Volunteer Country

What We Learned About the Tennessee Volunteers During Spring Practice

Brooks Austin

Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews (10) warms up before the Orange & White spring game, Saturday, April 12, 2025.
Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews (10) warms up before the Orange & White spring game, Saturday, April 12, 2025. / Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Tennessee Volunteers have officially wrapped up their spring practice portion of the offseason. With (15) allotted practices in the books and the annual spring game behind us, we take a look at the things we learned about Tennessee this spring. 

No More Nico
There’s no sense in burying the lede here. The Vols entered the spring thinking they had one of the nation’s most promising returning starters in the sport, by the final Friday of the spring Nico Iamaleava’s in the NCAA Transfer Portal. The good news for the Vols, backup Jake Merklinger has playing experience and years spent in the system. There’s an expected talent drop off there, but it’s not a cliff. Additionally, we can now expect the Vols to be major players themselves in the transfer portal market at the quarterback position. 

Mike Matthews And Co. Coming Along
The Vols need Mike Matthews to burst onto the scene in 2025 like the heralded five-star acquisition that he was coming into college. Matthews’ freshman year didn’t see a ton of playing time, but we learned in the spring that this unit will go as far as Matthews takes them. Overall depth seems to be a concern here as well, head coach Josh Heupel actually joked with the media at one point saying, “Any of you guys wanna try out?” There’s just not enough bodies at the moment, however, sources have indicated they do good about where freshmen WRs Radarious Jackson and Travis Smith are currently. Boo Carter will play some type of role as a target as well this season, and spent time training at DB and WR this spring. 

Defense Veteran And Violent
This defensive unit has been playing together for seemingly quite some time at this point, which is rare in this day and age of college football. Sure, they took a hit with Jermod McCoy suffering a knee injury, but this unit has played a LOT of college football. They will be led by Jackson Moi, Bryson Eason, and Anthony Josephs up front. Jeremiah Telander has emerged as a leader on this defense as well at the linebacker position now in his third season with the Vols.

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Brooks Austin
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