Tennessee running back Daune Morris crashed into four parked cars and a fire hydrant early Friday, suffering a broken leg that ends his season. The sudden loss hits Josh Heupel’s offense just hours before a critical road trip to Texas A&M. With a College Football Playoff spot on the line, the Volunteers must now finish their final three SEC games without a key piece of their ground attack.

The single-vehicle crash happened shortly after midnight on November 13, right before the team was set to leave for College Station. According to the police report, Morris’s vehicle flipped over during the wreck.

On3 senior reporter Chris Low shared on X that police ticketed Morris for reckless driving after the midnight wreck, confirming the broken leg and season-ending timeline while adding relief that the outcome wasn’t more severe.

According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, the sophomore was driving a Dodge Charger with two passengers when he lost control while making a right turn. Police cited Morris for reckless driving following the incident.

In an official statement, the university acknowledged that Morris suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the early morning off-campus wreck. The program noted that he is resting comfortably and expressed full support for his recovery.

According to police records, Morris had his seat belt fastened during Friday’s wreck, and neither drugs nor alcohol played a role in the crash. While the two passengers inside the vehicle refused medical care at the scene, emergency responders transported Morris to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for evaluation.

The crash followed an earlier traffic citation for Morris during the season. Back in October, shortly after the Volunteers defeated Auburn on October 3, officers clocked him driving 101 mph in a 65-mph zone. That stop led to misdemeanor charges for speeding and failing to exercise due care, which he resolved by pleading guilty and paying $507 in court costs and fines.

Morris’ injury leaves Tennessee without its second-leading rusher for the rest of the campaign. The sophomore has recorded 434 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 66 carries across nine games, averaging 6.6 yards per attempt. He has also contributed six catches for 35 yards.

He was coming off a strong outing against Kentucky, too. In Tennessee’s 34-6 win over the Wildcats on November 7, Morris rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown on just five carries. His 66-yard scoring run in the first quarter was one of the biggest plays of the game.

DeSean Bishop remains the Volunteers’ leading running back. The senior has put up 1,066 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns this season. With Morris out, Tulane transfer Javin Gordon could see more time in the backfield. Gordon has 129 yards on 28 carries so far, while Justin Baker and Hunter Barnes are also options Tennessee could turn to.

The Volunteers entered Week 11 with a 7-2 overall record and a 4-2 mark in SEC play. They have averaged 216 rushing yards per game this season, making the ground game a major part of their offense. Losing Morris means they will have less depth at running back during the final stretch of the schedule.

Tennessee’s next challenge is a road matchup against Texas A&M, which entered the game with a 4-5 record. After that, the Volunteers face LSU on November 21 before closing the regular season against Vanderbilt.

The team is also dealing with another major injury on defense. Defensive lineman Tyree Weathersby, who leads Tennessee in sacks, was ruled out for the season after suffering a knee injury during the 34-6 win over Kentucky.

Morris’ recovery will now be the priority, while Heupel and his staff work out how to manage the backfield without him. With three regular-season games remaining, Tennessee will need its other running backs to take on a bigger role.