The Tennessee Vols did something this offseason that only 7 other college football programs did
It’s been a very productive offseason for the Tennessee Vols.
It’s been a very productive offseason for the Tennessee Vols.
Vols head coach Josh Heupel kicked off the offseason by revamping his defensive staff, hiring Jim Knowles to replace Tim Banks as the program’s defensive coordinator (Knowles brought a couple of defensive assistants with him, too).
Heupel also hired a new strength coach in Derek Owings, and added 21 players from the transfer portal to Tennessee’s roster.
Additionally, the Vols landed the No. 10 recruiting class in the nation for the 2026 cycle.
The Tennessee Vols signed more 5-star recruits than almost any other college football program in the nation
Tennessee’s 2026 recruiting class was headlined by three five-star recruits — quarterback Faizon Brandon, wide receiver Tristen “TK” Keys, and offensive lineman Gabriel Osenda.
According to CBS Sports, Tennessee was one of just eight college football programs in the 2026 cycle to sign multiple five-star recruits.
“It’s a historic 2026 haul for Tennessee, which signed as many five-star recruits this offseason as it did across the previous six classes combined,” wrote CBS Sports’ Grant Hughes. “The Vols’ three five-star commits mark the first time the program has landed multiple five-stars in a single class in more than a decade. Brandon is the second-highest-rated quarterback to commit to Tennessee in the modern recruiting era (since 2000) and headlines just the Vols’ second top-10 class of the past decade.”
USC, Alabama, Oregon, Notre Dame, Ohio State, LSU, and Michigan are other schools that signed multiple five-star recruits.
There’s no doubt that Tennessee is loading up on elite talent. The Vols aren’t viewed by most analysts as a legitimate College Football Playoff contender in 2026, but Tennessee certainly has the talent to reach the playoff for a second time in three seasons.
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