Tennessee Vols EDGE Chaz Coleman has had a trying offseason after arriving on Rocky Top via the transfer portal in January.

Coleman, who transferred to Tennessee after spending one season at Penn State, has reportedly been dealing with some off-the-field issues as he adjusts to life in Knoxville.

The Ohio native, according to CBS Sports, is also dealing with vertigo due to a previously unreported head injury that he sustained at Penn State last season.

“The kid is not a bad kid,” said a Tennessee source to CBS Sports. “He’s just got personal issues right now.”

Vols head coach Josh Heupel made a comment earlier this week that suggests Coleman isn’t with the team on a full-time basis right now.

“At the end of the day, he’s dealing with some things and has to work through those things,” said Heupel. “When he’s able to do that, then he will be back with us.”  

Vols insider shares the latest on Chaz Coleman

VolQuest’s Brent Hubbs provided an update on Coleman during his appearance Friday on 104.5 The Zone’s Ramon and Will.

It was previously believed that Coleman’s biggest issue was feeling “homesick”, but Hubbs said Friday that he doesn’t think this is about being “homesick”.

“I don’t think it’s about being homesick,” said Hubbs. “It’s certainly not about money. He’s just dealing with some personal things that he is trying to get himself through. He’s not been 100 percent physically. I think that’s kind of bothered him a little bit. He got banged up late last year, and I think he’s had some lingering effects and some of that stuff that’s kind of messed with him a little bit. And I think he’s just had some personal things that he’s dealing with and going through.

“He’s been around his teammates more. He’s been in the building. He’s been in really constant and consistent conversation with (defensive line coach) Rodney Garner since coach Garner got back in the office on a full time basis. Those two have started to really develop a relationship, which they didn’t have at the start of spring, or really in January. Because when Chaz got here in late January, Rodney was on the shelf with the medical procedure he had, which he had some complications with that put him missing the first half of spring practice. So they’re starting to develop some rapport there, and Chaz has done some things with his teammates from a community service standpoint. So things are better than they were, and seem to be moving the way you want them to move. But at some point, he’s got to completely rejoin his teammates and this football team in the weight room and conditioning and all of those things.”

There’s no doubt that Coleman’s had a tough adjustment period — and that happens at times with young athletes as they’re thrown into a new situation with a large payday (it can be a lot to digest from a mental standpoint) — but the good news is that things seem to be trending in the right direction.

Coleman has the skill set to be one of the best pass rushers in the SEC. If he can lock in this summer, he has the potential to be a dangerous weapon for the Vols in 2026.