Josh Heupel and his staff deserve credit for Tennessee's 'hidden additions' to 2024 roster
The Tennessee Vols haven't gone crazy in the NCAA transfer portal — at least compared to a program like Ole Miss — electing instead to address a couple of areas of need without getting into NIL bidding wars (which also helps protects UT's excellent culture). It's not a headline grabbing strategy, but it could prove […]
The Tennessee Vols haven't gone crazy in the NCAA transfer portal — at least compared to a program like Ole Miss — electing instead to address a couple of areas of need without getting into NIL bidding wars (which also helps protects UT's excellent culture).
It's not a headline grabbing strategy, but it could prove to be a very smart approach Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel and his staff — especially when you consider the Vols' "hidden additions".
The players that Tennessee will return in 2024 — via their COVID years and/or new NIL deals — aren't really viewed as additions to the roster, but they absolutely should be.
That group of players next season for Tennessee will include offensive tackles John Campbell and Gerald Mincey, center Cooper Mays, linebacker Keenan Pili, and defensive lineman Omari Thomas.
A couple of other players, such as defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott, right guard Javontez Spraggins, and wide receiver Bru McCoy, could also elect to return.
If any of those players chose to transfer to another program, they'd be viewed as a "major additions" (just like former Vols defensive lineman Tyler Baron was viewed that way as a transfer addition for Ole Miss).
So it stands to reason that if you considered these players as part of the Vols' "transfer additions", it would make Tennessee's portal class look a lot more impressive.
Keeping talented players on the roster instead of having to replace them is a major win for Heupel and the Vols. And it should be celebrated just like the portal additions for other SEC programs are celebrated. In fact, it should probably be celebrated a little more since these "additions" don't require an acclimation period.
As is usually the case with college football, the narrative (that UT hasn't done well in the portal) doesn't match the facts.
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