Herring was seemingly slipping down the depth chart.
Spring practices have officially wrapped up, which means it’s time for another round of portalling. The transfer portal reopened on Monday and will stay open until the end of April, giving athletes a chance to see how the spring period went.
For Elijah Herring, the choice seemed to be simple. The 11-game starter from a year ago will hit the transfer portal following the return of veteran linebacker Keenan Pili, who Herring filled in for last season.
Herring made the announcement on Monday night.
I’d like to thank Coach Huepel & the University of Tennessee for the opportunity to play in my home state. I appreciate all the support from the entire staff, my teammates, & fans. I have decided to enter the transfer portal & pursue other college opportunities. Love The Vols!
— Elijah Herring (@ElijahHerring12) April 16, 2024
Herring ended up leading Tennessee with 80 tackles last season, with four tackles for loss.
Herring will be a junior this fall with two seasons left to play. His decision makes sense with the emergence of Jeremiah Telander, who has received a ton of praise for his development this spring. Big-time recruit Arion Carter will be returning from injury, while true freshman Edwin Spillman generated some buzz this spring as well.
Tennessee still has Kalib Perry, Jalen Smith and Jordan Burns to round out the depth chart. They’ll be replacing steady veteran Aaron Beasley this fall, but the staff seems pleased with the development of their younger players behind Pili to this point.
Elijah’s younger brother Caleb remains with Tennessee. The former four-star prospect will be a sophomore this season, filling a rotational role behind edge rushers James Pearce and Joshua Josephs.