Tennessee Dismisses Tyler Smith

Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl has dismissed star forward Tyler Smith from the team following gun and drug  charges:

Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl dismissed forward Tyler Smith from the team on Friday, a week after his arrest with three other players on misdemeanor gun and drug charges.

Pearl had indefinitely suspended Smith, guard Cameron Tatum, center Brian Williams and point guard Melvin Goins following the Jan. 1 arrest.

The other three players will continue to serve their suspensions when No. 16 Tennessee hosts No. 1 Kansas on Sunday.

How this will affect Tennessee is unclear. Smith was a major contributor, but Pearl, besides being a great coach, has recruited well for the Vols and his roster doesn't lack talent even without Smith. The Vols' depth will be a liability as long as Tatum, Williams, and Goins are out, but if those three return--and you have to think they will considering that they weren't dismissed along with Smith--I expect Tennessee to continue to be one of the better teams in the league. Their chances of competing against Kentucky for SEC supremacy may have taken a hit, though.