Tennessee LB Elijah Herring has played his last down with the Volunteers.

Herring took to social media on Monday to announce that he is entering his name into the NCAA transfer portal. The portal’s spring window for undergraduate entry opens this week.

“I’d like to thank Coach (Josh) Heupel and the University of Tennessee for the opportunity to play in my home state,” Herring wrote in a post to his X account. “I appreciate all the support from the entire staff, my teammates and fans. I have decided to enter the transfer portal and pursue other college opportunities. Love The Vols!”

Herring, from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, arrived on Rocky Top in January 2022. He has two seasons of remaining eligibility.

Herring was Vols’ top tackler in 2023

Herring was a reserve linebacker and special teams contributor in 2022 as a freshman. He had a breakout sophomore season, taking on a starting role at middle linebacker.

Herring was Tennessee’s top tackler in 2023, posting 80 stops, including 4 TFLs. On the surface, it might seem alarming for UT to lose its tackle leader, but there’s more to the situation.

Last year, Herring stepped up after Keenan Pili was lost to an injury. With Pili set to return, Herring’s status isn’t as clear.

UT insider Austin Price shared on social media that Herring wants to be a starter. He feels that opportunity is somewhere other than UT.

With Herring’s starting experience and 2023 production, Tennessee would have obviously preferred to have held onto him for depth (assuming he would not start).

The fact that Herring feels like he was not going to be a starter, though, is a sign that the Vols are looking good at the position with Pili’s return.