2023 Season-In-Review

Record: 9-4, Win vs. Iowa in Cheez-It Citrus Bowl (35-0)

Tennessee ended the year with one final show for its fans with a shutout of Iowa in the Citrus Bowl. The Volunteers entered the season with high expectations but struggled in SEC competition. An early-season loss to Florida was a gut punch but Tennessee rebounded with three straight wins. A 5-1 Volunteer squad had the chance to earn a statement win against Alabama but could not hang onto a 20-7 halftime lead. With an expanded playoff, Tennessee is hoping to throw its hat into the ring.

Offense: Vols to feature five-star QB

There were high hopes with Joe Milton III running the show in 2023 but Volunteer fans went through a roller-coaster season. Now, Tennessee will feature former five-star Nico Iamaleava under center.

Josh Heupel and his fast-paced offense will welcome Iamaleava in his first year as a starter. He played in four games last season before leading Tennessee to its bowl victory over Iowa. He will have a deep group of wide receivers to work with this season.

Squirrel White returns after leading the Volunteers with 67 catches for 803 yards and two touchdowns. He will make up an intriguing duo within the SEC with Bru McCoy, who will return after a season-ending injury last season. Dont’e Thornton Jr. will take on an extended role this season as well, along with freshmen Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley. Heupel’s offense has a chance to be one of the best in the conference.

Tennessee will welcome back three starters along the offensive line. Former LSU transfer Lance Heard will be the anchor at left tackle. It will compete in front of Dylan Sampson, who is the leading returning rusher on the team with 604 yards and seven touchdowns. It is a thin group in the backfield and this means the ball will be in the air often for Tennessee.

Defense: Top NFL prospect leads the way

When a defense has a true game-changer, it can carry a team over the course of the season. This is especially true within the SEC.

James Pearce Jr. proved to be a force with 9.5 sacks last season. Now, he is expected to be one of the first players taken in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was part of a group that led the SEC with 101 tackles for loss. The Vols also finished second in the conference with 41 sacks. That trend can continue with Pearce Jr. returning.

The secondary will not have as much carry over from 2023. The team lost seven players to the transfer portal and saw three get drafted. This means the coaching staff had to hit the portal hard and it landed three corners. Oregon transfer Jermod McCoy and Temple transfer Jalen McMurray will play a big role right away. Boo Carter will also take on an extended role, along with safety Jakobe Thomas from Middle Tennessee.

2024 Tennessee Football Schedule

• Saturday, Aug. 31: vs. UT-Chattanooga
• Saturday, Sept. 7: vs. NC State (Neutral Location)
• Saturday, Sept. 14: vs. Kent State
• Saturday, Sept. 21: at Oklahoma
• Saturday, Oct. 5: at Arkansas
• Saturday, Oct. 12: vs. Florida
• Saturday, Oct. 19: vs. Alabama
• Saturday, Nov. 2: vs. Kentucky
• Saturday, Nov. 9: vs. Mississippi State
• Saturday, Nov. 16: at Georgia
• Saturday, Nov. 23: vs. UTEP
• Saturday, Nov. 30: at Vanderbilt