Tennessee lands Texas transfer Andrej Karic
Texas offensive lineman Andrej Karic entered the transfer portal when the flood gates opened and he had drawn plenty of interest. Tennessee offensive line coach Glen Elarbee made him a priority and went to see him last week in Texas. That was followed by a trip to Rocky Top for an official visit this past weekend. Monday he announced his commitment to Tennessee.
“Love the coaches and the family atmosphere at Tennessee,” Karic told Volquest after his decision. “What impressed me most was the love they had for their players and the relationships in the position rooms.”
Karic, a sophomore tackle, appeared in all 12 games this season but was the second choice at right tackle behind freshman Kelvin Banks. With Banks locking down the spot going forward, the talented Karic has decided to take his talents elsewhere.
Tennessee is looking to add depth at tackle after losing All-SEC performer Darnell Wright to the NFL draft when the right tackle announced his intentions on Thursday.
Wright, who accepted his invitation to the Senior Bowl on Monday, has been a force for the nation’s No. 1 offense at 538 yards and 47.3 points per game. Tennessee also broke the program record with 568 points this season. Wright, who moved back over to right tackle this offseason after spending the 2021 campaign at left tackle, has not allowed a sack in 18-straight games.
Standing in at 6-foot-6 weighing 335 pounds, the offensive lineman has appeared in 46 games throughout his with 41 starts (33-straight). Wright finished the 2022 regular season not allowing a sack on 829 offensive snaps. In total, the tackle has logged 2,680 career snaps while making 26 starts at right tackle, 13 at left tackle and two at right guard.
Heading into next season the only experienced linemen to play tackle on the roster are Gerald Mincey, Dayne Davis and Jeremiah Crawford.
Karic played high school football at Southlake Carroll (TX), where he was a four-star prospect. Karic was the No. 305 overall recruit in the TKTK cycle, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
