Tennessee football has lost over 20 players to the transfer portal, but the majority have been reserve pieces. One of the lone starters was left tackle Lance Heard, who just rounded out his second season in Knoxville.
Now, Heard has committed to Kentucky to stay inside the SEC, according to On3. This will be his third SEC school in his four-year college career. He started his tenure as a true freshman at LSU after being considered a five-star freshman out of high school.
This also means that Heard will return to Knoxville next season. Tennessee hosts the Wildcats on Nov. 7, 2026. The kick-off time and TV designation are yet to be determined. It will be just after a bye week for UT, as well, giving it an extra week to prepare for Will Stein in his first year.
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“Vol nation, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has been a part of my time at Tennessee,” Heard said in a statement. “Wearing Vol orange and white has been an incredible experience, and I’m truly grateful for all the lessons, memories and growth along the way.
“To the coaches and staff, my teammates, and all the fans who have shown love and support, thank you. Your encouragement has never gone unnoticed. After a lot of thought and prayer, I’ve decided to enter the transfer portal with eligibility remaining to explore new opportunities and to continue to develop as a player and as a person.
“Tennessee will always hold a special place in my journey, and I’m thankful for everything this program has given me. Thank you, Vol nation.”
In 2024, his first year as Tennessee’s starter, Heard struggled as he battled through injury. However, this past season, he was much improved, especially in pass protection, where he gave up just two sacks and 15 quarterback pressures.
Despite the improvement in the pass game, Heard was worse as a run blocker. Heard earned a 74.4 pass block and 69.8 run block grade according to PFF during his junior season.
