Tennessee’s offensive line helped drive the Vols’ offense for much of last season, but Glen Elarbee didn’t sugarcoat how the year finished.
For the first half of the season, Tennessee was piling up points and leaning on a front that opened lanes for DeSean Bishop and gave Joey Aguilar time to attack downfield. But when the schedule wore on, the Vols lost some of that edge, and late home losses to Oklahoma and Vanderbilt exposed it.
Elarbee said the issue wasn’t a lack of quality early. It was endurance.
“I think our fuel tank needed to be longer,” Elarbee said. “I’ve said it, first day, every day.
We weren’t unbelievable the first six games, but I thought we were solid, and I just thought we wilted that last half, and we just couldn’t sustain, and that’s been the emphasis. And every day you walk off the practice field, like, you want to be at the point where they almost have to carry you off.
We’re trying to build our gas tank. DO (Derek Owings) has done a great job with his part of it, and now it’s us just dripping ourselves every single day so that, man, when we get halfway through the season, it’s nothing, and we can go finish and hammer the way we need to.”
That message fits the approach Tennessee is taking under new director of football sports performance Derek Owings. He arrived after serving in the same role for national champion Indiana, and early feedback around the program has been positive. Players across the roster have said they feel good at this point in the offseason, and the change appears to be landing.
Josh Heupel pointed to that buy-in at SEC Media Days.
“It’s been a seamless transition,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said about Owings at SEC Media Days. “Our guys have grabbed onto it, bought into it.
That’s why they’ve seen the changes they’ve had in their speed, power, acceleration. Our guys have great trust in him.”
There’s also a clear personnel picture starting to take shape up front. Tennessee is bringing back several key pieces and is expected to line up with David Sanders Jr. at left tackle, Sam Pendleton at center and Wendell Moe Jr. at one of the guard spots, likely left. Jesse Perry appears to be the leading candidate at right guard, with LSU transfer Ory Williams at right tackle.
That mix gives Elarbee depth and flexibility at important spots, and it gives Tennessee a chance to build the kind of line that can hold up when the season drags into November.
In Other News...
Tennessee QB Battle Just Got More Complicated For Faizon Brandon
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ESPNs early view of the SECs 2026 freshman class only added to that buzz, placing Brandon near the top of the conferences incoming talent. What keeps the intrigue high for Tennessee is how his arm talent fits Josh Heupels offense, and whether that upside can ultimately separate him from the other contenders as the Volunteers sort through the race. [Read more 🡒]
Vols Red Zone Reps Offer An Early QB Clue As Receiver Concern Grows
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The other storyline was at receiver, where Radarious Jackson had a limited day and the margin for error felt even smaller. His reps were brief and the results were uneven, with drops and accuracy issues showing up while Tennessee monitored the position group through camp. The bigger question now is not just how the quarterbacks keep stacking these reps, but how quickly the Vols can get steadier production from a receiving room that already looks like it may need answers. [Read more 🡒]
James Pearce Jr's NFL Rise Just Hit A Serious Concern
James Pearce Jr.'s rookie year in Atlanta has already taken an unexpected turn, with the former Tennessee edge rusher now facing a potential absence that could alter the Falcons' defensive plans. Atlanta moved up in the 2025 first round to get him, banking on his talent to help a unit that is already dealing with injuries to other key players, and his rise from Knoxville to the NFL had been one of the more closely watched storylines surrounding the franchise.
Now the concern is not just on-field development, but availability. Pearce's situation traces back to a February arrest involving multiple felony charges after an alleged altercation, and the NFL's personal conduct policy looms over the case as Atlanta waits to see how long it may be without a player it invested heavily in less than a year ago. [Read more 🡒]