As Josh Heupel approaches his sixth year as Tennessee head football coach, success will depend on a variety of factors.
Here are five story lines for the Vols this season.
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Quarterback Battle
It’s often said that a team’s success will depend on the quarterback’s performance.
That couldn’t be more true than with the Vols this season.
Tennessee’s offense seems to be strong at running back, receiver and offensive line. If the quarterback play is above average, UT could easily better the 7.5-win projection from Las Vegas.
Don’t be surprised if Heupel plays both Faizon Brandon and Georgia MacIntyre about an equal number of series in the opener against Furman.
Depending on how they play, Heupel might do the same the next week at Georgia Tech.
Maybe he’ll be ready to stick with one guy for the Kennesaw State.
But he for sure must go with a QB1 against Texas.
Quarterback play will go a long way in determining the success for UT this season.
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Jim Knowles impact on UT’s defense and offense
The reputation following Knowles is that his defenses are better in Year One than Year Two.
Tennessee doesn’t have that luxury this season.
It’s a given UT’s offense will take a step back from averaging almost 40 points per game last season.
So, if UT’s offense isn’t as productive this season, the defense must be considerably better than the unit that allowed 28.8 points per game and 397.2 total yards. UT needs to cut its points per game number to around 22. That could put UT in position to win at least eight games.
The other Knowles factor is this: While at Ohio State in 2024, the Buckeyes routed Tennessee 42-17 in a first-round College Football Playoff game. How did Knowles defend the Vols veer-and-shoot? He can impart that knowledge to Heupel, who could then adjust accordingly.
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Derek Owings strength program
In the last two games of last season, Tennessee’s team looked tired and was beaten physically by Vanderbilt in the regular-season finale, then Illinois in the Music City Bowl.
Heupel noticed. So the day after Indiana stunned college football with a national championship, Heupel stunned folks by hiring Derek Owings, who helped the Hoosiers with an innovative and effective strength and conditioning program.
Can he do the same for Tennessee?
It’s a reach. But he can improve UT’s speed, strength and endurance so the Vols can outperform opponents in the fourth quarter – or late in the season.
Already, Owings has reported that UT had 47 players this summer who run over 21 mph, up from 12 in 2025. Before August, Owings said the team had lost 218 pounds of fat and gained 867 pounds of muscle.
If you’re bigger, stronger and faster, that should translate into being a better and more well-conditioned football player.
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Can UT’s offense duplicate 2025 numbers?
In a word, no.
It would be unreasonable to expect Tennessee to average 39.8 points (sixth in the nation), 466.3 total yards, 292.8 passing yards and 34.5 points against SEC competition. Not with an inexperienced quarterback and not facing a nine-game SEC schedule.
Of course, no one would have predicted those numbers before last season, given five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava transferred to UCLA in the spring and the Vols “settled’’ for UCLA-transfer-by-way-of-Appalachian State Joey Aguilar.
It’ll be interesting to see if Heupel takes a more conservative offensive approach, like he did in 2024 with the freshman Iamaleava. One reason for that was Heupel had an outstanding defense.
It would be more realistic this season for the offense to average about 35 points per game and about 430 total yards.
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Which signees/transfers will emerge?
Tennessee brought in more than 40 signees and transfers.
There’s a good chance seven transfers will start on defense: four in the secondary, two on the defensive line and one at linebacker in a 4-2-5 scheme.
On offense, a transfer right tackle could start, a transfer kicker will start, and a true freshman might get the nod at quarterback.
Here are seven newcomers that I think will have the greatest impact:
Quarterback Faizon Brandon, kicker Cooper Ranvier, defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam, defensive end Jordan Norman, linebacker Amare Campbell and defensive backs Kaylin Lee and Qua Moss.
