Vinson resolves academic issues

Tennessee defensive back Brent Vinson has resolved his academic issues and will remain enrolled for the spring semester.

The sophomore's status was in doubt, and media reports Wednesday night by WBIR and Volquest.com said Vinson had been dismissed from the team.

And while academics played a role in keeping Vinson off the field for part of the 2008 season, it appears he'll be back for 2009 assuming he finishes the spring semester in good academic standing.

Tennessee reserve offensive lineman Darius Myers, however, will not return to the team.

According to UT, he was never reinstated from a two-game suspension served this fall for lack of academic effort, although he did practice after his suspension.

Also on Thursday, new UT coach Lane Kiffin spent about three hours conducting a class check. Kiffin made an unexpected visit to early morning classes for several players, including safety Eric Berry's 8 a.m. class, likely to send a message.

Vinson, widely regarded as one of the best athletes on the team, missed the season opener against UCLA on Sept. 1 due to an academic-related suspension. He also missed part of UT's victory over Northern Illinois after being late for a team meeting.

Vinson, who played in all 14 games for the Vols as a true freshman, was suspended for a loss to South Carolina on Nov. 1 and did not play the following week against Wyoming for unspecified reasons.

His suspension was apparently related to traffic stop that resulted in five citations from police.

He returned to the field against Vanderbilt, where he returned his only interception of the season 69 yards. He did not play the following week in UT's season-finale against Kentucky, at least in part because of a lower leg injury suffered against the Commodores.

This season, Vinson recorded 13 tackles and broke up one pass in eight games.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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