Football

Daune Morris Breaks His Leg in a Car Crash, and Tennessee Also Loses Left Guard Nic Moore Before Texas A&M

Tennessee's No. 2 running back is expected to miss the rest of the season after a one-car crash early Friday, starting left guard Nic Moore was ruled out Thursday, and a nationwide FAA ground stop kept the Vols in Knoxville until Friday night. Kickoff at Kyle Field is still 2 p.m. CT on ESPN.

Wes Carver
Tennessee Beat Writer · Nov. 14, 2026 · 4 min read

Aerial view of Neyland Stadium, home of Tennessee football, in Knoxville. File photo. *· Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0*

Knoxville, Tenn. Tennessee will play at Texas A&M on Saturday without running back Daune Morris, who broke his leg in a one-vehicle crash early Friday morning and is expected to miss the rest of the season.

The university confirmed the injury in a statement Friday, saying Morris was in an accident off campus and "sustained non-life threatening injuries, including a broken leg, and is resting comfortably," according to WBIR. Matt Zenitz first reported that Morris is expected to be out for the season, Rocky Top Insider noted. He is listed out on the SEC's final availability report for the game.

That was one of three blows in a little more than 24 hours. Starting left guard Nic Moore was ruled out Thursday night, and a nationwide FAA ground stop on Friday afternoon kept the team on the ground in Knoxville for hours. Kickoff did not move: No. 9 Tennessee (7-2, 4-2 SEC), eighth in the College Football Playoff rankings, plays Texas A&M (4-5, 1-5) at 2 p.m. CT at Kyle Field on ESPN.

What happened

The crash happened just after midnight Friday, according to Yahoo Sports, which cited a Knoxville Police Department crash report obtained by WBIR. Morris was making a right turn in a Dodge Charger with the traction control off when he lost control, and the car flipped onto its roof, the report said. Two passengers declined medical treatment, and alcohol and drugs were not reported to be involved. Morris was taken to UT Medical Center.

Police cited Morris for reckless driving, according to WBIR and the Knoxville News Sentinel. Published reports did not say how the citation will be resolved.

What Tennessee loses

Morris, a sophomore from Chattanooga, had become the change-of-pace back that made Tennessee's run-heavy offense harder to defend.

Daune Morris, 2026

Carries: 66
Rushing yards: 434
Yards per carry: 6.58
Rushing touchdowns: 3
Receptions: 6 for 35 yards
Last game: 5 carries, 85 yards, 66-yard TD vs. Kentucky

Statistics are from cfbstats.com and Rocky Top Insider.

His 6.58 yards per carry was the best of any Tennessee player with more than 15 attempts. DeSean Bishop remains the lead back with 1,066 yards and 13 touchdowns on 196 carries. Behind him, Rocky Top Insider listed Tulane transfer Javin Gordon (28 carries, 129 yards), who recently returned from an injury, then sophomore Justin Baker and fifth-year Hunter Barnes (11 carries, 75 yards).

A new left guard, again

Moore was not on Wednesday's report and was added as out Thursday, 247Sports reported, without a specific injury given. The 6-foot-3, 312-pounder started the opener at center against Furman, moved into the lineup at guard against Auburn and had started the last five games at left guard.

Tennessee Volunteers On SI expects Shamurad Umarov, who is returning from his own injury, to move back into the starting left guard spot. Umarov has 14 career starts and 1,133 offensive snaps, according to 247Sports. Left guard has been unsettled since Wendell Moe Jr. was lost for the year against Texas on Sept. 26.

Tennessee, final availability report

RB Daune Morris: Out
OL Nic Moore: Out
DL Tyree Weathersby: Out (season)
OL Wendell Moe Jr.: Out (season)
TE Ethan Davis: Out (season)
WR Joakim Dodson: Out (season)
LB Jaedon Harmon: Out (season)
DB Edrees Farooq: Out (season)
DB Dylan Lewis: Out (season)

Tight end DaSaahn Brame, who left the Kentucky game with a head injury, is not on the report.

A long Friday

The FAA issued a nationwide ground stop at 2:54 p.m. CT Friday, which Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy attributed to "a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," according to Rocky Top Insider. Tennessee's charter never left Knoxville.

The Vols went back to their facility for dinner, then returned to McGhee Tyson Airport around 8:30 p.m. CT and boarded for the roughly one-hour, 45-minute flight to College Station, Rocky Top Insider reported. Other teams switched to buses or Saturday morning flights. Officials discussed moving the start time but kept it, and Texas A&M On SI confirmed the 2 p.m. CT kickoff. Auburn at Mississippi State was pushed back to 3:15 p.m. CT.

Tennessee opened as a 2.5-point favorite, and some sportsbooks moved the line to 1.5 during the day, according to Rocky Top Insider.

Texas A&M's final report

The Aggies are thin at receiver. Ashton Bethel-Roman was added as out Friday, joining Terry Bussey and Kelshaun Johnson, according to Tennessee Volunteers On SI. Mario Craver, their second-leading receiver with 34 catches for 311 yards and three touchdowns, stayed questionable. Guard Trovon Baugh was downgraded from doubtful to out on Thursday, and left guard Blake Ivy is out for the season.