Winger Henry To’o To’o, a former SEC national team player who started 22 games the past two seasons, and three other Tennessee players entered the transfer portal Wednesday.
Runner Eric Gray, defender Quavaris Crouch and offensive Jahmir Johnson also entered the portal.
That comes two days after head coach Jeremy Pruitt was fired amid an investigation into what UT Chancellor Donde Plowman said were “serious violations of NCAA rules.”
Assistant coaches Brian Niedermeyer and Shelton Felton were also fired, along with four members of the football recruiting staff on campus, the director and deputy director of football staff and a football analyst / quality control coach.
Kevin Steele, who was hired as an assistant coach on Jan. 12, was named interim coach after Pruitt’s dismissal.
To’o To’o, sophomore, started all 10 games this past season and led the team with 76 tackles and 10 tackles per loss. A former California four-star prospect, he signed with Tennessee in 2019 for Alabama, Utah, USC and Washington.
Crouch, a sophomore from North Carolina, started every game last season and finished third in the team in offense last season with 57.
Gray, a sophomore from Memphis, emerged as one of Tennessee’s best backs in 2020, ranking sixth in the SEC in running yards per game (85.8) and sixth in fighting yards per game (114.0).
Johnson is a red senior but can make use of the NCAA’s decision to grant an additional year of eligibility to fall and winter sports athletes.