It wasn’t exactly a secret last season; Tennessee’s defense struggled in a big way. The Vols gave up 412 yards per game, ranking No. 100 in the nation, and it became clear that changes had to be made. That led Josh Heupel to move on from Tim Banks. While Banks had some solid moments in Knoxville, a reset was needed. Tennessee turned to one of the top defensive minds in the game in Jim Knowles, and he’s already starting to make a noticeable impact.
After the first scrimmage, Huepel gave the defense plenty of recognition for their performance. Today, after the second scrimmage, the secondary reaped the praise of Heupel.
When Josh Heupel was asked about the secondary today, he wasn't shy in giving them the credit they have earned this offseason. Heupel said:
"I feel really good about the secondary. Guys we brought in the portal, they have good traits. Players who returned have done a good job as well. I think they’ve grasped what we’re doing well, too."
It seems like the new defensive backs are really adapting well to the new scheme, which is huge. Knowles is big on the three safety looks, and seeing the defense already make strides in this department is enormous.
New faces new results
The Vols brought in five new safeties this season, plus they bring back Edrees Farooq, who started last season. Qua Moss from Kansas State, TJ Metcalf from Michigan, and Dejuan Lane from Penn State all have plenty of Power Five experience and can help the Vols' defense from day one.
Also, over at cornerback, Tennessee has some beasts. Sophomore Ty Redmond, by all accounts, has had a monster spring ball. picking up right where he left off in 2025. Pair that with former Auburn cornerback Kayin Lee, who has 36 games of SEC experience? The secondary has gone from a weakness to a strength real quick.
It’s still unclear how the Vols will look against real competition, not just in practice or scrimmages, but the early signs are encouraging. It sounds like they’re picking up Jim Knowles’ new defensive system well, which is no small task given how complex it can be.
Looking at the bigger picture, it definitely helps having plenty of Penn State players in Knoxville who know Knowles' scheme. This is no doubt helping with the transition and how the team is adapting. Even if Tennessee can make marginal gains each week, it should have a lot of success in 2026. Vols fans have a lot to be excited about.