Tennessee football begins a new season younger than they have been at any other point in Josh Heupel’s tenure. When the Vols tee it up against Syracuse Saturday, there will be an abundance of new faces playing major snaps for Tennessee.
Here’s a look at the five players I’m most intrigued to watch for Tennessee in its opener against Syracuse in the Aflac Kickoff Game.
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QB Joey Aguilar
Let’s start with the obvious choice. Tennessee’s new starting quarterback has been on campus for just a few short months, but Josh Heupel and his staff are pleased with everything Aguilar has done to put himself in a position to be successful in his final collegiate season.
But the test gets much more real when live bullets are flying in games. Aguilar was great at Appalachian State in 2023. He struggled at Appalachian State a season ago. Which player does Aguilar look more like against a shaky Syracuse defense with a solid secondary?
Aguilar has the reputation of a gun slinger. Will Heupel trust him enough to call an aggressive game against a team Tennessee is more talented then? If Aguilar is aggressive, can he find a balance of creating big plays without turning the ball over too much?
WR Mike Matthews
Who Aguilar is going to throw the ball too is also a major question. Chris Brazzell is Tennessee’s most productive returning receiver and he had only 333 yards a season ago. The Vols have very little depth at receiver so some players will be force fed targets.
Matthews stepping up as the go-to receiver is the best case scenario option for Tennessee. A former five-star receiver, Matthews flashed at times in his freshman season. Tennessee needs him to take a major leap forward in his sophomore year.
Few things in this game could instill long term confidence for the 2025 Tennessee team like Matthews having a big game and looking like a true No. 1 receiver.
RT David Sanders
Sanders was perhaps the biggest recruiting win of Josh Heupel’s tenure with the Vols outlasting Ohio State to land the five-star offensive tackle. Since the day he arrived on campus, the expectation has been for him to start at right tackle opposite of Lance Heard.
Much like Aguilar, Sanders has done all he can to set himself up for success including adding 40 pounds since arriving on campus. But playing offensive tackle as a true freshman is a really tough task. The good news is Syracuse isn’t Georgia or Alabama. The challenge will get greater.
But my eyes will be on Sanders to see how he performs in this game. If the Charlotte native can be just solid then Tennessee’s offensive line should be better than a season ago.
LB Edwin Spillman
Spillman is the only player on this list that is not going to start against Syracuse. But he’s going to get major snaps in the opener. An injury cost Spillman most of his freshman season, but even when he returned against Vanderbilt and Ohio State, William Inge trusted him enough to play him.
The Nashville native is a physical monster and may have the highest long term ceiling of any linebacker on Tennessee’s roster. I’m excited to see what he looks like with a full offseason under his belt and playing major snaps.
I’m also curious to see how much Tennessee has Spillman rush the passer. Pass rush is at least a small question for this team and Spillman could be a spark there.
CB Colton Hood
This is a tough one. I almost went Rickey Gibson because I think the junior is going to have a breakout, All-SEC type season. But I’ve seen Rickey Gibson play in a Tennessee uniform. I can’t say the same about Colton Hood.
The Colorado transfer was a solid starter for the Buffs a season ago and impressed during Tennessee’s fall practice. Tennessee is down All-American corner Jermod McCoy early this season, they need Hood to step up and be a good starter while McCoy remains out.
Hood’s first task at Tennessee is a tough one with the Vols facing a Syracuse team that threw the ball more last season then any other team in the country.
