The Tennessee Volunteers looked like a team ready to keep climbing after reaching the College Football Playoff in 2024, but the path forward got a lot bumpier in a hurry.
Tennessee finished that season 10-3 and had put together a 30-9 record over the previous three years, which set up plenty of optimism heading into 2025. The biggest reason for that hope was the return of sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Then, just before the spring game, Iamaleava transferred to UCLA, and the Volunteers turned to Joey Aguilar to take over at quarterback.
Last season did not match the momentum. Tennessee went 8-5, its worst mark since 2021, and the defense took the biggest hit.
After ranking No. 6 nationally in 2024, the unit slid all the way to No. 92 in 2025. That downturn pushed head coach Josh Heupel to make a major change, firing defensive coordinator Tim Banks and bringing in Jim Knowles.
Knowles arrives with a strong reputation. He guided Ohio State to the No. 1 defense in college football in 2024 and played a major role in the Buckeyes’ national championship run. After that season, he joined James Franklin’s staff at Penn State, but once Franklin was fired during the season, Knowles became available.
Tennessee’s changes do not stop on defense. The Volunteers will also have a new quarterback, with the job set to go to either five-star true freshman Faizon Brandon or redshirt freshman George MacIntyre.
That uncertainty is part of why Brandon Gall, filling in for Paul Finebaum on "The Paul Finebaum Show" on Monday, wasn’t ready to buy Tennessee as a playoff team.
"I can't get on board with Tennessee being a playoff contender this year," Gall said. "There's a lot ot like about that team.
They've got a lot of guys coming back on offense, most importantly, not at quarterback. The Jim Knowles offer is excellent...
I just don't know if it can happen against Texas, Alabama, at A&M, LSU... I think it's more of a 9-3 type team."
A 10-win season is not required to reach the College Football Playoff, but it usually helps. The Clemson Tigers in 2024 are the only team to make the field with more than two losses, and that came with an ACC championship and an automatic bid.
Tennessee still has enough talent to be a real threat in the SEC, especially if Knowles can get the defense back on track. But with a new quarterback, a demanding schedule and a defense that has to adjust quickly, the margin for error is thin.
If the Volunteers settle things at quarterback and get an immediate lift from Knowles, they can stay in the playoff conversation. If not, another season with multiple losses would leave plenty of questions about whether this team has actually taken the next step.
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Tennessees Week 1 QB Battle Just Took A Dramatic Turn
Tennessees Week 1 quarterback race has settled into a two-freshman fight, with Faizon Brandon and George MacIntyre still the names to watch as fall approaches. Brandon has the kind of physical tools and leadership traits that make him easy to project, and the early read out of spring practice was that he had started to separate himself by preparing like the starter.
MacIntyre, though, has not gone away, and that is what keeps this battle interesting for the Volunteers. Brandon still has growing to do in the finer points of the position, especially with accuracy and touch, and the competition remains open enough that a strong summer or early camp stretch could still change the picture before Tennessee lines up for Week 1. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees New White Adidas Look Feels Like A Vols Throwback Moment
Tennessee and Adidas have kicked off their new uniform rollout with the full set of white football looks, giving Vols fans an early peek at what the program will wear this fall. The release is part of a multi-day schedule, with the rest of the unveilings set to arrive later in the week and all jerseys and merchandise slated to hit stores and online on July 10.
For Josh Heupel, the partnership has clearly struck the right chord, and the timing only adds to the buzz around a brand that already carries plenty of history in Knoxville. Tennessees last run with Adidas stretched from 1995 to 2015, a period that overlapped with some of the schools biggest championship moments, so this latest reveal feels less like a simple uniform drop and more like a return to a familiar stage. [Read more 🡒]
Lady Vols Dealt Early Blow As Key Newcomer Suffers Major Setback
Tennessees summer rebuild took an immediate hit this week when Kim Caldwell announced a setback involving one of the newcomers expected to help shape the Lady Vols new-look roster. The injury came during a team skill workout, adding an early dose of uncertainty to a group that has already undergone major turnover and now features 15 incoming players trying to settle into roles.
For a program that spent the offseason remaking nearly everything, every practice rep matters, especially for transfer additions who were brought in to provide instant stability and production. Mills had been one of the pieces expected to factor prominently into that process, so her absence leaves Tennessee adjusting its plans before the season even gets close, with the next update on her status likely carrying real weight for how the rotation takes shape. [Read more 🡒]