pretty much done."
Jones said Boulware's status for spring practice won't be affected by him missing the bowl game.
"First of all, he has a great mother and he has a great foundation," Jones said. "He understands and it's going back and where did we go wrong? How do we make things better. The thing is what I've liked about him he's been very realistic and up front, and we all know he's a great person.
"It's just like your children. Sometimes it takes something like this. He'll be better for it and I know he'll bounce back."
Even though Boulware started the final two games of the regular season, it was likely Dylan Wiesman's return to health this month was going to bump him from the starting five.
Jones said two offensive linemen standing out during bowl practices are freshman tackle Marcus Tatum and sophomore guard/center Jack Jones.
Sophomore tackle Chance Hall also will miss the Music City Bowl after undergoing knee surgery.
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.