Tennessee quietly lost veteran contributor on the defensive side of the ball before spring football began

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The Tennessee Vols' defense will look very different in 2026. With defensive coordinator Jim Knowles in to replace the ousted Tim Banks and a number of new faces on the roster, including former Penn State DE Chaz Coleman and LB Amare Campbell, to join returning stars like Ty Redmond and Arion Carter, the unit will look to make a major turnaround in 2026 after a dreadful 2025 showing.

One name who won't be part of that turnaround is veteran linebacker Ben Bolton. According to VolQuest, Bolton left the football program before spring football and but remains a student at Tennessee.

Tennessee senior linebacker Ben Bolton has left the football program

Bolton joined Tennessee out of high school at Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis as a preferred walk on in 2022 despite having 10 division I scholarship offers, stating it was his dream to play for the Vols, whose games he grew up going to in Knoxville.

He appeared in 12 games last season for Tennessee. He was credited with 18 combined tackles and two quarterback hits. He totaled 151 defensive snaps for the Vols last year, per Pro Football Focus. It was a step up from 2024, where he appeared in 10 games, mostly on special teams, and logged just 13 defensive snaps with 5 combined tackles.

However, the path to playing time was particularly slim for 2026. Campbell, Carter, Edwin Spillman, and Jeremiah Telander are all starting-caliber players, and four-star signees Brayden Rouse and TJ White are also joining the mix.

As such, it's not a totally surprising decision to see Bolton move on from the program. However, it appears as though his love for Tennessee hasn't subsided as a result, as he's working to finish his degree in Knoxville.

This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Mar 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Nashville section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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