Tennessee linebackers coach William Inge is making steady progress after weeks in the hospital, and Josh Heupel says the program is now looking at a hopeful next step: getting him out and into rehab around the middle of next week.
Heupel gave the update Saturday after Tennessee’s win over Arkansas, and he didn’t hide the significance of what Inge and his family have been through since the coach was hospitalized on September 25, the day before the Tennessee-Texas game, because of a personal medical issue.
“Coach Inge and his family, but Coach Inge faced a ton of adversity and was really fighting for his life and kind of came out of nowhere,” Heupel said. “There’s a lot of people that have been praying our football family, university, but our fans too, and sometimes it’s rare in in this world that you get to see a true miracle right before your eyes, but that’s truly what we’ve been able to see. You know, following coach Inge and that’s what his family is seeing too.”
Heupel said Inge is doing very well and could be released from the hospital around the middle of next week to begin the rehabilitation process.
“If you ever question the power of prayer, anybody that’s seen this can attest to the power of prayer. And so I just want to thank our Vol family and people across the country inside of college football that have had him in their prayers.”
Tennessee first addressed Inge’s situation through a statement from Inge himself, saying he was battling an illness just as the Vols battle on Saturdays. Since then, the team has shown support in a more visible way, with some players and coaches wearing shirts marked “Inge Built” at games.
Inge, 52, joined Tennessee as linebackers coach in 2024 after spending two years at Washington as co-Defensive Coordinator and linebackers coach. While there, he helped the Huskies win the 2023 Pac-12 championship and reach the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game.
In Other News...
Tennessee Escaped Arkansas But A Bigger Problem Just Followed Them Home
Tennessee finally got back in the win column with a 24-17 escape at Arkansas, and DeSean Bishops late touchdown provided the finish the Volunteers needed after a difficult stretch. The result stopped the skid, but it did not do much to quiet the larger questions hanging over the program, because the performance again left Tennessee looking like a team still searching for something more stable on offense and sharper in the moments that decide tight games.
George MacIntyres play remained part of that conversation, and the same was true of Tennessees repeated issues late in the first half, where opportunities have been slipping away in ways that can change a games rhythm. The coaching decisions also come under the microscope after a win like this, because the Volunteers return home with relief from the result but plenty of uncertainty about how well this group is positioned for the tougher games ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Coach Defends Late Decision After Tennessee Escapes Fayetteville
Arkansas came up short against Tennessee, 24-17 in Fayetteville, and the postgame conversation quickly turned to the margins of the loss. Ryan Silverfield spent his media availability walking through what went wrong, with the defense holding up long enough to keep the Razorbacks in it while the offense struggled to finish enough drives to shift the pressure back onto the Volunteers.
Silverfield also faced the inevitable questions about his late-game choice to punt instead of going for it on fourth down, a decision that loomed large with the score still within reach. He said he had a rationale behind the call and pointed to the areas Arkansas needs to clean up going forward, leaving the focus on execution as much as strategy after a game that slipped away in one possession. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees In-State Push For Lucas Cornwell Just Got More Interesting
Tennessees recruiting work on the road took another in-state step forward when the Vols hosted several 2028 prospects at Neyland Stadium for an SEC game, including tight end Braxton Rein, Jake Payne, Lee Steele and Lucas Cornwell. Cornwell, a Smith County High School standout from Carthage, got a closer look at the program and came away speaking highly of the visit, particularly his conversations with Tennessees tight ends coaches and head coach Josh Heupel.
The part worth watching now is how the Vols continue to shape their evaluation of Cornwell. There is still no offer in hand, but the interest is clearly there, and the staff has already had conversations about whether he could eventually grow into a tackle spot in college. For an in-state prospect this early in the process, that kind of versatility talk can matter, and Tennessee has at least put itself in position to keep the conversation going. [Read more 🡒]