Everything Josh Heupel Said Ahead of Tennessee Football vs. Kennesaw State

The Tennessee Volunteers are set for their third game of the season, and another great home game against the Kennesaw State Owls. This is the final game before the Vols take on the Texas Longhorns, which will begin their SEC play.

Josh Heupel Opening Statement

“Looking forward to getting back this week inside our stadium and seeing our fans. Again, thank all the fans that showed up in Atlanta for the game last Saturday. This will be our ‘Salute To Service’ game as well. So I want to thank all the men and women that have served and are currently serving to protect and give us the opportunity and the freedom that we certainly enjoy, and welcoming some of the families of the men and women that we’re recognizing this weekend as well. So Saturday, got an opportunity to play a good Kennesaw State football team. A lot of familiarity with a lot of their staff. Jerry Mack and his staff have done a really good job. I think they’ve won 12 out of the last 14 ballgames that they’ve played, and it’s an opportunity for us this week to continue to grow and get better as a football team,” Heupel said.

Josh Heupel on the Injury Report

“A few guys during the course of play that may have been out for a little bit or didn’t finish, but hopeful for most of those guys. Obviously, Ethan Davis, ACL injury, will be gone for the remainder of the year," Heupel said.

Josh Heupel on Ethan Davis Getting Injured and What He's Looking for at the Position

“Yeah, this game requires the next guy up. You’ve heard me talk about that. Our team’s heard that too. You've got to be prepared for when your opportunity arises. And the next guy and multiple guys have to step up in that role. I hate it for Ethan- the work that he put into it, the growth of the person and the player, that the season is cut short. But the next guy’s got to be prepared and take advantage of their opportunity. You’ve seen a lot of those guys play already this year. They just got to continue to grow and step into that role," Heupel said.

Josh Heupel on What He Can Tell Early and Moving Forward

“Well, you can look at scores from week to week and tell that it’s a week-by-week test, and good teams continue to get better. So this game, in a global view, you look at scores, right? But the game’s won and lost in the very smallest of details, fundamentals, and technique. And it’s what you’re constantly striving for, and that’s what the emphasis, or part of the emphasis was today, with our team. How do we get better, take ownership of the things that we’re in control of,” Heupel said.

Josh Heupel on DaSaahn Brame's Chances of Sliding Into Ethan Davis's 12 Personnel Role

“DaSaahn’s got the ability to play out in space and play in the core, very similar to Ethan. Some of our other guys do too. DaSaahn’s really grown in his ability to play in the core. You look at the last run by Daune (Morris), DaSaahn is doing a great job inside the core on the second level. So, we got a ton of trust in him. And that’s a credit to his development over the last year,” Heupel said.

Josh Heupel on Addressing the Team's Penalty Issue

“I addressed it today, I went through all of them. Our football team has got the ability to grow into a good football team if we make the choices to do the right things. And I presented the video of it today, and our players got to make a choice to not hurt the football team,” Heupel said.

Josh Heupel on Faizon Brandon Missing on the Screen Pass to Tyreek King

“It can be different things depending on the play. On that play it was fundamentals,” Heupel said.

Josh Heupel on What He Wants to See From Faizon Brandon Before SEC Play

“Continued growth and fundamentals. Continuing his growth and communication, and understanding situational football. But I really like a lot of what he’s done. I said it a week ago; I think he’s gonna get better every rep, every series, every game. He’s continuing to grow and catalog information, and he’s getting better from it,” Heupel said.

Josh Heupel on What He Seen From Radarious Jackson

“I thought he did a really good job the other night. Very consistent, good decision-making. Had a really good feel for man-zone principles and thought he played his best football. At least the most consistent throughout the 60 minutes of play. Really good night from him,” Heupel said.

Josh Heupel on the EDGEs

Sep 12, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Mariyon Dye (9) reacts after a sack against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“J-Norm has done a really good job, too, and the group, collectively, is playing with really good fundamentals. That’s in the run game. There’s a lot of different things that go into that, but they’re playing physical. And they’ve done a good job of applying pressure to the quarterback. Mariyon Dye, last couple weeks, has played his best football. And a young guy that we still see a lot of growth left in him, too, and that’s a compliment to him,” Heupel said.

Josh Heupel on Carson Gentle Receiving More Reps

"Tough, smart, relentless competitor. Knows his job, does his job, selfless, tough kid. He went through a little bit of injury during the summer, and so it was kind of a slow trickle in his growth over the course of training camp, and so, he’s as healthy as he’s been and ready to handle more volume. That’s why he got more play the other week," Heupel said.

Josh Heupel on Not Overlooking Kennesaw State

Kennesaw State Coach Jerry Mack celebrates a 19-15 victory over Jacksonville State in the C-USA Championship at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama December 5, 2025. (Dave Hyatt / Hyatt Media LLC) | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“It’s not a tune-up. You better show up every Saturday. You look at the scores, media, your family, your girlfriend, whoever, they might wanna pigeonhole you as this, but you decide who you are collectively as a team and as a program,” Heupel said.

Josh Heupel on Getting Faizon Brandon as Many Reps as Possible

“You can look at the scores every week. You better get ready to go play. When the ball’s tee'd up, you better be playing at your best. Game unfolds, it unfolds, but you better prepare to go play for 60 minutes," Heupel said.

Josh Heupel on Jerry Mack

“He’s a great leader of men, he’s authentic, he’s a really good recruiter, and he’s able to hire a really good staff, and you put all those pieces of the puzzle together, he’s smart, he’s organized, that’s how you have consistency in your program, that’s how you build a program. And you can look at what he’s done at Kennesaw State, what he did as a head coach before that, he’s a really good coach,” Heupel said.

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