UT Vols football dismisses wide receiver Jauan Jennings following expletive-laced rant

Tennessee football dismissed wide receiver Jauan Jennings on Wednesday after the junior went on an expletive-laced tirade directed at the coaching staff on social media.

“In consultation with vice chancellor/director of athletics John Currie, I have made the decision to dismiss Jauan from our program," interim head coach Brady Hoke said in a statement. "Representing the University of Tennessee football program is a privilege."

On Wednesday, the Murfreesboro native posted a video on his Instagram criticizing the Tennessee coaches with cursing and derogatory name-calling throughout.

"The coaching staff is holding us back," Jennings said. "Please, Tennessee send us a great-(expletive) coaching staff."

Jennings said he went to practice on Wednesday with hopes of playing against Vanderbilt on Saturday, going into a rant about how much he hates the Commodores.

Then he turned back to the coaches, calling them fake, snakes and accusing them of lying.

"It ain't nothing to do with no players," Jennings said. "It ain't nothing to do with no (expletive) injuries (expletive). It's straight (expletive) coaching."

Jennings has not played since dislocating his wrist in the season opener against Georgia Tech, an injury that required surgery. He caught three passes for 17 yards in that game. Hoke said Monday he has had conversations with Jennings about potentially playing when the Vols (4-7, 0-7 SEC) host Vanderbilt (4-7, 0-7) at 4 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network).

Hoke, who took over as the Vols interim head coach after Butch Jones was fired on Nov. 12, said he was surprised by Jennings' rant.

“It was a little bit of a surprise, I think, to everybody, and me included," Hoke said on "Vol Calls" on Wednesday night. "But after talking to John Currie and consulting with him, I know what the right thing to do is for our football team. That’s why we made that decision.”

Jennings had been absent from the Tennessee sideline for the majority of the season since his injury, but he was in the stands last Saturday to see the Vols fall 30-10 to LSU.

Jennings made 40 receptions for 580 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore last season.

In his Tennessee career, Jennings has 746 yards and seven touchdowns on 57 catches in 26 games. He had a pair of memorable catches in 2016, hauling in a Hail Mary on the final play at Georgia and catching a long touchdown against Florida as the Vols snapped a losing streak against the Gators.