Brandon Kennedy is one of Tennessee's 13 scholarship seniors, but the starting center won't take part in the Senior Day festivities before the Vols close the regular season against Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon at Neyland Stadium.

The reason: It won't be Kennedy's final home game at Tennessee.

The second-year Alabama transfer on Tuesday afternoon said he plans to pursue a waiver for a sixth year of eligibility and return to the Vols in 2020.

“It came during the bye week,” Kennedy said of his decision. “We were able to talk about it and kind of came to a decision with the coaches.”

Kennedy's return would be a huge boost for a Tennessee offensive line that also might have to replace star left guard Trey Smith, who appears likely to jump to the NFL after his junior season. The NCAA would have to approve Kennedy's waiver for him to be able to return next season, but he has a good case for it. He said he doesn't know if the paperwork has been filed on his behalf as Tennessee will handle that part of the process.

A former four-star prospect out of Wetumpka, Ala., Kennedy redshirted at Alabama in 2015 and spent the next two seasons as the Crimson Tide's backup center. He played in 10 games in 2016, but his 2017 season was cut short after three games by a foot injury. After completing his degree at Alabama, Kennedy transferred to Tennessee in the summer of 2018 and started the season opener for the Vols before tearing his ACL in practice the following week.

The NCAA last year altered its rules regarding sixth-year waivers to allow athletes who were redshirted their first season and then missed a full season due to injuries or "reasons beyond the control" of the player or the school.

Kennedy may not have missed a full season, but two injuries limited him to just four games over two seasons.

“It’s great to be a part of something special,” Kennedy said. “After these last couple of games, just seeing where Tennessee’s going, it’d be great to stay another year. Also being able to come back and better myself and to be able to help this team, those were the two main factors.”

Kennedy completed his degree in recreation and sports management at Alabama in three years before transferring and currently holds a 3.84 grade-point average while working on his master's degree in sports psychology and motor behavior at Tennessee. He's set to graduate in December. Kennedy was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team on Tuesday, and he's started every game for the Vols this season, earning SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week honors after Tennessee's win at South Carolina last month.

It was his recent conversations with Tennessee's coaches, he said, that led him to decide he wanted to return for another season.

“Just an opportunity to be a part of something special next year,” Kennedy said, “and also being able to help better myself and get better at some things I need to improve on.”