Tennessee Football: Volunteers WR Devrin Young Out with Broken Hand

As the Tennessee football team prepares for the toughest stretch of its 2013 campaign, it will do so without one of the most electric players on its roster.

As tweeted by Vince Ferrara of Knoxville radio station Sports Animal 99, UT head coach Butch Jones confirmed that wide receiver and kick returner Devrin Young will miss 4-6 six weeks with a broken hand (h/t CollegeFootballTalk).

Jones was quoted by the Associated Press (Via USA Today) saying that Young suffered the break while bracing his fall after stumbling while running a route.

The former composite 3-star all-purpose back will miss at least three crucial games in the next four weeks, starting this weekend as the Volunteers host Western Kentucky.

UT will then go on the road without Young for contests with with No. 2 Oregon and No. 12 Florida.

Depending on where he falls in his recovery timetable, Young could also miss Tennessee's Oct. 5 meeting with No. 11 Georgia. 

He should return in time for the Vols to take on No. 6 South Carolina Oct. 19 and No. 1 Alabama the following week. 

The 5'8, 171-pound junior was listed as a second-string receiver behind sophomore Pig Howard on Tennessee's official preseason depth chart.

In a Week 1 win over Austin Peay, Young caught one nine-yard touchdown pass—the first touchdown reception of his career.

In addition to his receiving duties, Young returned both punts and kicks for the Volunteers.

The Knoxville native returned two punts for a total of 21 yards against Austin Peay, while also notching one 58-yard kickoff return.

Over his three-year career at UT, Young has averaged 23 yards per kickoff and 10.4 yards per punt return.

With Young being the only Volunteer to return a punt or kickoff so far in 2013, Tennessee will have to go back to the drawing board at the position.

Howard was listed as Young's backup at both punt and kick returner in the preseason.

According to AllForTennessee.com, Jones named Cam Sutton and Jacob Carter as potential replacements returning punts. As for kickoffs, the UT boss added Vincent Dallas, Rajion Neal and Marlin Lane to the mix.