Tennessee’s roster turnover continues to make waves across the SEC, and edge rusher Caleb Herring is the latest name to find a new home - one that will come back around to face the Vols in 2026. Herring has committed to South Carolina, adding another layer of intrigue to a growing trend: former Vols landing not just in the conference, but directly on Tennessee’s future schedule.
Circle October 24, 2026 - that’s when Tennessee will travel to Columbia to face the Gamecocks, one week after the annual showdown with Alabama. The last time the Vols visited Williams-Brice Stadium, it ended in disaster: a stunning upset loss and the heartbreaking ACL injury to quarterback Hendon Hooker. Now, with Herring in garnet and black, the return trip just got a little more personal.
Herring isn’t the only former Vol who’ll be lining up against Tennessee in 2026. The exodus from Knoxville has scattered talent across the SEC landscape.
Offensive linemen Lance Heard and Max Anderson are headed to Kentucky. Defensive back Rickey Gibson is bound for Texas A&M.
Max Gilbert will suit up for Arkansas, while Jordan Ross and William Satterwhite are now at LSU. That’s a significant chunk of Tennessee’s 2025 roster now playing for future opponents - a reality that speaks to the ever-shifting nature of college football’s transfer portal era.
As for Herring, he’s not just another name on the list. The younger brother of former Vols linebacker Elijah Herring - who wrapped up his college career with stops at Memphis and Florida State - Caleb was Tennessee’s second-string LEO this past season behind Joshua Josephs.
He made the most of his opportunities, appearing in all 13 games and recording 14 tackles, six tackles for loss, and four sacks. That kind of production in a rotational role shows the kind of upside South Carolina is hoping to tap into.
His development trajectory has been steady. In 2024, he played in 12 games, adding eight tackles and a tackle for loss.
As a freshman in 2023, he contributed in 11 games, notching a sack, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble. His ability to generate pressure and flash playmaking potential made him a valuable depth piece in a position group that’s been a pipeline to the NFL in recent years - think Byron Young and James Pearce Jr., with Josephs potentially next in line as a first-round pick.
Now, with Herring and Ross both transferring out and Josephs heading to the pros, Tennessee finds itself needing to retool at the LEO spot - a key edge position in new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ system. The Vols have already started that process, securing portal commitments from Penn State’s Chaz Coleman and Tulane’s Jordan Norman. Both will be expected to compete right away as Tennessee looks to reload and maintain its edge-rushing pedigree.
The SEC is always a chessboard of talent and timing, and Tennessee’s 2026 schedule is shaping up to be filled with familiar faces in unfamiliar jerseys. Caleb Herring’s move to South Carolina is just the latest reminder: in this new era of college football, no matchup is ever just another game.