The Tennessee football program doesn’t resemble a team at this moment. Instead, it’s akin to a MASH unit.

This graphic truly illustrates the shocking state of the squad health-wise:

As does this one:

Versus No. 1 Alabama last week, the Vols were without nine starters (Cam Sutton, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Darrin Kirkland Jr., Malik Foreman, Kendal Vickers, Micah Abernathy, Chance Hall, Brett Kendrick, and Dylan Wiesman).

Abernathy started the contest — but left late with a hamstring injury. This doesn’t include the season-ending injury for top DT reserve Kahlil McKenzie, the dismissal of starting DT Danny O’Brien, or the thumb injury to starting OG Jack Jones.

It’s an epidemic at this point — and something head coach Butch Jones and his staff have yet to encounter during his coaching career:

As a result of this current situation, Jones is calling upon a number of players to fill in for their injured teammates.

With McKenzie out for the year, and Vickers also batting the ailment bug, youngsters such as Kyle Phillips, Jonathan Kongbo, and Andrew Butcher will have to step up:

While switching 6-foot-4, 340-pound OL Charles Mosley to the defensive side of the ball seems like a potential idea, Jones doesn’t appear ready to make that move just yet.

At linebacker, it’s been announced that Reeves-Maybin will be gone for the year. Quart’e Sapp also suffered the same fate earlier this season. Kirkland Jr. — the heartbeat of the defense — has also been battling a balky ankle.

As such, it’ll be incumbent upon the likes of Colton Jumper, Cortez McDowell (who was hurt himself against Texas A&M), and Elliott Berry to provide some help. Berry and Jumper in particular have been playing well.

The Volunteers are currently enjoying a much-needed bye week at this time. This should enable some of the injured players to recuperate and potentially feature the following week at South Carolina.

With a relatively easy schedule going forward, Tennessee certainly still has a lot to play for.