SEC Media Days kicks off this week in Tampa, and Tennessee takes its turn on Monday as part of a group that also includes Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kentucky. Head coach Josh Heupel will be joined by linebackers Jeremiah Telander and Arion Carter and running back DeSean Bishop for the afternoon session at the Tampa Marriott Water Street, with Heupel’s main podium appearance airing on the SEC Network at 2:55 p.m.
It’s a pivotal offseason stop for a program coming off a step back. Heupel is 45-20 in five seasons on Rocky Top, but an 8-5 finish in 2025 snapped a three-year run of top-20 seasons and left the Vols outside the rankings. With a schedule loaded with 10 Power 4 opponents in year six, here’s what Tennessee’s group figures to face in Tampa.
The Quarterback Battle Everyone’s Watching
Neither George MacIntyre nor five-star freshman Faizon Brandon will make the trip to Tampa, but the two will dominate plenty of the conversation anyway. Tennessee’s plan to add a proven veteran fell apart when its transfer portal targets didn’t pan out, and Joey Aguilar opted to pursue eligibility elsewhere, leaving the job to its inexperienced duo. MacIntyre has thrown just nine career passes, while Brandon has yet to play a college snap, though he reportedly had the stronger spring. Expect Heupel and the players to field plenty of questions about how the summer competition has unfolded heading into August camp.
A Defense Under New Management
Tennessee’s defense cratered in 2025, sliding from a top-seven scoring and total defense unit the year before to 91st and 92nd nationally, respectively, and surrendering nearly 38 points a game to Power 4 opponents with winning records. The response was dramatic: Heupel parted ways with longtime coordinator Tim Banks and hired Jim Knowles, fresh off building a national-title-winning defense at Ohio State before a brief stop at Penn State. Tennessee reportedly built out extra support around Knowles to speed up the transition, and by most accounts, the unit was ahead of schedule this spring. Media Days should bring an update on how that installation has progressed through the summer.
Closing the Book on the Chaz Coleman Situation
Tennessee’s pursuit of Penn State edge transfer Chaz Coleman was one of the offseason’s biggest gets, but he won’t play a snap for the Vols in 2025. Coleman was reportedly inconsistent during winter workouts, pulled away from the team during spring practice for personal reasons, and didn’t return for summer workouts before being medically disqualified in June. Heupel has kept his public comments measured, saying the door remains open for Coleman while the program continues to support him. Tampa will be Heupel’s first real chance to add context to how the situation unfolded — especially given Tennessee’s staff includes several former Penn State coaches who knew Coleman well.
The Derek Owings Effect
Alongside the Knowles hire, Tennessee made another notable offseason move by luring strength coach Derek Owings away from national champion Indiana, backing the hire with a seven-figure salary and a rebuilt sports performance staff. Early returns from the winter and spring programs have reportedly been strong. With Bishop and Telander both in Tampa, expect firsthand accounts of how Owings has reshaped the roster physically and the team’s identity, heading into fall camp.
Arion Carter’s Return to Rocky Top
Carter briefly left the Vols in spirit if not in body last December, declaring for the NFL Draft after his junior season. A month later, turf toe surgery forced him to withdraw from the process, and he initially looked toward the transfer portal before ultimately working out a deal to stay in Knoxville for his senior year. The Smyrna, Tennessee, native missed spring practice while recovering from the procedure, giving him plenty to update reporters on regarding both his health and his decision to stay home for one more season.
Nine SEC Games, One Open Date
This is the first season of a nine-game SEC schedule, a shift the league made anticipating a larger College Football Playoff field that never materialized. That leaves Tennessee and the rest of the conference bracing for a brutal slate; ESPN’s Football Power Index has SEC teams occupying 16 of the nation’s 20 toughest schedules this season. The Vols get a strong home slate with Texas, Alabama, LSU, Auburn, and Kentucky all visiting Neyland Stadium, but road trips to South Carolina and Arkansas carry bad recent history, and there’s just a single open date on the calendar. Expect Heupel and his players to weigh in on whether the extra conference game is a welcome test or an unwelcome grind.
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