2025 has been a tough year for Josh Heupel. Navigating a tough offseason out of the blue, he’s come a long way. So far, he’s been looking good with his new quarterback, Joey Aguilar, who is the second highest-graded quarterback at the moment, per PFF. But the trenches guarding him will be missing a promising player – David Sanders Jr. The five-star freshman’s debut has turned sour, and after new intel, more trouble looms. Fans, however, have a unanimous opinion about the OT.

Sanders was the No. 1 OT of the 2025 class, and was going to be a significant upgrade to the Vols’ offensive line. However, he is yet to step foot on the college football stage. He missed the Syracuse and ETSU game, so there was some chatter about Sanders’ debut coming against Georgia. But Heupel told the press that the OT will be out for this game as well, as he deals with a “lingering” shoulder injury. Being out for three consecutive games as a freshman is definitely not something Sanders had on his agenda for the year.

Sanders was expected to start at right tackle in Tennessee’s O-line, but has now been replaced by Jesse Perry. He was wowing players and fans with his showcase in the offseason. But the freshman OT is yet to bring any of that power to the trenches, now that the season has begun. That O-line is a key unit when it comes to Joey Aguilar’s supporting cast. The QB himself has a lot of pressure this season, as he tries to prove his worth playing foe an elite squad like Tennessee. Sanders was going to be an impactful addition this unit.

Tennessee is ranked at No.15 ahead of this major Week 3 game. Josh Heupel has surprisingly proven doubters wrong, and his fight against the Bulldogs will be a close one. The Vols have rolled out a QB-friendly offense in the season, and Aguilar is impressing the fans. But what’s important to note here, is that it is Heupel who comes in with more fire in this high-stakes game. The Vols have won with commanding numbers over Syracuse and ETSU. Georgia, on the other hand, somehow saved its face against Austin Peay last week.

This is a rivalry game, and it’s going to be a charged environment at Neyland Stadium. A rookie impressing fans on such a platform is always a good thing, but David Sanders Jr. will have to wait. Tennessee fans, however, are not so worried about the OT’s absence in the season. Given how the Vols are progressing and how Sanders is recuperating, they think it’s best he takes the downtime.

Fans united on David Sanders Jr.’s absence from Georgia game

“A true freshman offensive lineman starting against Georgia doesn’t sound like a good idea anyways,” one user wrote on social media. Georgia and Tennessee will clash as ranked teams, but the Bulldogs come in at No.6. The Georgia defense is going to be a strong one for a freshman like Sanders to navigate. It’s a unit that has only one TD so far, that too in a game where Georgia led 45-0. A rookie OT facing such skill in his debut is most likely going to cause problems for Tennessee. “I think this was likely intentional—a tough first test for the kid. Starting him post-injury in conference play against Georgia’s front could have been a challenging career start,” wrote another user, echoing the same sentiment.

“He was never coming back for this game. Offensive line has been fine. No reason to rush him back when not 100% to make his first start against uga,” one fan commented. Why risk upsetting something that’s working just fine? Aguilar and the offensive line, sans David Sanders, have come out strong in their past two clashes. Perry, for example, has already stepped up. He enters the Georgia game rated as the best OT by PFF. Sanders’ absence hasn’t been a problem so far.

“Honestly prefer this, don’t want his first college start to be against UGA. He’s a true freshman – plenty of time to get his bearings. Our O line is currently in sync anyways,” wrote another user. Sanders still has a lot to look forward to in his career. He can take it easy. “Think it makes more sense to keep with the line the past two weeks against uga instead of introducing something new. Hopefully better for UAB,” commented another fan.

So far, Josh Heupel has managed to go unbeaten without any bumps in the offense. As of now, things seem to be well in tune for the Vols facing off against Georgia. David Sanders will have to wait some more to line up on the field in Tennessee gear for his first game. He’ll have a well-set O-line waiting for him by then.