KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Quarterback Joe Milton III, defensive lineman Omari Thomas and tight end Jacob Warren will join head coach Josh Heupel to represent Tennessee at 2023 SEC Football Media Day in Nashville on Thursday, July 20.
The conference office unveiled each school’s representatives on Monday, a week prior to the event, which will be held at the Grand Hyatt from July 17-20. SEC Network will have full coverage all week.
Milton, a native of Pahokee, Florida, enters his sixth and final season at the collegiate level after a strong finish to the 2022 campaign as the most valuable player of the Orange Bowl. In two seasons with the Vols, he has thrown for 1,346 yards and 12 touchdowns with zero interceptions. Of the 114 FBS quarterbacks who threw 10 or more touchdown passes last season, Milton was the only one to not throw a pick.
Thomas returns as a leader at defensive tackle in his fourth season with the program. The Memphis native has played in 36 games with 19 starts, accumulating 57 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. He has served as the Vols’ representative on the SEC Football Leadership Council the past two seasons.
Warren, UT’s starting tight end, elected to return for his sixth and final season. A leader on and off the field for the Vols, the Knoxville native has caught 37 passes for 416 yards and four touchdowns in his career. He made nine starts a year ago, catching 12 passes for 163 yards for the nation’s No. 1 offense. He is a five-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and a candidate for the Wuerffel Trophy.
Tennessee enters its third season under the direction of Heupel, who has posted an 18-8 record with seven victories over Top 25 teams and the program’s first New Year’s Six berth in the College Football Playoff era. The 2022 Associated Press SEC Coach of the Year, Heupel led the Vols to their first 11-win season in two decades, culminating with a victory over ACC champion Clemson in the Orange Bowl and a No. 6 final ranking.
The Vols report for preseason camp on Aug. 1 before going through their first practice on Aug. 2. Tennessee heads to Nashville for SEC Media Day nearly six weeks before it opens its 127th season in the Music City. The Vols take on Virginia at 11 a.m. CT/noon ET on Sept. 2 in Nissan Stadium.
Tickets for the Nashville opener are on sale now through the Nashville Sports Council and Nissan Stadium via Ticketmaster.com.
Season tickets for the 2023 Tennessee football campaign sold out on May 25 with 70,500 purchased. Fans interested in joining the 2024 season ticket waiting list can fill out the season ticket interest form at UTsports.com/seasontickets.
-UT Athletics
