Tennessee football is in a significant transition period after an 8-4 season. Head coach Josh Heupel made a decision that didn't come as a huge surprise as he fired defensive coordinator Tim Banks. The Vols have plenty of work ahead of them in the transfer portal when it opens in January.
The other end of the spectrum is that some of the current Tennessee football roster are going to see what else is out there. In this era of college football, you can't blame a player for seeing what other opportunities are available to them, but that doesn't always mean the grass is greener.
The Vols are no stranger to players leaving the program. Last spring, quarterback Nico Iamaleava made headlines with his NIL and transfer intentions. Plus, there was some recent transfer news regarding Boo Carter.
The newest Tennessee football transfer portal news comes from On3's Hayes Fawcett, as he has reported today on X that current Tennessee linebacker Brendan Anes is planning on entering the transfer portal.
Tennessee True Freshman LB Brenden Anes is entering the @TransferPortal, his agency tells @On3Sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 10, 2025
Was the No. 2 LB in Tennessee in last years classhttps://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/T04Q0F9uN4
Brendan Anes plans on entering transfer portal
This one comes as a bit of a surprise, as Anes was a flip from Wisconsin last fall, right before signing day. The Franklin, Tennessee product was considered a nice add to the 2025 class. It's disappointing we will not be able to see Anes develop in Knoxville.
Anes appeared in only five gams this season, and he recorded 34 total snaps. In those 34 snaps, Anes registered five tackles, two of which were solo.
On the flip side, the good news is that Tennessee has some of the best linebackers in the nation, joining them from the 2026 class. TJ White, who just won the Mississippi Gatorade player of the Year Award, is a top 100-rated player, and so is Brayden Rouse, who both will compete for snaps next fall.
Not to mention, once Josh Heupel gets his defensive coordinator hire squared away, he will surely target some starting-caliber linebackers when the transfer portal officially opens in January.
At the end of the day, this won't be the last time we hear of a Vols player planning on leaving Tennessee this offseason.