There's a move the Tennessee Vols should try to make that would send shockwaves through college football
The Tennessee Vols ended the week on a high note thanks to the news that true freshman wide receiver Mike Matthews is returning to Rocky Top for the 2025 season. Matthews, a former five-star recruit, requested transfer papers last Saturday night before the portal closed. But after thinking about transferring for a few days, he […]
The Tennessee Vols ended the week on a high note thanks to the news that true freshman wide receiver Mike Matthews is returning to Rocky Top for the 2025 season.
Matthews, a former five-star recruit, requested transfer papers last Saturday night before the portal closed. But after thinking about transferring for a few days, he decided to stick around on Rocky Top for another season.
The Georgia native reportedly wasn't seeking more money from Tennessee. Instead, he reportedly wanted some assurances about the direction of the Vols' offense in 2025. Apparently he felt pretty good about the answers he received since he's returning to Tennessee in 2025.
Getting Matthews back is a huge deal for Tennessee. The dynamic wide receiver will join Braylon Staley and Chris Brazzell in a Vols wide receiver room that will be younger albeit more talented. (Defensive back Boo Carter is also expected to be featured in a receiver role on offense for the Vols in 2025.)
Tennessee is also in the mix to receive a commitment from Alabama transfer wide receiver Amari Jefferson.
The Vols' wide receiver room could go from being decent in 2024 to one of the best in the SEC in 2025.
But what if it could be even better?
The Vols should try to make a move that would shock college football
The odds of what I'm going to suggest actually happening are slim to none, but it doesn't mean the Vols shouldn't give it a shot.
Tennessee should try to see if Alabama true freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams is interested in leaving Tuscaloosa for Knoxville.
Now, I know that Williams recently posted on social media that he doesn't intend to transfer, but why not reach out if you're the Vols?
After all, Kalen DeBoer didn't fare all that well in his first season at Alabama. The Crimson Tide lost a couple of disastrous games (to Vanderbilt and Oklahoma) and quarterback Jalen Milroe regressed under DeBoer's watch.
Speaking of Milroe, he declared for the NFL draft recently, which means Alabama's quarterback situation is uncertain at best.
There's not much to suggest that things will be better in 2025 for Bama. In fact, things could be worse.
Williams is one of the most dynamic players in the nation. Can you imagine how electric he could be in Tennessee's offense with Nico Iamaleava under center? Williams would benefit from playing alongside another five-star wide receiver in Mike Matthews, which would force defenses to leave UT's top receivers in one-on-one situations.
(I'm sure Williams saw that dime Nico threw to Brazzell to beat Alabama in Neyland last October….surely Williams liked what he saw from Iamaleava.)
Williams is from Alabama, but so is Vols wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope. Perhaps the two can bond over their home state (by the way, Williams' dad played at Auburn, so it's not like there's a deep family connection to Bama that would get in the way).
I'm not suggesting that Tennessee should throw money at Williams while he's at Alabama, by the way. It's more that they should send out the message of "hey, if you enter the portal, you'll have a home here if you want it".
If Tennessee could pull off a stunner and bring Williams to Knoxville to team with Matthews, Staley, Carter, Brazzell and Nico, it would send shockwaves through college football. Who's stopping that offense?
Williams to Tennessee is almost certainly a pipe dream for Vols fans. But you never know until you try. And Tennessee would be foolish to not check in on Williams.
Surely he'd prefer to play with a former five-star quarterback who just led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff instead of…..well, actually we don't even know who will be throwing the ball in Tuscaloosa next season.
Williams to Tennessee would be a huge win for both sides.
New Vols analyst left a very non-football related career to join Tennessee’s coaching staff
Quite a career transition
