Will he stay or will he go? Late Saturday night, Tennessee football fans everywhere were left stunned when it was announced that 5-star freshman Mike Matthews is planning to enter the transfer portal. Where in the world did this come from?
Matthews was barely used during his freshman campaign, which obviously didn't sit well with him. Because of that, he's eyeing the opportunity to play for a different program. However, is there a chance he could change his mind?
According to reporter Pete Nakos, Matthews, as of this writing, is yet to officially enter the portal. Per Nakos, Tennessee has 48 hours to submit his paperwork, but it looks like Josh Heupel is working behind the scenes here to keep the youngster in town:
Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews has not officially entered the transfer portal as of 10:15 a.m. ET this morning.
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) December 29, 2024
Volunteers have 48 hours to submit his name when he files paperwork. https://t.co/qszsYhs7y3 https://t.co/2beU1KaCer
Tennessee appears to be working to keep Mike Matthews in town
So, you're saying there's a chance? Thus far this offseason, five wide receivers have already entered the portal, which means Matthews would become WR No. 6. Over the weekend, veteran wideout Squirrel White decided to transfer.
His loss was softened a bit with Boo Carter doing a 180 and staying with the program - he'll look to play on both sides of the ball next season and make an impact for Heupel on offense. Now, everyone is waiting to see what ends up happening with Matthews.
In 2024, as a true frosh, he finished with seven receptions for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Only posting seven catches in his debut SEC campaign is surely not what he had in mind. Was Heupel at fault for not getting him more involved with the aerial attack?
That's something we can debate until the sun goes out, but the fact of the matter is that Heupel needs to be working overtime to keep the 6-1, 195-pounder around. Should he enter the portal, countless teams will be ready to jump at the chance to sign him. It'll be on Heupel to make sure that doesn't happen, with the latest update from Nakos indeed providing UT supporters with some optimism.