Report: Jones and Reid enter transfer portal
![Report: Jones and Reid enter transfer portal Report: Jones and Reid enter transfer portal](https://www.si.com/.image/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/MTY3MTYzNDE2ODM2ODQyNjEy/usatsi_13357016.jpg)
UPDATE: 1:45 PM: Jeremy Pruitt has confirmed that both Reid and Jones along with junior linebacker Will Ignont have left the program.
Not all has gone well in Knoxville to start the 2019 Tennessee football season and Shanon Reid and Jacquez Jones have apparently had enough.
Both the junior linebacker and redshirt sophomore wide receiver have entered their names into the NCAA Transfer Portal following the Vols' 1-3 start.
It's hard to blame them either.
Both three-star prospects hailing from Florida, their roles have yet to take on any significance since both arrived on campus in 2017 under then-coach Butch Jones.
Reid has appeared in 20 games for the Vols, notching 17 total tackles in a primarily reserve role. The same can be said of Jones, who redshirted due to an injury just fives games into his freshman season.
In total, the Clearwater, Florida native has appeared in just eight games, recording nine total yards on his lone touch on an end-around against BYU. As a senior at Clearwater High School, Jones hauled in 57 passes for 1,004 yards and 10 touchdowns while rushing for 244 yards and four scores on 23 carries.
. @Vol_Football players Shannon Reid & Jacquez Jones have officially entered the @NCAA Transfer Portal, per source with direct knowledge. pic.twitter.com/cx5DbpayTA
— John Brice (@JohnDBrice1) September 24, 2019
Among of the final remaining recruits from the Jones era, it's clear that Reid and Jones will likely not assume starting roles in the near future.
Reid has been overshadowed by the stellar play of freshman Henry To'o To'o, who's 25 tackles on the season ranks first on a defense that includes senior linebacker Daniel Bituli and upperclassmen such as Darrell Taylor and Nigel Warrior.
Jones, on the other hand, never really stood a chance.
His competition at receiver includes Jauan Jennings, Marquez Callaway and Josh Palmer. Dominick Wood-Anderson also serves as a reliable target at the tight end position while Eric Gray and Ty Chandler also possess the ability to catch passes out of the backfield.
Reid added an impressive amount of muscle to his physique over the offseason and looked impressive during fall camp but has failed to carry that success over to the playing field.
Through four games, Jones has yet to record a reception and is currently not listed in that category in Tennessee's season statistics.
While that reality should not completely rest on his shoulders, it's understandable why he's in search of a change of scenery. Neither player came to UT to play for Jeremy Pruitt, and he and Jones share nothing in common in terms of philosophies.
Pruitt comes from a defensive background and his five national championships as an assistant speak for themselves. Jones, the former head coach at Central Michigan and Cincinnati, liked to implement more of an offensive style.
As Tennessee looks to get back on track during the bye week, the timing could prove beneficial to both sides as the midway point of the regular season steadily approaches.
With third-ranked Georgia set to visit Neyland Stadium on Oct. 5, the Vols face a daunting task of slowing down the Bulldogs and time has made it abundantly clear that Jones and Reid are not in UT's longterm plans.
No information regarding their desired destinations has been released and this story will be updated as more arises.