DALLAS – Tennessee football sophomore offensive lineman Trey Smith was named to the Watch List for the Outland Trophy presented by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases on Tuesday.
Smith also collected preseason All-SEC First Team accolades on Friday.
The Jackson, Tenn., native’s preseason awards come after a standout freshman season in 2017 where Smith captured FWAA Freshman All-American Team honors in addition to All-SEC Second Team and All-Freshman honors from the league’s coaches and media.
The versatile 6-6, 320-pounder earned playing time at right guard, left guard, left tackle and right tackle last fall. He became the first Vol true freshman to start at left tackle in over 30 years when he protected the blind side against Southern Miss on Nov. 4. Smith led the Vols with 55 knockdowns and finished as the SEC’s top-rated freshman offensive player according to Pro Football Focus College.
Smith missed the spring with a medical condition, but head coach Jeremy Pruitt said last Wednesday at SEC Media Days he would be back for the start of fall practice.
The Vols open the season at 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 1 at the Belk College Kickoff against West Virginia in Charlotte, N.C., before hosting ETSU at 4 p.m. on Sept. 8 and UTEP at 12 p.m. on Sept. 15. Tennessee welcomes Florida on Sept. 22 (kickoff is TBD) to start SEC play.
Tennessee football single game tickets are on sale now for six of the seven home games at AllVols.com or by calling 1-800-332-VOLS.
University of Wisconsin All-American Joe Thomas, the 2006 Outland Trophy winner who retired earlier this year after a stellar 11-year career with NFL’s Cleveland Browns, will serve as the Outland Trophy #FightFlu ambassador. Thomas has been an avid supporter of annual flu vaccines. He will make media appearances on behalf of the #FightFlu public awareness campaign to remind people to get their annual flu shots.
Additionally, Thomas will announce the recipient of the 73rd Outland Trophy during ESPN’s The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 6, live from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Werner Enterprises Outland Trophy Awards Dinner produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee on Jan. 9, 2019. Up to seven semifinalists will be named on Nov. 14 in Omaha and three finalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 19.