Injury update: Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Tyler Bray breaks thumb

Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Tyler Bray broke his right thumb during the fourth quarter in this week's game against the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2011. Not only did the team lose its quarterback for several weeks due to the injury, the Volunteers also lost the game to Georgia 20-12.

The injury to Bray's thumb came with less than 5 minutes left in the game when he hit his hand on the helmet of a Georgia player. He went to the sidelines and didn't return for the remainder of the game. Bray threw for 251 yards during the game, completing 18 out of 33 passes.

Bray, a 6 foot 6 inch sophomore, underwent X-rays on Sunday that confirmed the broken thumb. Bray is estimated to be out of action for up to six weeks for the injury to heal.

The Tennessee Volunteers will next play the No. 1 ranked team in the country, the LSU Tigers. This happens to be the second game in a row that the Tigers will go in to without the opposing team's starting quarterback.

Tennessee will need all the help it can muster to survive a game with the talented athletes at LSU. The Volunteers certainly didn't need to lose their starting quarterback before the game even begins.

Bray is currently the top ranked quarterback in the Southeastern Conference with 14 passing touchdowns, 303.8 yards of total offense and 315.8 passing yards per game. Bray is also ranked in the top 10 quarterbacks for Tennessee, tied at seventh place with a total of 32 touchdown passes, and set the record at Tennessee for multiple touchdowns scored in 10 consecutive games.

Bray's multiple touchdown streak was snapped in the Georgia game with Bray going out of the game without a touchdown pass thrown.

Naz Oliver, a sophomore defensive back for the Vols, is out for the remainder of the season due to a wrist injury. Oliver underwent surgery on his right wrist in September and will miss the remainder of the season. Oliver missed the entire 2010 season due to a torn ACL. Oliver, one of the top rated recruits in the east, has yet to display his skill on the turf for Tennessee.

Also out for the season for the Vols is wide receiver Justin Hunter. Hunter, also a sophomore, suffered from a torn ACL in the first quarter of their game against Florida.

Sources:

Tennessee Football: Bray Suffers Fractured Right Thumb

NOLA.com: Tennessee QB Tyler Bray out for LSU game with broken thumb

Tennessee Football: Naz Oliver Profile

ESPN: Hunter out for the season

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