How confident should Tennessee football fans feel ahead of the 2025 season getting here? It really depends who you ask, as some analysts are quite high on the potential of Josh Heupel's team, while others are a bit worried.
Former Alabama signal-caller and current ESPN commentator Greg McElroy is split right down the middle. McElroy knows Tennessee is bringing back plenty of talent, including star quarterback Nico Iamaleava. However, he is giving the Vols a 50-50 chance to make a return trip to the College Football Playoff next campaign. What's it going to take for UT to be among the top teams in the country?
.@GregMcElroy thinks @Vol_Football making it back to the CFP is POSSIBLE...
— Always College Football (@AlwaysCFB) February 24, 2025
"When I say possible, I think it's about 50/50... It's going to hinge on how they play at Florida and how they play at Alabama."#GBO | #Vols pic.twitter.com/iGY2gTFcMp
Greg McElroy has given Tennessee a 50-50 chance to reach the CFP next season
"I think Tennessee is one of those teams that could win the National Championship, or have an 8-4 season," McElroy said. "It's partly about how much do you value the pieces that were lost? They lost 27 players. The good news is they went out and brought in 29 players. One of the bigger questions is how much better can they be on offense? A lot of this hinges on the continued growth and development of Nico Iamaleava."
McElroy went on to discuss how much he likes what he saw out of the young signal-caller late in the season. However, he also is a bit concerned on whether or not the QB can continue to play at an elite level on a consistent basis.
Hey, that's fair, as Iamaleava did have some ups and downs during his first season as the Tennessee starting quarterback. Losing SEC Offensive Player of the Year Dylan Sampson to the NFL is only going to make things complicated for Nico and Co. next fall and winter.
On defense, James Pearce Jr., a potential first-round pick, is also off to the pros. McElroy said he still thinks the Tennessee D will still be solid, even with so many playmakers no longer in Knoxville. It'll be on defensive coordinator Tim Banks to make sure his guys apply pressure and make life tough for opposing offenses.
Heupel and Tennessee went 10-3 last year, reaching the CFP for the first time ever. Matching that same level of success is not going to be easy. However, the tools are in place for the Vols to not only reach the CFP, but push to go on a deep run as well. McElroy isn't sure what to expect from the program in '25, but let's hope he's way off in leaving an 8-4 season on the table.