Tennessee
Tennessee Quarterback Enters The Transfer Portal Ahead Of Final Collegiate Season | Rocky Top Insider
Tennessee quarterback Gaston Moore is entering the transfer portal ahead of his final season of eligibility, 247sports Matt Zenitz first reported on Thursday morning.
Moore spent four seasons at Tennessee after originally going to Central Florida out of high school. The Hilton Head, South Carolina native followed Heupel from UCF to Tennessee and worked his way up the depth chart before serving as the backup quarterback in 2024.
The 6-foot-2, 212-pound signal caller completed 16-of-27 passes for 201 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions off the bench in 2024.
Moore played a handful of meaningful snaps for Tennessee during the 2024 season. He came in for one play in the first half against Alabama, throwing an interception on a third down deep ball. After Nico Iamaleava went into concussion protocol against Mississippi State, Moore came in at halftime and completed five-of-eight passes for 38 yards while also picking up a handful of pass interference calls.
More From RTI: Tennessee Football’s Complete Season PFF Grades
Moore also played garbage time snaps in Tennessee’s lopsided wins over Chattanooga, Kent State and UTEP. The walk-on quarterback played sparingly in his first three seasons at Tennessee but didn’t attempt more than 10 passes in any of those seasons.
Despite having already spent five seasons in college Moore still has one more year of eligibility remaining. The signal caller spent the 2020 season at UCF which didn’t count against his eligibility due to COVID-19 eligibility relief. Moore then redshirted the 2021 season at Tennessee meaning only three seasons counted against his eligibility.
Without Moore, redshirt freshman quarterback Jake Merklinger and incoming freshman George MacIntyre will compete for Tennessee’s backup quarterback spot behind Nico Iamaleava.
Tracking the opt outs for both Tennessee and Illinois before the Music City Bowl on December 30 (5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville:
Tennessee
Linebacker Arion Carter: Carter over the last seasons had 96 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 31 career games. He had a team-high 76 tackles this season, with 6.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks while appearing in 10 games. He missed two games and was limited against Oklahoma in November while dealing with turf toe injuries. Carter had 68 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss in 13 games last season and 17 tackles and 1.0 tackles for loss in eight games as a freshman in 2023.
Wide Receiver Chris Brazzell II: He a breakout senior season in his second year with the Vols, catching 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns. He had 19 catches for 333 yards and two touchdowns in 2024, after transferring from Tulane. In 15 games at Tulane he caught 45 passes for 722 yards and five touchdowns. Brazzell is ranked No. 7 at wide receiver on Mel Kiper Jr.’s NFL Draft Big Board. He’s ranked No. 34 overall on ESPN’s list of the best available prospects in the draft.
Cornerback Jermod McCoy: Did not play this season after tearing his ACL during offseason training in January. He was a star last season with 44 tackles, nine passes defended and four interceptions. He had 31 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games as a freshman at Oregon State before transferring to Tennessee.
Illinois
Offensive Tackle J.C. Davis: Bret Bielema said the Illinois starting left tackle is opting out of the Music City Bowl. He was an All-Big Ten First Team pick by the league coaches this season and the No. 3 left tackle this season according to Pro Football Focus grades. He had made 49 straight starts before opting out of the bowl game.
EDGE Gabe Jacas: The Illinois outside linebacker declared for the NFL Draft on Friday night. He led the Big Ten this season with 11.0 sacks. He had 13.5 tackles for loss and 43 total tackles in 12 games this season. He finishes second in Illinois program history for career sacks, with 27.0, trailing only Simeon Rice. Jacas had 74 tackles, 8.0 sacks and 13.0 tackles for loss last season, after combining for 8.0 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss in his first two seasons at Illinois.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Tennessee employers laid off more than 8,500 workers in 2025 compared to 7,320 last year, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development.
This is about a 19% increase in layoffs, with WARN notices impacting 8,691 Tennesseans to date. As of 2023, 5,168 Tennessee workers were laid off through WARN notices.
Counties in Middle Tennessee impacted include:
- Davidson
- Sumner
- Maury
- Rutherford
- Williamson
- Wilson
- Coffee
- DeKalb
- Bedford
- Lawrence
- Putnam
The largest layoff this year was in Maury County. Come January, 710 employees will be laid off from GM Ultium Cells’ Spring Hill facility. Research Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee Knoxville Michael Kofoed tells FOX 17 News that the facility is is likely impacted by the rise on steel tariffs ruled out by the Trump administration. He adds steel tariffs raise input costs for employers which directly impacts employees’ salary or employment.
The second largest layoff impacted 658 workers at Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC in Rutherford County with 615 workers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center permanently laid off. WARN notices are reports a company is required to file with the state to give workers time to find future employment.
Kofoed states that Tennessee is seeing a troubling trend, with layoffs skyrocketing since 2023.
“That is a very big and concerning number,” Kofoed said.
According to CNBC, more than 1.1 million U.S. employees were laid off this year, the highest 11-month total since 2020.
Tennessee
Nonprofit rescues 11 ‘emaciated and suffering’ animals from Tennessee property ahead of dangerous cold snap
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) is asking for donations after rescuing 11 animals Friday.
ARC said it was contacted by law enforcement in an unidentified rural Tennessee area to rescue five dogs and six cats in what the nonprofit is calling “Operation Cold Snap.”
In the rescue, the nonprofit took in two emaciated Great Danes, three Pit Bulls and six cats. ARC said some of the animals are emaciated and suffering from untreated bite wounds and infections.
The nonprofit said the animals were kept without heat or regular care.
ARC shared a video of the rescue. In it, you can see the property s in disarray with trash littering the floor and overturned furniture.
This rescue comes just days before Middle Tennessee is expected to see its coldest temperatures of the season.
Now, ARC is asking for donations to help the 11 animals rescued Operation Cold Snap. Those interested in donating can do so on the nonprofit’s website.
Copyright 2025 WSMV. All rights reserved.
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