12/4/2023 football Edit

Tennessee OL John Campbell Jr. set to return for 2024 season

Tennessee offensive lineman John Campbell Jr. (74) during the NCAA college football game against Kentucky on Saturday, October 28, 2023 in Lexington, KY. (Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Noah Taylor • VolReport

Managing Editor

Noah is a graduate of the UT College of Journalism & Electronic Media and has covered Tennessee football since 2019. He joined Rivals in 2022.

On a day where college football headlines were dominated by player departures, Tennessee received positive news on one key player's return.

Offensive lineman John Campbell Jr., who helped bolster the Vols' offensive line as transfer from Miami this season, announced late Monday that he was returning for his final season of eligibility, taking advantage of the COVID season.

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He made the announcement via X/Twitter. The video contains NSFW language.

The 6-foot-5, 320-pound Campbell, who was a four-star prospect out of Orlando, Florida in the 2018 signing class, was a big part of a Tennessee offensive front that dealt with injuries throughout the season. He started nine games at left tackle, playing 538 total snaps. Campbell missed the Georgia game on Nov. 18 with an injury.

In Tennessee's 33-27 win over Kentucky on Oct. 28, Campbell helped the Vols post 481 yards of total offense, not allowing a sack or quarterback pressure in 55 snaps. He didn't allow sack in 71 snaps in Tennessee's 20-13 victory against Texas A&M on Oct. 14.

Campbell went through the pregame senior day ceremony at Neyland Stadium before the Vols' regular season finale vs. Vanderbilt, but his return should help Tennessee's offense, which is expected to be led by former five-star prospect and redshirt freshman Nico Iamaleava next season.

Tennessee is still awaiting the decisions of a number of contributors that have the option to return for another season due to COVID, including center Cooper Mays who has 30 starts in four seasons and guard Javontez Spraggins, who has 37 career starts.

Campbell's decision to return also provides Tennessee with a boost as it prepares to play Iowa in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Jan. 1, 2024.

The line of scrimmage will be a factor for both teams as the Hawkeyes boast one of the top defenses in the Big Ten while Tennessee's run game is among the best in the SEC.

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