Tennessee Football Enters Offseason with Confidence, Eyes Transfer Portal for Key Additions
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - After a narrow 30-28 loss to Illinois in the Music City Bowl capped off an 8-5 campaign, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel didn’t sugarcoat the situation - the Vols need to get better. But don’t mistake that for panic in Knoxville.
Heupel made it clear: this isn’t a rebuild. This is a reload.
While the final record may not have lived up to preseason expectations, especially with Tennessee failing to notch a win over a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent with a winning record, Heupel struck a confident tone in his postgame remarks. The Vols, he said, are younger than most teams in the SEC - and that youth, combined with a top-10 signing class and a few key additions from the portal, could set the table for a strong bounce-back in 2026.
“We’ve got to be better - absolutely,” Heupel said. “But there’s a lot of really good, young talent inside that locker room. One of, if not the youngest teams in our league.”
He’s not wrong. Tennessee’s roster is packed with underclassmen who got meaningful reps this season, and they’re about to be joined by a recruiting class that ranks No. 7 nationally in the 247Sports Composite - the highest-rated class of Heupel’s tenure.
That group includes three five-star prospects: quarterback Faizon Brandon, wide receiver Tristen Keys, and offensive lineman Gabriel Osenda. It’s a trio that offers immediate upside, and in some cases, the potential to compete for starting roles early.
But Heupel knows raw talent isn’t enough.
“The talent is one thing. The development of it is the second part,” he said. “There’s connection and work mentality and mental toughness - every trait it takes to go win has to be developed.”
That’s where the transfer portal comes in. With the window opening Jan. 2 and running through Jan.
16, Tennessee is expected to be active. The Vols have already been linked to several potential quarterback options, with senior starter Joey Aguilar possibly on the move.
Defensive reinforcements are also on the radar, especially after a season that saw the unit struggle to consistently generate stops against top-tier competition.
Offensively, the portal could be key in filling some emerging holes. Running back Peyton Lewis, a promising sophomore and former four-star recruit, has announced plans to transfer. That leaves a void in the backfield and makes the position a likely target for portal additions.
Heupel isn’t just looking at the roster, either. He’s already made a significant move on the coaching front, parting ways with defensive coordinator Tim Banks after the regular season.
In his place, Tennessee hired Jim Knowles, the former Penn State defensive coordinator. Knowles brings a reputation for aggressive, disciplined defenses - and he could still make further changes to the defensive staff now that the season is officially in the books.
As for the portal, Tennessee’s recent track record has been more measured than aggressive. The Vols added seven scholarship transfers ahead of this season, including Aguilar, cornerback Colton Hood, offensive linemen Wendell Moe Jr. and Sam Pendleton, and running back Star Thomas. That followed eight additions in both 2023 and 2024, suggesting a consistent, targeted approach rather than a full-on roster overhaul.
That’s the balance Heupel is aiming for again this offseason: supplementing the roster without disrupting the development of the young core already in place.
“I feel really good about what we have coming back, what we have coming in,” Heupel said. “Then we’ve got to go get some guys in the portal. And then we’ve got to go build a football team - which is what you have to do every year when you get back in January.”
There’s no question Tennessee has work to do. But with a strong incoming class, a clear plan in the portal, and a coach who believes in the foundation he’s building, the Vols aren’t hitting the panic button. They’re retooling - and aiming to come back stronger in 2026.