Full back Henry Tu, A previous pick for SEC All-Freshman, who started 22 matches in the past two seasons, and three other Tennessee players entered the transfer window on Wednesday.

Running back Eric Gray, Full-back Quavaris Crouch And two offensive lines Johmire Johnson She also entered the portal.

This comes two days after coach Jeremy Pruitt was sacked amid an investigation into what Utah advisor Dundee Plowman described as “serious violations of NCAA rules.”

Associate coaches Brian Niedermeier and Shelton Felton have also been fired, along with four members of the campus football recruiting team, the director, assistant manager of footballers’ staff and football analyst / coach quality control.

Kevin Steele, who was hired as assistant coach on January 12, was appointed interim coach after Pruitt was fired.

To’o To’o, the sophomore student, started all 10 games this past season and led the team with 76 tackles and 10 tackles for a loss. A former four-star prospect from California, he signed with Tennessee in 2019 for Alabama, Utah, University of Southern California and Washington.

Crouch, a sophomore from North Carolina, started every game last season and finished third on the team’s tackles last season with a score of 57.

Gray, a sophomore from Memphis, emerged as one of Tennessee’s best defenders in 2020, ranking sixth in the SEC in accelerating yards per game (85.8) and sixth in melee yards per game (114.0).

Johnson is a senior in red but could benefit from the NCAA’s decision to award an extra year of eligibility to fall and winter athletes.