Jalen McMurray’s voice quivered and he choked back tears as he searched for the words to describe what he had felt and what he was feeling. Tennessee Football’s redshirt senior defensive back was hurt, both physically and emotionally, but he wasn’t going to miss his last game with the Vols.

“It was an emotional roller coaster,” McMurray said after Tennessee’s 30-28 loss to Illinois in the Music City Bowl Tuesday at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. “There were times where I felt good, times where I didn’t.”

McMurray suffered a lower-body injury in a bowl practice and said he was doubtful to play as late as Monday. But on Tuesday he was announced as a captain for the Vols and went on to play 17 defensive snaps, recording two tackles and breaking up two passes.

“I didn’t think I’d be able to play,” McMurray said. “But this place has given me so much. I wanted to be able to finish it out.”

It was something he had to do for both himself and for everyone around him.

“I didn’t want my teammates, even though I know they probably wouldn’t think this, I didn’t want them thinking I quit on them,” McMurray said. “It was important to me to leave everything out on the field. Give my everything for my teammates, my coaches and play with them.”

Jalen McMurray had 70 tackles in two seasons at Tennessee

McMurray, who transferred from Temple after the 2023 season, finished his Tennessee career with 70 tackles in 26 career games with the Vols. He had 6.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and nine passes defended. 

He had 90 tackles in 27 games over three seasons at Temple. 

“I’ve been saying to my parents this is the most fun I’ve had playing football in my life,” McMurray said. “It’s really because of the relationships that I’ve built with my teammates and coaches. It’s more than football. 

“I’m just grateful for every opportunity that God has given me, blessed me with the ability to go out here and play today and play this season.”

McMurray played through injury in the Music City Bowl despite having already accepted an invitation to take part in the Senior Bowl on January 31 in Mobile, Ala.

“Jalen,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said during his postgame press conference Tuesday, “I’m so proud of how he’s grown since he got here as a football player, but outside of it as well. And wanting to play in this game, gets dinged up here in the middle of December, really questionable whether he would even come close to having the opportunity to play, does everything in his power to get back.”

Injuries, opt outs depleted Tennessee’s secondary, defense

Injuries in the offseason and regular season already had Tennessee missing Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson, the two starting corners from last season. Colton Hood, another starting corner who had a breakout season after transferring from Colorado, opted out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL Draft.

Edge rusher Joshua Josephs and linebacker Arion Carter, two more starters on Tennessee’s struggling defense, also opted out.

William Wright, a former walk-on, played a team-high 79 snaps in Tennessee’s depleted secondary. Freshman Ty Redmond played 57 and Tre Poteat, another freshman corner, played 19. 

Heupel said McMurray was not on track to play on Monday, but he decided to go through pregame warmups and “figure it out.” The decision spoke volumes about McMurray both on the field and off.

“(He’s a) great teammate and he’s a football player,” Heupel said. “He loves playing the game. For him to be able to go through it today, to make a decision that he can play and then go play the way that he did, I think says everything.

” … It is everything that you would want in a player as a coach. Couldn’t be more proud of him.”