In an effort to get bigger, stronger, and faster, Tennessee made a splash move with its strength and conditioning program this offseason. The Vols hired Derek Owings as the head strength coach, who comes to Knoxville with a high pedigree and a sharp team. Owings has been with championship-winning head coach Curt Cignetti for the past six years and directed the Indiana Hoosiers’ strength department for the last two.
Owings’ opening message to the team hit loud and clear: “You cannot be soft when you’re going to war.” Those words opened a social media video that Tennessee quickly posted after Owings’ arrival and first workout with the team, setting the tone for the type of energy that he is bringing to the Vols’ program.
With the keys to the car in hand, Owings and his staff’s job is to elevate the Tennessee roster as the team goes through offseason workouts. According to Tennessee thousand-yard rusher DeSean Bishop, the Vols’ players are being put to the test.
Bishop was a guest on Thursday’s episode of The Mike Keith Show on YouTube as he discussed what the first few workouts of the Derek Owings era have been like.
“I would describe it as work,” Bishop said. “You know, lot different from last year. Been put through the fire a little bit. That’s exactly what we need. We believe that’s going to help us become the team we want to be. I’m looking forward to what else he has to offer for us.”
day one in the lab 🧪#GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/KS8Ze4vCcc
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) January 21, 2026
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Owings’ challenging workouts haven’t come without results in the past. While helping get Indiana’s players in the right shape for their run to the National Championship trophy, Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza gave Owings and his team credit for getting him in the right shape for the season.
“Coach Owings and the strength staff here got me up from I think 205, 210 to now a low of where I need to weigh in and weigh-ins every week at 225,” Mendoza said on The Pat McAfee Show in January. “With that, I’ve been able to put on good weight where I’m able to run and I’m able to still be fluid in my movements. Whenever the team needs me to run, I can always run.”
When Owings announced his departure from Indiana and his hiring at Tennessee, several of his former players at Indiana rushed to the comment section of his post on social media. Wide receiver Charlie Becker said that Tennessee got a “good one.” Defensive back Amare Ferrell said that Owings was the “best in the business.” Linebacker Isaiah Jones, defensive lineman CJ West, and defensive back Bryson Bonds all commented with the ‘goat’ emoji.
It’s a clear sign of the impact that Owings had on his former players, and the type of energy that he’s bringing to Rocky Top.
“Physical and mental toughness is paramount in everything we do year-round as a program,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said about the hiring. “No one understands this better at a championship level than Derek. He will elevate our strength and conditioning program with a relentless mindset and forge strong relationships with our players. He has a proven track record of utilizing modern training methods to maximize speed and strength, while specializing in injury prevention. He also understands what it takes to build an elite nutrition program to ensure our players are set up for on-field success and durability. We are thrilled to welcome Derek and his wife, Riley, to Rocky Top!”
every rep counts#GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/o89HNL6FWs
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) January 28, 2026
