Everything Josh Heupel Said Ahead of Tennessee vs Vanderbilt

Everything Josh Heupel said prior to Tennessee's game against Vanderbilt.

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel and athletic director Danny White celebrate after defeating Florida in an NCAA college football game on November 22, 2025, in Gainesville, Florida. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers are one of the many teams that have a chance to play spoiler to the playoff hopes of one of their biggest rivals. Ahead of the Vols' game against the Vanderbilt Commodores, Josh Heupel took the stand for his weekly press conference.

Here is what he had to say.

Opening Statement

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel during a NCAA football game between Tennessee Volunteers and New Mexico State Aggies at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Nov. 15, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Since I won’t see you guys before Thursday, I wish you, your families, and all of our fans and their families a happy Thanksgiving. Got an opportunity to come back home, finish the regular season out here in front of our fans. Honoring a bunch of seniors who have been a huge part of what we’ve done, for some of them over the last five years, and it's a great group that I’ve loved being around. We’ll have a chance to honor them. Opportunity to play a really good football team, and get ready to go play, so open it up.”

Josh Heupel on Diego Pavia's Growth

“Yeah, just another year of development, command of what they’re doing offensively. Certainly has the ability to use his feet and make plays. He’s thrown it extremely well. He’s continued to get better throughout the course of the season in being efficient with the football and has created a bunch of big plays. But his ability to be part of the run game as well is a huge part of what they do offensively."

Josh Heupel on DaSaahn Brame in The Slot

“DaSaahn’s going to be a great player, and I love the growth that he’s had. I think I said it last week, a guy that missed a bunch of time early just with an injury coming out of high school, but got great hands, great feel, good route-runner, has good speed. So he has the ability to be extremely versatile in what we’re doing offensively. Playing the slot, use him in the pass game. He’s a good perimeter blocker, too, and then certainly use him in the core.”

Josh Heupel on Joey Aguilar Being Humble

“I think because of who he is, that’s where it starts. He’s humble. Cares about the people around him. Appreciative of this opportunity to be with his teammates. That’s why his teammates gravitated to him really quickly, and then he plays extremely hard. So you combine all those factors, I think he represents what Tennessee football, but what this fan base is all about too.”

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