The Josh Heupel era in Tennessee has been impressive. His Volunteers have logged two double-digit winning seasons from their last three. They are coming off a season in which they achieved a high ranking of fourth, going on to compete in the first edition of the expanded college football playoffs, finishing as the ninth-ranked team in the nation.
As part of their impressive 10-3 effort, the Volunteers enjoyed a 24-17 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide, which Kalen DeBoer will be eager to get revenge for. So, with that in mind, let’s break down how these Volunteers have changed throughout the 2025 offseason and who should be the favorites in this ‘way-too-early’ game preview.
Introducing the Tennessee Volunteers
2024 was a good year for the Tennessee Volunteers. Nico lamaleava’s first full season under center yielded 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions, with a tidy 358 yards and three scores on the ground. This helped Tennessee post a 10-3 record, which was only their second double-digit winning season since 2008, and was enough to earn the program their first-ever playoff appearance.
Here, they lost to the eventual national champion, Ohio State, which was disappointing, but by no means something to be ashamed of. Instead, the fanbase focused on the positives and looked forward to lamaleava’s second full season as a starter, with improvements sure to come. Or, so they thought. The good vibes of the 2024 season were shattered when lamaleava appeared to be holding out for more NIL money. Then, he stunned everyone by entering the transfer portal, and, before you knew it, the Vol’s starting quarterback was heading to UCLA to be a Bruin.
We will get into the roster impact in the next segment, but the headline takeaway is that this was a far from ideal personnel change for a team hoping to build on their first-ever playoff appearance.
It certainly dampens the overall vibes surrounding the program, which rightfully felt buoyed after a successful campaign in which they enjoyed wins over Oklahoma, Florida, Alabama, and Vanderbilt. Arkansas and Georgia were the only teams to get one over on the Vols in the regular season, which tells you just how strong this team was in 2024. Unfortunately, for Tennessee fans, one reason behind this quality was the amount of NFL-ready talent on the roster, which has departed. When you add in the loss of Nico Iamaleava, it makes for an offseason of significant transition. So, what has the team done to counteract these departures?
More: Alabama vs. Georgia: Way-Too-Early Game Preview
2025 Tennessee Volunteers Depth Chart and Roster Changes
This offseason, Tennessee lost their starting quarterback, Nico lamaleava, their leading rusher, Dylan Sampson (1,491 yards), their leading receiver, D’Onta Thornton Jr. (661 yards), and their leading edge rusher, James Pearce Jr (7.5 sacks). That’s a hell of a lot of turnover.
They softened the blow of losing lamaleava by snagging Joey Aguilar, who, ironically, was due to play for UCLA. Aguilar played his last two seasons for Appalachian State, completing 56% of his passes for 3,003 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions in 2024. The SEC is a significant upgrade in competition level for Aguilar, and it should be a concern for Vols’ fans that he didn’t stand out as a star for the Mountaineers. So, his arrival in Tennessee does not necessarily solve the Volunteers’ quarterback problem. George MacIntyre is a name to watch behind Aquilar, a four-star recruit who the coaching staff views very highly.
Replacing Dylan Sampson also won’t be easy, but DeSean Bishop and Peyton Lewis did at least average 6.1 and 5.3 yards per carry in support of Sampson last year. Volunteers’ fans will be hopeful they can continue the quality running back play trend from Tennessee’s backfield, which saw Jaylen Wright enjoying success before entering the NFL after the 2023 season. Star Thomas rounds out the stable, transferring over from Duke, where he collected over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and eight total touchdowns.
On the wide receiver front, Braylon Staley, Mike Matthews, and Chris Brazzell II will all be elevated to fill in for the team’s 2024 receiving yardage leaders, who have all departed. Travis Smith Jr., Radarious Jackson, and Amari Jefferson then make for intriguing recruits and transfers, all fighting for a role in 2025.
On defense, there is surprisingly good continuity, despite the departure of James Pearce Jr. That stands the team in good stead to pick up from where they left off as the eighth-best defensive unit in 2024.
Tennessee Volunteers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Preview
Alabama and Tennessee are rolling out new quarterbacks in 2025, which means a wide range of potential outcomes are on the cards. The Vols benefit from continuity on defense, but the Crimson Tide gets the edge on recruiting and coaching staff, with Ryan Grubb joining as offensive coordinator after his one-year stint in the NFL. With Ryan Williams still on the team as undoubtedly the most talented player on either side, the Crimson Tide should expect a win here.
They lost this fixture last year, which won’t sit well with Kalen DeBoer, as he looks to prove himself as Nick Saban’s successor. With this clash in the middle of October, both teams will be hoping to set themselves up for a playoff run, and any losses could severely harm their chances of doing that. With the game in Alabama, this one must be a victory for DeBoer to avoid a repeat of last year’s disappointment at missing the playoffs. He will be feeling pressure from a very expectant Crimson Tide fan base, but he should have enough talent to finish the job.
