Perhaps the biggest criticism of Josh Heupel during his Tennessee football tenure has been of his style of play translating to the NFL for members of his offense. Especially with the early struggles for Jalin Hyatt in his pro career after winning the Biletnikoff Award with the Vols, other coaches have used it to negatively recruit UT.
This statement from a former Alabama quarterback of all people could shut that down, though. Bryce Young, the current starter for the Carolina Panthers, was asked about his rookie receiver and former Vol, Chris Brazzell. In response, he said that you’d think he has been in a pro-style system throughout his whole life.
“For me, watching his film, you could see the talent, you could see the potential,” Heupel said. “I was curious. Do a lot of great things at Tennessee. It’s not a ton you would think transfers where you can just be like we can take this play and where is this in our playbook.
“I think that’s just one of the reasons I’ve been so impressed. You would’ve thought he’d been in a pro-style system throughout his whole life. He’s coming in understanding splits, understanding landmarks, understanding route timings, route tempos. Where to be at the right time. He’s playing with extension. I’ve been super impressed with the professionalism, the ability to learn stuff, the ability for everything to translate.”
Bryce Young has high praise for Chris Brazell:
“You would’ve thought he’d been in a pro style system throughout his whole life… I’ve been super impressed with the professionalism, the ability to learn stuff, the ability for everything to translate.”#KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/EMYAaOxTgl
— SleeperPanthers (@SleeperCarolina) June 9, 2026
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The comments from Young mostly speak about what Brazzell is as a player, but it also sheds some light on the changes Tennessee has made. When Young played the Vols in 2021 and 2022, it was Heupel’s first two years leading the Vols. However, since then, the offense has seen drastic changes.
Particularly, this past year in 2025, there were principles of the up-tempo and wide-split offense Heupel is known for, but it was a much more pro-style system. The result was the return of a dynamic offense and possibly the death of the narrative that has hurt Tennessee on the recruiting trail at times.
Even with the negative recruiting teams have used, the Vols haven’t had much issue landing top receiving talent, though. In 2024, Tennessee landed five-star Mike Matthews and future SEC Freshman of the Year Braylon Staley. In 2025, the Vols added a pair of four-stars and a three-star. Now, in 2026, UT picked up five-star TK Keys and a local four-star at receiver.
