Because of an off-field issue, Tennessee has been forced to do some pruning of its football roster. Again.
Thursday morning, media in the Knoxville area reported, defensive tackle Emmitt Gooden was arrested on a felony domestic assault charge. According to ESPN.com, “police have accused Gooden, 22, of hitting his girlfriend with a glass jar candle during an argument.” The woman required stitches to her face as a result of the incident.
Because of the arrest, Gooden has been dismissed from Jeremy Pruitt‘s Tennessee football team.
Gooden is the second Volunteer football player with an off-field issue this offseason. In late May, Tim Jordan was arrested on weapons and drug charges in Florida. The running back was dismissed by UT and now appears headed to Western Kentucky.
Gooden began his collegiate career at Independence Community College in Kansas, otherwise known as “Last Chance U.” He signed with Tennessee in 2018 as a four-star member of the Vols’ football recruiting class that cycle.
In his first year with the Vols, Gooden started one of the 12 games in which he played. The 6-3, 290-pound lineman missed the entire 2019 campaign after suffering a torn ACL during summer camp.
Prior to his legal woes, Gooden had been penciled in as a starter on the inside of the Vols’ defensive line.
