One of Tennessee's best young players is out with an ankle injury

Tennessee got some bad news over the weekend. Darrin Kirkland, the Vols' talented young middle linebacker, suffered a high-ankle sprain and is out this week for the Ohio game. His status will be on a week-to-week basis as he tries to recover, Butch Jones said Monday.

The Vols’ schedule is about to get nasty starting next with with a four-game stretch of No. 23 Florida, at No. 16 Georgia, at No. 17 Texas A&M and against No. 1 Alabama.

The Vols staff told me this spring the 6-foot-1, 235-pound sophomore was poised for a breakout season in 2016.

"His football IQ is off the charts,” UT defensive coordinator Bob Shoop told me. "He runs well. He just gets it. He's only a true sophomore. When it's all said and done for him, we'll be talking about him on a short list of players here at Tennessee.”

Kirkland was carted back to the locker room in the second half of the Vols' win over Virginia Tech Saturday night. He is the team’s leading tackler with 16. Colton Jumper will start in his place.