Tennessee will be without star receiver Cedric Tillman against LSU on Saturday.
Tillman is still recovering from a high ankle sprain and the subsequent tightrope surgery that was performed Sept. 20. He’s been doing some limited physical activity with the team, according to sources, and ramping up his activity with the hope of returning next week when No. 1 Alabama visits Knoxville.
This will mark the second consecutive game Tillman has missed, as the surgery occurred the week of Tennessee’s home game with Florida on Sept. 24. Tennessee had a bye last week.
Tillman is a 6-foot-3, 215-pound redshirt senior who is considered the Vols’ best wide receiver and best deep threat on the outside.
He has 17 catches for 246 yards and a touchdown this season, including a dominating road performance at Pittsburgh in which he caught nine balls for 162 yards and the game-winning 28-yard touchdown.
His 12 receiving touchdowns in 2021 was the second most in Tennessee history. His 1,081 receiving yards last year made him the leading returning receiver in the SEC and second in the league in receiving behind Jameson Williams’ 1,595 yards.
In Tillman’s absence, junior receiver Jalin Hyatt has put forth a career year with a team-high 23 catches, 325 yards and 3 receiving touchdowns. Redshirt junior receiver Bru McCoy caught five balls for 102 yards against Florida, emerging as an outside threat in Tillman’s absence.
