Tennessee defensive back Jermod McCoy (3) before a college football game between Tennessee and UAB at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 20, 2025. Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Willie Martinez Shares Update on Tennessee Football Star Jermod McCoy

Originally posted on Tennessee Volunteers on SI
By Caleb Sisk | Last updated Oct 15, 2025 11:51 AM ET

The Tennessee Volunteers have been one of the main teams with a lot of firepower across the SEC. The Tennessee Vols have a lot of injuries, and many of the players that they have on the injury report would be high-caliber contributors. This includes their top cornerback on the roster, who tore his ACL back in January.

The Vols were hopeful to have him back for the Arkansas game, but that wasn't the case. There remains no timetable for a possible return. This isn't exactly what you want to hear, as he would make this room a lot better. He was the Vols' best DB last season, and his season last year have many believing that he will be one of the better NFL prospects.

The Tennessee Volunteers have hopes to get him back, and McCoy hopes to be able to return, but there hasn't been much of an update. This is something that the Tennessee Volunteers defensive back coach (Willie Martinez) had to say during a media appearance in front of the Tennessee Vols media on Tuesday. Here is what they had to say.

Willie Martinez Provides Updates on Jermod McCoy

“Yeah, I mean, again, that’s not a hard question to ask. Mod is the same dude that he is when he walked in this, when he came in on campus, he works every day. He’s preparing every day to play. And he’s on course to whatever that is. He’s engaged every single day in our meetings. There’s nothing really different other than him not playing on game day. He’s doing a great job. He’s obviously grown a lot from a standpoint in our package, knowing our defense. He’s involved each and every day, whether it’s Ty Redmond, whether it’s any one of those young guys or even Colton, who’s in his first year. So he’s doing well.”

The Vols have been relying on multiple different defensive backs now that Rickey Gibson is also injured. The main guys they have been relying on are Ty Redmond, Colton Hood, Boo Carter, Jalen McMuray, Edrees Farooq, Sidney Walton, and Andre Turrentine. The Vols have a solid room that is better than what it could be.

If the Vols continue to push through these tough times a coach like Martinez will be praised as this DB room is young and have a lot of room to grow, but what they have shown so far looks promising for the future.