Tennessee’s SEC opener on Sept. 26 already has the look of a game that will test the Vols’ secondary, and Texas wide receiver Cam Coleman is a big reason why.
Coleman made the rounds on social media Friday after a viral one-handed grab showed off exactly why he’s drawing so much attention. The play was the kind of highlight that stops people in their tracks: absurd catch radius, full-body control in the air, and the sort of upside that has people expecting a major season now that he’s settled into his new home.
The catch radius is insane
Cam Coleman 🤯
- Texas Football (@TexasFootball) August 8, 2026
Coleman got to Texas this offseason after spending his first two seasons at Auburn. At 6-foot-3, he was ranked as the No. 2 overall transfer in the portal by 247, and there’s a sense that his best football may still be ahead of him after being stuck on Auburn teams that never fully unlocked what he can do.
Now he’s paired with Arch Manning, and the expectation level has jumped accordingly.
That makes Tennessee’s first real measuring-stick game of the year a whole lot more interesting. The Vols will have Furman, Georgia Tech, and Kennesaw State in front of them before Texas arrives in Neyland Stadium, so there won’t be much of a dress rehearsal for what Coleman and the Longhorns can bring through the air.
How Tennessee chooses to handle that matchup will be one of the biggest questions for defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and co-defensive coordinator Anthony Poindexter. However they draw it up, the plan has to be sharp enough to deal with what’s expected to be a dangerous Texas passing attack.
Right now, Tennessee’s projected starting cornerbacks are sophomore Ty Redmond and senior Kayin Lee. Lee’s presence adds an especially interesting layer here, because he transferred to Tennessee from Auburn this offseason and has spent the last two years facing Coleman in practice and scrimmage settings. If anyone on Tennessee’s roster has a real feel for what Coleman can do, it’s Lee.
That matchup is likely to come up again and again between now and kickoff.
Beyond the corners, Tennessee has a few other key pieces to sort out in the secondary. Kansas State transfer Qua Moss is projected to start at STAR, while the Vols appear to have depth at safety with Edrees Farooq, Dejuan Lane, and TJ Metcalf. Lane and Metcalf both arrived this offseason, coming from Penn State and Michigan, respectively.
Coleman’s viral catch is just a camp clip, not a reason for panic. But it does serve as a sharp reminder that Tennessee’s early-season road map includes one of the toughest receiving threats it will see all year, and he’ll be waiting in Neyland for a major SEC opener.
In Other News...
Tennessee Is Building Early Buzz With A Running Back Fans Should Know
Tennessees early recruiting buzz in the backfield is getting a boost from a familiar face. Kesean Bowman, one of the Vols top commitments in the 2027 class, is already working the phones on behalf of Zachary Belyeu, a 2028 running back with a growing offer list and a strong start at North Cobb High School in Georgia. Belyeu has already topped 1,000 rushing yards through his first two seasons, the kind of production that has made him a name to watch long before his senior year.
Bowmans push matters because Tennessee is trying to build momentum with younger prospects, and Belyeu has reasons to keep the Vols near the front of his mind. He has praised running backs coach DeRail Sims and head coach Josh Heupel, and he is planning to get to Knoxville this fall. For Tennessee, the next step is turning that early interest into something more lasting before the rest of the recruiting field closes in. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Quarterback Battle Just Got More Intriguing For One Big Reason
Fall camp is underway in Knoxville, and Tennessees quarterback competition has settled into the kind of battle that usually follows a program into August with equal parts intrigue and nerves. Sophomore George MacIntyre and freshman Faizon Brandon are both still in the mix for the starting job as the Vols build toward the 2026 season opener, with no official decision in place yet and the next stretch of work carrying real weight.
Brandon already arrives with plenty of buzz after ESPN pegged him among the SECs top freshman quarterback prospects, which only sharpens the attention on how this race develops from here. The real separating ground is expected to come in the upcoming closed-door scrimmages, where Tennessee will finally get a better read on how the competition looks when the lights are off and the reps start to matter a little more. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Heupels Fall Camp Message Is Exactly What Tennessee Needed
Tennessees offseason has been about getting back to the standard Josh Heupel established early in his tenure, and the latest glimpse of fall camp offered a reminder of how he is trying to push the program forward. After an 8-5 finish in 2025 and a bowl loss to Illinois, the Vols are back at work with Heupel entering his sixth season in Knoxville and holding a 45-20 record overall.
A new micd-up video from Tennessee football captured Heupel in his element during camp, giving fans a look at the tone he is setting as the 2026 season approaches. For a team looking to sharpen itself after an uneven SEC run and a disappointing finish last year, the message is less about flash and more about the day-to-day habits that can lift Tennessee back into a better position. [Read more 🡒]