Tennessee is poised for a big showdown in 2025 that Vols fans have been waiting for since Josh Heupel's first month in Knoxville
There's a showdown that Tennessee Vols fans have been waiting on for the last four years that will likely go down in 2025 based on recent reports. Way back in early 2021, during Josh Heupel's first month as the Vols' head coach, Tennessee lost a recruiting battle to Alabama for 2022 five-star quarterback Ty Simpson. […]
There's a showdown that Tennessee Vols fans have been waiting on for the last four years that will likely go down in 2025 based on recent reports.
Way back in early 2021, during Josh Heupel's first month as the Vols' head coach, Tennessee lost a recruiting battle to Alabama for 2022 five-star quarterback Ty Simpson.
Heupel only had about a month to recruit Simpson before the five-star quarterback made his decision. And we later learned that Simpson had actually made his mind up 22 days before he announced his commitment, which led to speculation from Vols fans that the West Tennessee native led Heupel and the UT program on for over three weeks.
As fate would have it, Tennessee played UT Martin, which is coached by Jason Simpson (Ty Simpson's father), during the 2022 season.
And the Vols poured it against the Skyhawks, winning 65-24 in a game where Tennessee even broke out some trick plays that were completely unnecessary.
Tennessee fans immediately recognized the shellacking of UT Martin as Heupel sending a message to Jason Simpson (only Heupel knows if that was really the intention).
Ty Simpson, who is entering his fourth season at Alabama, hasn't been in headlines very often since signing with the Crimson Tide in 2021 (he attempted just 50 passes during his first three seasons at Alabama). But with quarterback Jalen Milroe heading to the NFL, it looks like Simpson is finally going to get his chance to start in 2025.
Former Alabama quarterback turned ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy noted recently that Simpson is in "firm control so far" of the starting quarterback battle in Tuscaloosa.
That means that we could finally see the Ty Simpson vs Tennessee battle that Vols fans have been waiting on for the last few years.
And since we know that Heupel's teams are at their best when they "make it personal", this is a development that seemingly works in Tennessee's favor.
The game is in Tuscaloosa, so the Vols will have to overcome their road woes to get a win, but if Simpson starts, it will almost certainly give Heupel and his team a little extra juice. Heupel has shown his pettiness (which I view as a good thing) plenty during his first few years on Rocky Top. And I'm sure that will be on full display in Tuscaloosa next fall if Simpson starts against the Vols.
I don't think Heupel would change a thing about how his quarterback recruiting efforts have played out the last few years, but I don't think there's any way he's forgotten about being led on by Simpson a little over four years ago.
