Cedric Tillman among five starters out for Tennessee football against Vanderbilt

NASHVILLE – Tennessee wide receiver Cedric Tillman and four additional starters will not play against Vanderbilt.

Safety Trevon Flowers, defensive back Brandon Turnage, defensive back Doneiko Slaughter, left tackle Gerald Mincey and backup cornerback De'Shawn Rucker also are inactive, according to a UT spokesperson.

No. 10 Tennessee (9-2, 5-2 SEC) plays at Vanderbilt (5-6, 2-5) at 7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network.

Late in the season, Tillman has been limited by an injury unrelated to his previous ankle injury that required surgery, according to coach Josh Heupel. This is the sixth game Tillman has missed this season after recording 1,081 yards receiving and 12 TDs in 2021.

Tennessee linebacker Jeremy Banks is with the Vols at Vanderbilt after not making the trip to last week’s South Carolina game.

Banks, a preseason All-SEC selection, is the team’s No. 2 tackler. He has 46 tackles, four tackles-for-loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 10 games. He also touts eight quarterback hurries as Tennessee’s most disruptive blitzing linebacker.

Slaughter has started the past six games. Turnage has started the past five games.

Reach Adam Sparks at adam.sparks@knoxnews.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.