Could Ty Redmond’s First Interception Come Against Kentucky?

Tennessee football has one of the best defenses in the country. While much of the praise has gone to the guys up front, a big part of the Vols’ success has come from the secondary’s work in pass coverage.

Tennessee has allowed just four passing touchdowns this season, tied for the fewest in the Southeastern Conference, and opponents are averaging only 165.6 passing yards per game, the best in the league. The Vols have also given up just three passes for 30 or more yards, which is also tied for the fewest in the SEC.

The secondary has been taking the ball away, too. Tennessee has picked off eight passes, the fourth-most in the conference, with Dejuan Lane accounting for three of them. Starting cornerback Ty Redmond, however, is still searching for his first interception of the year.

That isn’t a knock on Redmond. Quarterbacks have tested him, and they haven’t gotten much. According to Pro Football Focus, Redmond has allowed just 8.9 yards per catch and an 82.6 passer rating when targeted. He has 35 tackles and nine pass breakups, which rank tied for second in the Southeastern Conference. Eight of those breakups have come in SEC play, the most of any player in league games.

Sep 26, 2026; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Ty Redmond (4) tackles Texas Longhorns running back Raleek Brown (0) during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Redmond earned Freshman All-America honors in 2025 after being pushed into a bigger role, and he’s taken another step this season. On Monday, I asked head coach Josh Heupel what has driven that growth.

“He got thrown into the fire a year ago with an injury,” Heupel said. “He continued to grow and play really good football. I think he’s just continued to get better fundamentally and in technique. You see the play down the sideline. He gets beat at the line of scrimmage, doesn’t panic, plays with great technique, plays through the hands and disrupts the ball.”

That composure is what separates good corners from great ones. Every cornerback gets beat at the line at some point. The ones who recover, stay in pursuit, and still get a hand on the ball are the ones who frustrate quarterbacks the most. Redmond has done that nine times this season. Sooner or later, one of those breakups is going to end up in his hands.

Tennessee defensive back TJ Metcalf (1) and Tennessee defensive back Ty Redmond (4) celebrate on the field during a college football game between Tennessee and Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., on Sept. 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Heupel also spoke to Redmond’s growth in knowlege of the position, in his second year.

“He’s got a great understanding of his zone principles right now, too,” Heupel said. “He’s played extremely well for us. We’re going to need him to continue to grow and play at an elite level here down the stretch.”

That need starts Saturday. Kentucky arrives in Knoxville with one of the best turnover margins in the country, and it starts with quarterback Kenny Minchey. He has completed 160 of 232 passes for 1,755 yards, 14 touchdowns, and just one interception this season. Heupel mentioned Monday that Kentucky doesn’t turn the ball over.

If the Vols want to flip that script, Redmond and the rest of the secondary will have to create the takeaways Minchey rarely gives up.

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