MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Spring football in 2023 is often dominated by discussions of the newcomers on the field. How are the early enrollees looking their first time on a college football field? How are the new transfers gelling with their position group? How is the new cornerbacks coach approaching the job?
But in Murfreesboro during the spring, the veterans on the team are facing that future-focused discussion too. With all five captains from the 2022 team (Yusuf Ali, Chase Cunningham, Jordan Ferguson, Jaylin Lane and Ja'Kerrius Wyatt) all moving on from the program, the list of players directly labeled "leaders" by their peers has shrunk.