National media outlet predicts where Tennessee's football program will be in two years
The Tennessee Vols are a program on the rise under Josh Heupel. After struggling for more than a decade to reach the 10-win mark, the Vols finally broke through last season, winning 11 games in Heupel's second season at the helm. So where does the program go from here? Can the Vols continue their ascent? […]
The Tennessee Vols are a program on the rise under Josh Heupel.
After struggling for more than a decade to reach the 10-win mark, the Vols finally broke through last season, winning 11 games in Heupel's second season at the helm.
So where does the program go from here? Can the Vols continue their ascent? Or will Tennessee struggle to stay in the top 10 moving forward?
247Sports' Brad Crawford took a look this week at each current top 25 program and how the future could play out for each one.
And he thinks the Vols are on the verge of becoming a perennial College Football Playoff contender (it helps that the playoff is set to expand in 2024).
Crawford thinks Tennessee will be at least a top 15 program in 2023. He then has them as a playoff contender in 2024 and 2025 (which is when five-star phenom Nico Iamaleava should take over as the Vols' starting quarterback).
From 247Sports: The upcoming season is a prove-it opportunity for Tennessee third-year coach Josh Heupel, who will try and match last year's success with Joe Milton at quarterback, a revised collection of receivers and Joey Halzle as the Vols' new OC, replacing Alex Golesh (USF head coach). It's not time for Tennessee to unleash five-star freshman Nico Iamaleava jsut yet, but he'll be the No. 2 this fall and get plenty of reps in game action. All expectations are that he'll be a three-year player in Knoxville and approaching his junior campaign as a returning starter in 2025 as one of the nation's best at the position.
The future is undoubtedly bright for Tennessee right now. And there's no reason to think that the Vols will fail to continue their recent success under Heupel.
Obviously, they still have to prove they weren't a one-year wonder in 2022, but all signs point to Tennessee being a playoff contender for years to come.
