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KNOXVILLE — Bryce Brown didn't choose to experience the first day of spring football practice under new Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley Thursday afternoon.

Instead, the former Rivals.com five-star recruit and No. 1 overall prospect temporarily has left the program and is not considered a part of the team.

“On a personnel matter, Bryce Brown came to me today and indicated he's dealing with a lot of personal and family problems right now. Concerns that, I believe, stem from and what he told me stem from, number one, some of the reasons why he came here,” Dooley said. “Number two, his experience over the first six months when he was here. And as of right now, he's not a part of the team.

Some Kansas media outlets recently reported that Brown, a Wichita, Kan., native, was contemplating leaving UT to join his brother Arthur, a Miami (Fla.) transfer, at Kansas State. Southern California also had been a destination speculated upon for Brown because of his relationship with former UT coach Lane Kiffin.

Brown, bracketed last season through much of the year as a co-starter at tailback and who scored Tennessee's first touchdown of the season, did not reveal to Dooley until Wednesday that he wished not to join his teammates on the field for spring practice. Brown last preseason was the subject of an NCAA inquiry into his amateur status following his highly publicized recruitment through his “handler,” Brian Butler.

“Yeah, I was a little surprised, but you know, you can only control what you can control,” Dooley said of Brown, who rushed for 460 yards on 101 carries last season in 12 games. “But I also think this wasn't something from the last three weeks. This was something that probably was six months. I'm not sure what the pressures are.

“But I'm not here to recruit (players back to the program). I'm here to coach. And so, he's dealing with a lot of issues.”

The next two tailbacks in line presumably would be junior Tauren Poole and sophomore David Oku. The two combined for just 33 carries last year, though Oku scored a pair of touchdowns and Poole averaged 8.5 yards per carry on 10 tries.

Also expected to vie for a spot in the tailback rotation the remainder of spring camp is redshirt freshman Toney Williams, who missed last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament but indicated he's nearing 100 percent.

thedailytimes.com