One by one, the candidates to replace departed A.J. Johnson as Tennessee's starting middle linebacker took their turns this spring. One by one, they failed to impress the coaching staff with any consistency.
But one hopeful didn't get a shot. Instead, Darrin Kirkland Jr. split his time between the training room and the sideline, rehabbing a torn pectoral muscle suffered during workouts after he arrived in Knoxville in January.
The 6'2", 235-pound middle linebacker's audition for the starting gig never got off the ground this spring. But he's expected to be healthy in time for fall drills, and the Indianapolis product may be exactly what the Vols need to man the middle of their defense.