Some busy times are coming for Josh Heupel and Tennessee football, as the transfer portal is set to open up on Friday and the Vols need some serious help on both sides of the ball. Unfortunately, Heupel is now going to be looking for a new starting left tackle.
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On Thursday, some surprising news came in that Lance Heard has made the tough decision to leave Knoxville and look for his third college program. Heard originally signed out of high school with LSU, spending one campaign with Brian Kelly before he got fired.
He transferred to Tennessee ahead of the 2024 season, spending two years with the Vols. While the hope and assumption was that he'd be a key figure for the program in 2026, he has decided instead that he wants to continue his college playing days elsewhere. Where could Heard end up next?
— Lance heard (@lanceheard2) January 1, 2026
Starting Tennessee LT Lance Heard has decided to enter the transfer portal
There's no sugarcoating thing here, this is a huge blow for the Vols. Heard has been the team's starting left tackle for the past two seasons, protecting the blind side for both Nico Iamaleava in 2024 and then Joey Aguilar in 2025. He's expected to receive a ton of attention in the portal in the coming days. So, who could replace him moving forward?
The good news for the Vols is that in-state signee Gabriel Osenda is on the way to Knoxville, making things official recently with Tennessee as a member of the 2026 class. Osenda is one of the top offensive tackles in the country, but will he end up being a Year 1 starter for Heupel?
Tennessee could also look to bring in a veteran tackle via the transfer portal, but it's unknown how much Heupel is going to want to prioritize the position this offseason. Things are a bit up in the air for Tennessee there, but Heard leaving town is something we didn't see coming.
Coming out of high school, Heard was a 5-star prospect and the No. 3 offensive tackle in the country according to the 247Sports Composite. Things didn't work out for him at LSU, but he was a total stud making plays for Heupel. Knowing he's leaving the program is a complete and total bummer.