Episode 134: Trey Smith 'indefinitely' sidelined again

GoVols247's Wes Rucker and Patrick Brown went into Fort Rucker Studio to break down some tough news for arguably Tennessee's best football player. Tennessee confirmed Thursday that star sophomore offensive lineman Trey Smith would again be sidelined "indefinitely" after doctors discovered Wednesday that blood clots had returned in his lungs. Smith was a touted five-star prospect who enrolled at Tennessee in Summer 2017 with outrageous expectations, and he met those expectations by emerging as one of the SEC's best offensive linemen as a true freshman. The West Tennessee native was considered by some as one of the nation's best O-linemen heading into his sophomore season, but serious health concerns have gotten in the way. The 6-foot-6, 330-pound Smith approached Tennessee's medical staff after struggling to get through a couple of February workouts, and doctors found blood clots in his lungs. He was immediately taken off the field and started treatment with anticoagulant medication, which eased the blood-clotting issue but forced him to stay away from physical contact. He was able to workout but not face contact on the field until midway through preseason camp, when (after consultation with UT doctors and specialists from around the country) he was weened off the anticoagulants and cleared for contact. Smith's family and Tennessee coaches and staffers handled the situation very carefully and made sure to give the player all the information he'd need to make a decision regarding his future, and Smith — whose mother passed away a few years ago with heart issues at age 51 — was adamant in his desire to return to football if doctors would allow it. Tennessee hasn't offered anything other than its Thursday statement on Smith's situation, and no one on the GoVols247 staff is a medical expert, so we spend this podcast breaking down the fallout from this news and its potential impact on the Vols in the short-term and longterm future. As much as as everyone likes Smith as a person, the fact is the show must go on, starting with Saturday's game at South Carolina, and Smith would be the first to admit that. We spend this podcast discussing Tennessee's options to replace the best performer on an already-struggling offensive line.