Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel spoke on quarterback Nico Iamaleava after their second spring practice. Tennessee's season largely depends on the performance of quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The California native has the entirety of college football, paying attention to Knoxville, Tennessee. In an expanded 12-team College Football Playoff field, there's a real possibility that Iamaleava and company can make national noise. While it's fun to read preseason expectations, they're just that - expectations. Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel praised Iamaleava for limiting the distractions a ..read more

Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel met with the media for the first time this spring after Tennessee's practice. Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has many goals for the Vols this season. The College Football Playoff is expanding to twelve teams, meaning there's a legitimate chance that Tennessee could make its first CFP in program history. However, the on-field preparation only started yesterday. Coach Heupel speaks to the media after our first spring practice. https://t.co/fhSUWXlsE8 — Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) March 18, 2024 The Vols kicked off spring practices on Monday ..read more

Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava is getting early NFL Draft hype from Pro Football Focus. Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava is immensely talented. That much has been known since his sophomore season of high school when he initially came onto the national recruiting scene. He's got the prototypical traits of an NFL quarterback and throws a ball with a ton of life. He only has one start credited to his name and isn't even draft-eligible until after the 2026 season, so it's early to think that far ahead. However, Pro Football Focus broached who the No. 1 quarterback in the 2026 ..read more

Tennessee Volunteers inside linebacker Edwin Spillman has officially enrolled at the University of Tennessee and joined practices. Lipscomb Academy linebacker Edwin Spillman was one of the Vols' top priorities in the 2024 signing period. Tennessee wanted to lock down its state borders, and national powers called after him. However, he signed his national letter of intent with Tennessee and is now officially on campus after finishing his high school career.  Many made a big deal about the off-field connections between Tennessee and Spillman. He chose Tennessee because Spillman, the player ..read more

Tennessee Volunteers edge rusher James Pearce Jr. earned high praise almost a year out from the 2025 NFL Draft. Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. is a special pass rusher that already has scouts salivating. Pearce can't enter the NFL Draft until after the 2024 season, but there's early talk that he could contend for the No. 1 overall selection. Pro Football Focus's Max Chadwick ranked the top edge rushers entering the 2024 college football season and had Pearce in his top spot. In his evaluation of Pearce, Chadwick mentioned the third-year volunteer's sky-high potential. "With the 2025 N ..read more

Tennessee Volunteers defensive backs coach Willie Martinez has signed a contract extension that ties him to the program through the 2024 season. Tennessee defensive backs coach Willie Martinez has signed a contract extension with the program. VolQuest first reported that Martinez signed a one-year deal to keep him in Knoxville, Tennessee, through the 2024 season. Martinez has manned that role since head coach Josh Heupel joined the program. Martinez will make $540,000 next season. Tennessee also announced they extended defensive line coach Rodney Garner through the 2025 season. They lost two a ..read more

Tennessee Volunteers defensive line coach Rodney Garner has signed a contract extension with the team that ties him through the 2025 season. Tennessee defensive line coach Rodney Garner is one of the top assistants in college football, which is universally recognized. He commands a lot of respect across the spot, and his resume speaks for itself. He's coached major college football at several different spots and has always done two things well: produce NFL pass rushers and sign elite recruits. There were conversations earlier in the offseason that Garner may leave Knoxville, Tennessee, to join ..read more

Pro Football Focus ranked Tennessee Volunteers edge rusher James Pearce Jr. as the No. 1 returning player at his position for the 2024 college football season. Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. is an elite talent with NFL measurables. He's being treated as such in preseason projections, as he's a consensus preseason All-American on multiple sites. Pro Football Focus ranked the top returning edge rushers in college football, and Pearce found himself sitting in the top spot. "Pearce became one of the most fearsome pass rushers in college football this past season. The sophomore’s 21.3% pre ..read more

The Tennessee Volunteers welcome plenty of new faces on the offensive side of the football. Which players push the needle for them next season? The Tennessee Volunteers kick off spring practice next week, beginning a months-long journey toward an important 2024 season. The offensive side of the football will ultimately dictate where the Vols go on the national scene. All eyes will be on quarterback Nico Iamaleava, but I looked at three other players who are new faces that could push the envelope. Lance Heard, OT LSU transfer offensive tackle Lance Heard is the most high-profile offensive linem ..read more

The Tennessee Volunteers get the pads on next week, as spring practice kicks off. Here are our biggest notes heading into their first session of practice. Although Tennessee football just ended in January, practice season is about to take back off in full swing. Tennessee will start spring practices in less than a week, and the days will be headlined by many new additions. Here are our biggest notes heading into the first glimpse at the 2024 squad. Tennessee Volunteers CB Rickey Gibson during warmups against Iowa. (Photo by Saul Young of the News Sentinel) Quarterback Nico Iamaleava will ..read more