Sometimes you have to take two steps forward and one step back, and that could be the case for Tennessee in 2026. Josh Heupel had a really strong offseason, highlighted by the addition of Jim Knowles, one of the best defensive minds in the country, which was significant. Tennessee also completely transformed its defense by adding several big-time portal players like Amare Campbell, Xavier Gilliam, and Chaz Coleman. However, reports have surfaced that Coleman likely won’t be with the Vols in 2026, which would hurt the pass rush, an area that was expected to take a step forward.
Tennessee fans are fired up over new Adidas practice jersey reveal
Not to mention, Tennessee will likely be trotting out a freshman quarterback, expected to be five-star Faizon Brandon. At the same time, redshirt freshman George MacIntyre could work his way back into the competition, but by all indications, Brandon is the leader heading into the summer. The good news? Whoever gets the nod to be QB1 will have an elite supporting cast in front of them. Tennessee has two star-level wide receivers in Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews. DeSean Bishop is arguably the best running back in the conference, and Tennessee should have a more than adequate offensive line. Whoever gets the nod should be in a good position to succeed.
With a young quarterback, anything can happen. Inexperience will play a big factor. A good comparison for Brandon would be five-star true freshman signal-caller Bryce Underwood at Michigan last year, who led the Wolverines to a 9-4 record and was overall solid, but definitely had his moments of youth. It wouldn’t be a shock to see Brandon or MacIntyre have a similar season that includes flashes of potential but also some head-scratching plays. Ultimately, working through the growing pains will be part of the process, but it should set Tennessee up for a bright future moving forward.
Tennessee’s version of “elite” next year is simple: did the quarterback play improve, and did the Vols win every game they were expected to win? If you could sign Vols fans up for nine wins right now, it would be hard to turn that down.
A brutal SEC schedule for Heupel, Tennessee sets the tone for 2026
With a tough nine-game SEC schedule ahead, it will be a challenging season with matchups against Texas, Alabama, Texas A&M, and LSU. It might feel like a step back only winning eight or nine games, but Tennessee is breaking in a new defensive scheme, which is always difficult, and they have a young quarterback. Anything is possible, but expectations also have to be managed. Tennessee might be in a retooling year, which is okay, because they can build on a strong foundation heading into a big 2027. That's what elite would mean for the Vols.
Of course, everyone wants to make the playoffs again, but with all the changes in Knoxville, that may not be realistic. Could it still happen? Absolutely. Is it likely? Probably not, and that’s okay. The focus should be on steady week-to-week improvement and building toward a stronger 2027. 2026 might not be the big breakthrough for the Vols, but it could be the year that sets it all up.
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