Star UT safety leaves campus

Tennessee sophomore safety Janzen Jackson has voluntarily withdrawn from the 2011 spring semester for personal reasons.
“We are continuing to support Janzen as he addresses his personal issues during this temporary withdrawal from school,” said Vol football coach Derek Dooley. “While he would still be eligible to compete if he enrolls this fall, nothing is more important than Janzen’s personal well-being.”
Jackson, a native of Lake Charles, La., earned All-SEC second team honors last year and finished the season with 69 tackles and a team high-tying five interceptions.  
Also, UT athletic officials say defensive line coach Chuck Smith is stepping down and former NFL linebacker Peter Sirmon has been hired as the linebackers coach.
The athletic department said in a news release Sunday that Smith will pursue other career opportunities.
Head coach Derek Dooley said in a statement that Smith is a “dear friend” and thanked him for the hard work and passion he contributed to the program.
Lance Thompson, the linebackers coach for the last two years, will take over. Thompson previously coached defensive lines at Georgia Tech, Alabama and LSU.
Sirmon spent seven seasons as a linebacker for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.
Last season, the former Titan helped coach the Volunteers’ safeties as a graduate assistant.
In other personnel news at UT, freshman defensive back Ted Meline has permanently withdrawn from school for personal reasons and linebacker Jerod Askew has been dismissed for a violation of team rules.
Dooley also announced that junior defensive back Art Evans has been reinstated and junior center Cody Pope will no longer participate in football for medical reasons.
Meline, from Miami, Fla, did not appear in any games for the Vols last season.
A native of Chesapeake, Va., Askew appeared in one game for the Vols last season — in the fourth quarter against UT Martin.
Evans, from Lakeland, Fla., appeared in seven games for the Vols in the secondary (six starts), recording 21 tackles and forcing a fumble.
Pope, from Julian, Calif., started the first two games of the season before missing the remainder of the 2010 campaign with a stinger injury.
He appeared in six games for the Vols on the offensive line during his career.

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