Josh Heupel is staring at a depth chart that looks nothing like the one he probably scribbled down on a napkin a year ago. Honestly, if you’re looking for tennessee volunteer football news right now, you aren't finding a calm off-season program. It is absolute chaos in Knoxville. The transfer portal has become a revolving door, and the quarterback room? Well, that's currently a construction site with a "Coming Soon" sign leaning against a pile of bricks.
We need to talk about the elephant in the room: the Nico Iamaleava situation. Remember when he was the "chosen one" to lead the Vols into a new era? He’s in Los Angeles now. He just finished a season at UCLA with 1,928 passing yards and 13 touchdowns. While he’s decided to stay with the Bruins for 2026 under their new coach Bob Chesney, Tennessee is left picking up the pieces.
It’s a weird feeling for a fan base that thought they had their guy for the next three years. Instead, the 2025 season saw Joey Aguilar under center—who was great, throwing for over 3,500 yards—but he’s out of eligibility unless a "unlikely" waiver miracle happens.
Tennessee Volunteer Football News: The Quarterback Search Goes Off-Script
The big headline this week is the visit of Ryan Staub. He’s a transfer from Colorado. If you’re asking yourself "Who?", you aren't alone. Staub is a 6-foot-1, 200-pound kid who has about 680 career passing yards. He isn't the splashy, high-priced superstar the Vols were linked to earlier this winter.
But here is the reality. Tennessee struck out on the "big fish." They missed on Sam Leavitt from Arizona State. They looked at Darian Mensah from Duke, who put up massive numbers in the ACC, but that hasn't materialized into a commitment yet.
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So, what is the plan? It looks like Josh Heupel is going to bet the house on George MacIntyre.
MacIntyre is a redshirt freshman. He’s got the "it" factor mentally—the coaches love his recall and his decision-making. But he’s skinny. Brent Hubbs from VolQuest mentioned recently that the concern is literally whether he can survive the physical toll of an SEC season. He’s hovering around that 195-200 pound mark, and in this league, that's a dangerous game to play.
If Staub commits, he’s almost certainly depth. He’s the insurance policy for MacIntyre and the incoming 5-star freshman Faizon Brandon. Imagine that: entering a pivotal Year 6 with a starter who has never taken a meaningful Power Conference snap. It’s risky. It's bold. It's very Heupel.
Defensive Overhaul and Staff Shakes
While the QB situation is a nail-biter, the defensive side of the ball just got a massive facelift. Heupel isn't messing around after some of the defensive lapses that cost the Vols in 2025. Tim Banks is gone. Kurt Schmidt, the long-time strength coach, wasn't retained.
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The new look is impressive on paper. Jim Knowles is the defensive coordinator now, and he’s bringing in some heavy hitters.
- Anthony Poindexter: The Hall of Famer is coming in from Penn State to be the co-defensive coordinator and handle the secondary.
- Michael Hunter Jr.: Taking over the cornerbacks.
- Andrew Jackson: Handling the "LEO" edge rushers.
The logic here is simple. Heupel wants NFL-caliber development. This new staff has a combined 100+ years of experience and has coached dozens of NFL draft picks. They are trying to "restore the standard," which is coach-speak for "stop letting teams throw for 300 yards on us."
The Roster Flip: Who’s In and Who’s Out?
The portal has been brutal for depth but kind to the starting lineup in specific spots. DeSean Bishop is officially back. That is huge. He was a Second Team All-SEC back last year with over 1,000 yards. Having a 1,000-yard rusher return is a first for Heupel at Tennessee.
To help him out, they just landed Javin Gordon from Tulane. He was a true freshman standout for the Green Wave, and since his coach Jon Sumrall bolted for Florida, Gordon decided Knoxville was the better fit.
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On the flip side, the losses hurt.
- Rickey Gibson III: The breakout corner is gone to the portal after a season-ending injury against Syracuse.
- Max Gilbert: The kicker who missed that heartbreaker against Georgia is headed to Arkansas.
- William Satterwhite: A promising offensive lineman who lost the starting center job to Sam Pendleton and decided he’d rather start elsewhere.
It's a lot of turnover. You've got walk-ons like Trey Weary leaving after four years, and international prospects like Emmanuel Okoye moving on because they just couldn't find a position that fit.
Why This Offseason Matters More Than Usual
Heupel is coming off two straight years where the season felt like it fizzled out at the end. In 2026, the schedule is a gauntlet. You’ve got Texas coming to Neyland Stadium on September 26. You’ve got Auburn right after. The non-conference stuff—Furman, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State—looks manageable, but the SEC slate is unforgiving.
The pressure is on the offensive line to protect a young QB, whoever that ends up being. They’ve added Donovan Haslam from West Virginia to help with that, but the chemistry needs to happen fast.
Basically, the 2026 Vols are going to be a "new look" team in every sense of the word. New defensive philosophy. New strength and conditioning program. New faces at wide receiver. And a complete unknown at the most important position on the field.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Monitor the QB Room: Watch if Ryan Staub officially signs or if Tennessee makes one last desperate run at a veteran portal QB before the window fully shuts.
- Track the "Big Three" Freshmen: Keep an eye on the FWAA Freshman All-Americans who are returning—specifically the wide receiver group and linebacker Edwin Spillman. Their development is the ceiling for this team.
- Spring Ball Weight Watch: Follow the reports on George MacIntyre’s weight. If he doesn't hit the 205-210 range by August, the "injury concern" narrative will dominate every sports talk show in the state.