A 12-game starter for Tennessee may be on his way back to the field sooner than later, coach Jeremy Pruitt told reporters on Wednesday.

DB Baylen Buchanan, who has sat out every game this season because of a narrowing of his spine, could possibly return this season, Pruitt said, David Ubben of The Athletic reported. Buchanan is set to meet with a doctor this week and decide his future.

Buchanan started all 12 games for Tennessee last season and made 49 tackles and four pass breakups for the Vols. Since Tennessee has just three regular season games remaining, Buchanan could have a redshirt season available.

When Pruitt announced the medical issue three months ago, he said for Buchanan’s safety and as a precaution that the coaching staff would hold him out.

“We’ve sent him to a lot of specialists across the country and just waiting to gather information,” Pruitt said earlier this season. “He has a redshirt and one thing you have to figure out is, is this something he’s had the whole time he’s played? Or is this something that has just happened right now? But precautionary, we’ve held him out and we are going to continue to do that because his safety is our first priority.”