Josh Heupel leaves door wide open for 5-star Tennessee freshman to play more

Whenever a 5-star playmaker makes his way to Knoxville, Tennessee Volunteers fans can't wait to see what they're able to get done at Neyland Stadium. In the case of 5-star signee Mike Matthews, the wide receiver hasn't gotten off to the start many people envisioned for him.

Matthews, ranked the No. 6 wideout in the country for the 2024 class, has been held to just two receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown. His playing time has been limited, which has been tough to see. However, that doesn't mean things aren't going to change moving forward.

While speaking to the media, head man Josh Heupel was asked about Matthews' potential role with the team moving forward. Fans have been calling for him to be on the field more and it seems like that could end up being the case to close out the campaign.

Tennessee freshman WR Mike Matthews could see more action moving forward

"Yeah, you know, Mike’s gotten some opportunities. I feel like there’s a greater opportunity for execution at times when he’s out there. Some of that’s the guys around him. Some of that’s him, too. We need him to continue to come on and be a big part of what we’re doing here on the back-half of this conference season."

- Josh Heupel

Coming out of high school, Matthews had more than 30 offers to his name. In the end, he chose Tennessee over additional rides from USC, Georgia, Clemson, Alabama and many others. It was a monster recruiting win for Heupel and his staff. Now, though, it's time to see what this kid can get done when the ball is thrown his way.

Again, the first campaign for Matthews in Knoxville hasn't quite gone according to plan, but with the way the Vols have been playing, he's surely still thrilled about what the team is getting done. He's only going to be even more hyped up if quarterback Nico Iamaleava starts sending some targets his way.