Addison Nichols and Doneiko Slaughter, two Tennessee Football transfers turned starters for Arkansas, were named captains by the Razorbacks for Saturday night’s game (7:30 Eastern Time, ABC) at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. 

It’s the second straight game the Vols will have faced a former Tennessee player with that player being a game captain. Da’Jon Terry, a former Tennessee defensive lineman, was a captain for Oklahoma two weeks ago in the Sooners’ 25-15 loss in Norman. 

“That’s the era of college football that we’re in,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said on Wednesday, “where you have an opportunity to, at times during the season, play (against) guys that were inside of your own program. 

“(Nichols and Slaughter) are really good kids. They do things the right way off the field. They compete extremely hard on the field and both of those guys are playing extremely well for Arkansas right now.”

No. 4 Tennessee at Arkansas: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC

Nichols has started all five Arkansas games this season at center, in the middle of offensive line that has helped the Hogs rank 21st nationally in rushing offense this season, averaging 212 yards per game.

Slaughter has 27 tackles, third most on the Arkansas defense. He has two tackles for loss, a sack, an interception and three pass breakups.

“They’ve been great additions,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. “I mean, for us to go in the portal … and he starts for you, it helps your football team, but it also validates that you’re doing a good job of evaluating who you’re bringing into the program. 

“So they’ve both been great additions. They’re both starters for us.”

Slaughter and Nichols combined to appear in 57 games at Tennessee

Nichols was a four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class when he signed with Tennessee out of Greater Atlanta Christian School. Slaughter was a three-star prospect in 2020, picking the Vols out of Roswell High School in Georgia.

Nichols played in 12 games as a backup offensive lineman last season and two as a freshman in 2022, when he sat out most of the season as a redshirt. 

“There was a huge need (at center),” Pittman said. “I knew Addison. I had recruited him out of high school all the way to his freshman or sophomore year when I was at Georgia. I knew his talent level. And again, there was a position, a need. But Addison was a little bit different (than Slaughter) because I’d known him when I was the offensive line coach at Georgia.”

Slaughter appeared in 43 games at Tennessee from 2020-2023, recording 87 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks and one interception. He defended seven passes and had one fumble recovery. 

“We needed a guy who had played in this league and played well in this league at that position,” Pittman said of Slaughter. “So we went after him hard once he got into the portal. So that was was very simple. He’s a mature guy, older than his years of maturity. And I just really liked him once I got a chance to talk to him.”

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