Tennessee’s 2026 football roster came with a clear snapshot of the offseason work in Knoxville: plenty of players showed up bigger, and a few trimmed down.
That lines up with the program’s new direction under Derek Owings, the strength and conditioning coach Josh Heupel hired after Owings helped Indiana win a national title. Heupel made him the highest-paid strength coach in college football, and he didn’t hide why.
“Physical and mental toughness is paramount in everything we do year-round as a program,” Heupel said after the hire. “No one understands this better at a championship level than Derek.
He will elevate our strength and conditioning program with a relentless mindset and forge strong relationships with our players. He has a proven track record of utilizing modern training methods to maximize speed and strength, while specializing in injury prevention.
He also understands what it takes to build an elite nutrition program to ensure our players are set up for on-field success and durability. We are thrilled to welcome Derek and his wife, Riley, to Rocky Top!”
The biggest jump on the roster belonged to defensive lineman Christian Gass, who went from 217 pounds to 245, a gain of 28 pounds. Offensive lineman Charlie Powell III added 19 pounds, moving from 295 to 314. Quarterback George MacIntyre climbed from 195 to 208, while wide receiver Deon Hardin went from 178 to 189.
Tennessee also saw notable gains from several other returners. Tight end DaSaahn Brame moved from 230 to 240, linebacker Jaedon Harmon from 215 to 225, and defensive backs Dylan Lewis and Tim Merritt each added 10 and 9 pounds, respectively. Defensive lineman Carson Gentle checked in at 265, up from 256, and Ty Redmond rose from 192 to 200.
The list of players who added weight runs deep. Mason Phillips went from 180 to 188, DeSean Bishop from 208 to 215, Joakim Dodson from 190 to 197, and Mariyon Dye from 264 to 280.
Mike Bethea II gained six pounds, while David Sanders Jr., Sam Pendleton, Travis Smith Jr. and Daune Morris each added five. Jadon Perlotte, Jackson Mathews and Hunter Barnes all put on four pounds.
There were smaller gains throughout the roster, too. Arion Carter, Tyree Weathersby, Jordan Burns and Grier Short each added three pounds.
Ethan Davis, Edrees Farooq, Ethan Utley, Tre Poteat III, Jeremias Heard, Ryan Scott and Michael Kostantonov all ticked up by two. Sidney Walton and Cole Harrison each added one pound.
Not everyone got heavier. Gage Ginther dropped one pound, while Mike Matthews and Radarious Jackson each lost two.
Nic Moore and Jackson Ross both came down two pounds as well. Edwin Spillman, Nathan Robinson, Charles House III, Jack-Henry Jakobik, Nathan Roberts, Josh Turbyville and Grady Dangerfield each lost five pounds.
Steele Katina went from 200 to 193, and Shamurad Umarov had the biggest drop on the roster at nine pounds, from 330 to 321.
In Other News...
Another Lady Vols Staff Change Just Raised A Bigger Concern
Another piece of the Lady Vols offseason staff shuffle has now landed with a familiar face moving on. Roman Tubner, who spent the past two seasons as an assistant under Kim Caldwell, was not retained by Tennessee after the season and has since resurfaced elsewhere after previously coaching at Alabama under Kristy Curry. The Lady Vols also made other changes on the bench, bringing in Bill Ferrara and Isoken Uzamere to replace Tubner and Gabe Lazo.
For Tennessee, the bigger concern is not just turnover, but how often the program has had to reset around it. Tubners next stop adds another layer to that dynamic, especially with a transfer decision now tying him back into the same recruiting and roster conversations the Lady Vols are still navigating. Even after the staff changes were announced, the ripple effects of who left, who arrived and who followed are still being felt. [Read more 🡒]
George MacIntyre Just Made A Notable Step In Tennessee's QB Push
George MacIntyres offseason work has given Tennessee something tangible to point to as fall camp approaches. Under new strength coach Derek Owings, the quarterback has added weight and now sits at 208 pounds after arriving on campus much lighter, a sign the programs nutrition and daily weigh-in emphasis is already paying off.
The timing matters because MacIntyre is about to enter a real competition for the starting job, with Faizon Brandon and Colorado transfer Ryan Staub also in the mix. Tennessee set 210 pounds as the target for him, and he is close enough now that the next step is less about the scale and more about how he carries that added size when the pads come on. [Read more 🡒]