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Tennessee football 2022 preview by position: TE

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Alex Golesh, right, speaks with tight ends Miles Campbell and Princeton Fant during Tennessee football’s spring practice on campus in Knoxville on Tuesday, March 30, 2021.Kns Ut Football Practice Bp
Tennessee offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Alex Golesh, right, speaks with tight ends Miles Campbell and Princeton Fant during Tennessee football’s spring practice on campus in Knoxville on Tuesday, March 30, 2021.Kns Ut Football Practice Bp /
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Throughout his career as a play-caller, Josh Heupel has always been able to adapt to the use of tight ends. If he’s got a mismatch, or a shortened rotation at receiver, he can use them to great effect. This past year with Tennessee football, he had a by-committee rotation with two key starters, using them in different spots.

It worked well, and both of them are back. However, with the Vols losing two of their key starters at receiver, he and Alex Golesh, who doubles as the tight ends coach in addition to the offensive coordinator, may have to rely on them even more in the passing game.

As we get set to bring you our preview of Tennessee football’s tight ends for 2022, we’ll look at exactly that along with who can help them out. Like always, we’ll break things up with slides for returning starters, returning backups, newcomers, biggest questions and final take. Let’s start with players who left, though.

Tennessee OC Alex Golesh speaks to players during Tennessee football spring practice at University of Tennessee on Saturday, March 26, 2022.Kns Ut Spring Fball 5 0483
Tennessee OC Alex Golesh speaks to players during Tennessee football spring practice at University of Tennessee on Saturday, March 26, 2022.Kns Ut Spring Fball 5 0483 /

Who’s gone?

No starters gone

We mentioned in the opening the Vols had two by-committee starters this past year, and both decided to return. One is here for his graduate senior year. This was a huge deal for Rocky Top, so they haven’t lost any production from last year at the position, although the departures they did suffer could hurt for the future.

Backups

Trinity Bell

A versatile commitment in UT’s 2021 recruiting class who doubled as a defensive end, Trinity Bell brought unique size at 6’7″ 265 pounds. He didn’t play last year but could have been a key part of the future. It appears as if he was more meant to play in Jeremy Pruitt’s and Jim Chaney’s system though, so he has since transferred out to Iowa Western Community College.

Julian Nixon

Initially, Julian Nixon was a four-star wide receiver for Tennessee football, but he was moved over to tight end given his size at 6’3″ 245 pounds. However, he was another Pruitt commitment, so he also entered the transfer portal. However, he hasn’t landed anywhere else just yet.

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