Tennessee junior linebacker Colton Jumper got the first opportunity to fill in as the Vols’ Mike linebacker Saturday night against Virginia Tech after sophomore starter Darrin Kirkland Jr. left with an ankle injury.

Jumper now will get a more extended audition this week.

Coach Butch Jones said Wednesday that Jumper, a former walk-on from Baylor School of Chattanooga, Tenn., “will be the starting Mike linebacker” when 15th-ranked Tennessee (2-0) plays host to Ohio (1-1) on Saturday at Neyland Stadium.

The Vols have several other options at the position and have explored some of them this week. But Jones said Jumper will get the first chance to replace Kirkland, who won’t play against the Bobcats and could miss multiple games with what Jones described as a “high ankle sprain.”

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“Colton Jumper will take the first rep at Mike linebacker,” Jones said. “Been very pleased, also, with the progress of Dillon Bates and Gavin Bryant. They’ve also done a good job there.

“Obviously, we have the flexibility to move some individuals around, just because we cross-train so much within the structure of practice week to week.”

First-year Tennessee defensive coordinator Bob Shoop said Jumper has “earned this opportunity.”

“I say this all the time: No individual’s bigger than the team,” Shoop said. “If it was, you wouldn’t have much of a team. Our job is to prepare the players that are ready to go this week, and right now, because of the injury, Colton’s our number-one linebacker.

“He prepares as hard as anybody. He’s done that through the course of spring. He’s done that through the course of the summer. This wasn’t handed to him, by any means. He’s earned this opportunity, and he’s going to play very well.”

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