On Saturday, Tennessee football will head to Neyland Stadium for a closed scrimmage ahead of the 2025 season.
Afterward, the media will get the chance to speak with Vols head coach Josh Heupel to get an insight into what happened during the event.
Here are three things UT fans should hope Heupel says during the availability.
More From RTI: Star Cornerback Jermod McCoy Returns to Tennessee Football Practice with Some Restrictions
Offensive Line Holds Its Own
Tennessee’s defensive line has the talent and depth to be just as good as last season. The offensive line is nearly completely retooled, though. It would be a bit of a concerning sign if this new-look group got run off the field.
You want some give and take during scrimmages, but getting positive play from both tackles would be a huge benefit. Lance Heard is expected to take a significant jump and will need to prove it against UT’s impressive edge rushers as the lone returner. On the other side, true freshman David Sanders Jr. needs to show that he’s ready to go this early in his career.
On the interior, the center position is most interesting. With inexperienced quarterbacks, the Vols are going to have to get consistent play from the snapper. Whether it’s the transfer Sam Pendelton or the young William Satterwhite, having accurate snaps and a strong understanding of the offense will go a long way.
Jake Merklinger, Joey Aguilar Don’t Get Sloppy
One of the complaints Josh Heupel has had in past scrimmages is when things get sloppy, particularly on offense. With officials at the scrimmage calling the game, penalty flags can be a sign of a quarterback not having strong control of the offense at this point. Whether it is the quarterback or other positions, Tennessee can’t have the offense suffer from procedural penalties.
Outside of that, UT is going to want to see Jake Merklinger and Joey Aguilar be accurate in pass plays and find a way to hit on some explosives down the field. It doesn’t need to be perfect, but it would be concerning if it were far off from where it needs to be for both options, with just under a month until kickoff.
Don’t read too far into a dominant defensive day overall if that is the case, though. Tennessee is down multiple receivers and will be scratching thin on the depth chart for options through the air.
Young Talent Mixes in Seamlessly
Tennessee is going to have to use a good bit of young talent this season. Whether it is through true freshmen or players who are returning with little experience, first and second-year players are going to play a big role.
As Josh Heupel continues to repeat this offseason, ‘Young players don’t have time to be young.’
A few young players to keep in mind on defense are sophomore safety Edrees Farooq, redshirt freshman linebacker Edwin Spillman and freshmen defensive tackles Isaiah Campbell and Ethan Utley. On offense, look for the obvious second-year receivers in Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley, along with freshman tackle David Sanders Jr., sophomore running back Peyton Lewis and freshmen tight ends DaSaahn Brame and Jack Van Dorselaer.
