Tennessee's Josh Heupel is nailing a key aspect of the Vols' offseason and he's not receiving nearly enough credit for it
There's been a lot of discussion over the last month about the Tennessee Vols' approach to the NCAA transfer portal. Tennessee has added just four players to their roster via the portal while losing 15 players to the portal (247Sports recently gave Tennessee's transfer portal efforts a C). At first glance, those numbers look damning. But […]
There's been a lot of discussion over the last month about the Tennessee Vols' approach to the NCAA transfer portal.
Tennessee has added just four players to their roster via the portal while losing 15 players to the portal (247Sports recently gave Tennessee's transfer portal efforts a C).
At first glance, those numbers look damning. But numbers, of course, aren't always what they seem.
The Vols lost a couple of players to the portal that would've received playing time in 2025, but they didn't lose any key starters. The players that Tennessee lost to the portal would've been, at best, depth options or rotational players in 2025. It would be nice to have those players on the roster, but it's not like Tennessee lost their starting quarterback, top receivers, or top defensive players.
Keeping the bulk of the roster in tact is quite an accomplishment in this current age of college football.
In 2025, it doesn't matter how strong a program's culture is — the portal is coming for your top players. And since money talks, it's a battle every offseason for a team to keep its best players.
Just consider the fact that Ohio State, the national champs, had to fight to keep two of its best players — wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and wide receiver Carnell Tate — from entering the transfer portal due to overtures from other programs.
If the national champs are having to fend off other programs, then it's clear that no one's roster in the sport is "safe".
That's why it was massive for Heupel and the Vols to find a way to keep wide receiver Mike Matthews and defensive back Boo Carter in Knoxville. It was also big to sign five-star offensive lineman David Sanders Jr after Ohio State made a late push to swipe the coveted recruit.
And the fact that we didn't even hear a peep about players like star cornerback Jermod McCoy (his torn ACL, which happened after his portal window closed, notwithstanding) entertaining the idea of entering the portal was huge for Tennessee. The same goes for linebacker Arion Carter, wide receivers Braylon Staley and Chris Brazzell, tight end Ethan Davis, quarterback Nico Iamaleava, and, well, basically everyone else on the roster that didn't leave.
Keeping the roster mostly in tact is a huge deal for Tennessee. And it's something that not every program in the nation can claim.
It's not just retaining players this offseason that was important for the Vols.
Keeping the coaching staff in tact is also a big deal for Heupel.
Specifically, keeping defensive coordinator Tim Banks was massive.
Banks has done an incredible job for the Vols since arriving on Rocky Top in early 2021. Tennessee's defense has steadily improved during each season of his tenure (the Vols had the No. 7 scoring defense in the nation in 2024).
Losing Banks could've meant a signifcant coaching staff overhaul on the defensive side of the ball — which wouldn't have been ideal for Tennessee.
Heupel, however, was able to keep Banks at Tennessee despite interest from other programs.
Meanwhile, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day lost his defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles, to Penn State, a conference rival.
Sustaining success is harder than ever in college football thanks to the transfer portal, NIL deals, and massive coaching salaries. Even winning a national championship doesn't make a program immune to the threat of rapid attrition.
Heupel, however, is doing a tremendous job of navigating these increasingly volatile waters.
It hasn't been perfect, and it likely never will be, but Heupel should be getting a lot more credit for the incredible stability he's brought to Tennessee's football program in an era where it's harder than ever to create stability.
