Tennessee’s offseason chatter has centered on the quarterback battle and the arrival of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, but another staff move is already making noise in Knoxville. Josh Heupel replaced the program’s previous strength and conditioning coach with Derek Owings, who came over from Indiana and became the highest-paid strength coach in college football history.
The early returns, at least according to the numbers Owings shared on Instagram, are hard to miss. Tennessee players have already put on significant lean mass during his first offseason with the program, and Heupel said the work has been obvious from the start.
“I don’t think it’s overhyped,” Heupel said during an SEC Media Days press conference. “D.O. and his staff, from the moment they arrived after the national championship game, done a great job in building trust and relationships with our players.
Our guys are fully bought into the process of what it takes. I think his consistency and accountability, how they have to approach it, winning a single rep, a single set- that consistency will pay dividends during the course of the regular season.”
On offense, the gains were substantial across the board. Desean Bishop added 13 pounds of lean mass, Travis Smith Jr. added 14, Justin Baker added 8, Javin Gordon added 11.5, TK Keys added 14, Faizon Brandon added 19.5, Deon Hardin added 14.5, Jeremias Heard added 9, Dasaahn Brame added 14, and Kamari Blair added 19.5.
The defense showed similar progress. Arion Carter was up 14.5 pounds of lean mass, Tyree Weathersby up 11.5, Dejuan Lane up 13, Qua Moss up 15, Mike Bethea up 17, TJ Metcalf up 12, Hezekiah Harris up 23, Tevis Metcalf up 10.5, Darryl Rivers up 13, and Jordan Burns up 13.5.
For Tennessee, the offseason has brought more than just new faces in key coaching roles. Under Owings, the body transformations are already part of the story.
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Now his next move brings the story back to where it started for Tennessee fans, who watched him grow into a reliable, versatile guard and then follow him across the league. Richardsons final professional stop came with Basket Zaragoza in Spain, and his career leaves behind the kind of rsum that still resonates in Knoxville, even as the details of what comes next remain to be written. [Read more 🡒]
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Derek Owings Is Already Changing Tennessee In One Noticeable Way
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