KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the sixth straight year, Tennessee is off to a 1-0 start after downing Syracuse in its season opener last weekend in Atlanta. The No. 24/18 Vols will look to build off that success as they prepare for their first home game of the 2025 campaign this Saturday afternoon against East Tennessee State (3:30 p.m., SECN+/ESPN+).
Head coach Josh Heupel applauded his team’s effort in its 45-26 victory over the Orange but was quick to turn his attention to this weekend’s test against an in-state opponent in ETSU that is also coming off an impressive victory in its opening contest.
“Pleased with the win from Saturday, but today’s about how we get better and move forward,” Heupel said in his Monday afternoon press conference. “I thought the guys were good inside of our meetings and when we ultimately got on the field, too. I’m looking forward to a good week.
“ETSU, you look at how they performed on Saturday, a bunch of yards, a bunch of points, and they did some really good things on the defensive side of the ball too.”
UT’s offense came out firing against Syracuse, thanks in large part to the play of quarterback Joey Aguilar, who was extremely productive in his debut in Orange and White, finishing with 281 yards of total offense and three touchdowns on the day.
“I thought he was good in the decision-making and communication,” Heupel said of Aguilar’s performance. “I said that after the football game, (he was) super calm. I thought he used his feet at the right moment. Great demeanor throughout the course of the game. A lot to really like from it.”
The running game carried its fair share of the load, as well, churning out 246 yards while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. All three of Tennessee’s main running backs found the end zone in the win.
“The standard is the standard, and we’re all chasing perfection. We understand that it’s also not going to be attainable in this game, but you’re certainly chasing it, and we need to take a jump. That’s collectively as a team, by unit and certainly individuals as well. So, got to go approach the week the right way,” Heupel said when asked if the standard would have to be raised for this week’s game against the Bucs.
The full transcript from Heupel’s Monday press conference can be seen below.
Head Coach Josh Heupel Transcript (9.1.25)
Opening statement…
“Happy Labor Day. Looks like we’ve got a few that are missing. Anyways, we get a chance this week to open it up at home. You know, first experience for a bunch of our guys on game day inside of that stadium with a packed house and first Vol Walk. So, I look forward to seeing all of our fans. You know, pleased with the win from Saturday, but today’s about how we get better and moving forward. I thought the guys were good inside of our meetings, and when we ultimately got on the field too. I’m looking forward to a good week. ETSU, you look at how they performed on Saturday, a bunch of yards, a bunch of points, and they did some really good things on the defensive side of the ball too. So, constant growth from us. You guys heard me say it after the game on Saturday. This team has been good in their mindset and how they’ve approached every day. That will be critical this week too, for our entire team to take the jump.”
On the challenges of ETSU’s two quarterback system…
“Preparation of who they are and how they play, and, you know, subtleties of what we’re doing defensively. As a staff, how you want to call it a little bit different, but both of them play well.”
On the performance of QB Joey Aguilar in the season opener…
“I thought he was good in the decision-making and communication. I said that after the football game. Super calm, I thought he used his feet at the right moment. Great demeanor throughout the course of the game. A lot to really like from it.”
On if the standard raises going into game two…
“Nah, standard is the standard, and we’re all chasing perfection. We understand that it’s also not going to be attainable in this game, but you’re certainly chasing it, and we need to take a jump. That’s collectively as a team, by unit, and certainly individuals as well. So, got to go approach the week the right way.”
On the status of DL Jaxson Moi and DB Rickey Gibson III and his thoughts on the defensive tackle position’s depth…
“I like the guys that got more play than maybe anticipated early in the football game, and we’ve got some young guys that continue to get better and feel like they’re going to be able to play at a high level. Jaxson will be out this week. Hope to get him back quickly. So, in this game, guys have heard me say it, strength of a position group can’t be one guy. Everybody’s got to be ready and prepared to play when they get their call, and we got to continue to grow. Rickey [Gibson] will be out for an extended period. How long? I don’t have the exact timeline on that, but he’ll be out for an extended time.”
On how the defense takes the next step forward…
“It’s all 11 playing together. Some of our zone principles, playing those things out based off the route combinations the right way. Some of that’s alignment, some of that’s technique of the route patterns that they’re seeing. Pressure up front, getting home and forcing the quarterback to get rid of it, all those things play a part of it. Third and long, fourth down, we got to do a better job getting off the field.”
On the performance of OL Jesse Perry…
“Yeah, it is difficult playing multiple positions. Jesse [Perry] moving outside, going from left to right. I think it’s a credit to our staff in preparing these guys, not just during training camp, but during the course of the summer, since they’ve been here the entire offseason, where they do feel comfortable to have time on task, have repped in those spots, and have grown. And then it’s certainly a credit to the guys that are playing the position to be able to handle that volume and workload.”
On what he liked specifically to trust OL Shamurad Umarov to put him in at left guard in the opener…
“You know, from the time he’s got here, he’s done a great job. Continuing to grow and I’m just saying on the physical side of it, in the best shape, ability to move, since he’s gotten here. He did a great job doing the course of our winter, spring and summer. A guy that continues to invest mentally understanding the game, fundamentally continues to get better. He’s performed at a really high level, you know, through spring ball and during training camp where we had great trust and belief in him. I’m not sure there’s anybody that’s more excited when they come out to the practice field than Sham. The guy loves football, loves his teammates, gives everything that he’s got, every single day, and that’s been a huge factor in his growth from the time they got here.”
On the moment with players and his kids after victory with the Aflac Kickoff helmet as a father and liking the players as people…
“Yeah, cool moment for me as a dad to be up there, with him and him be a part of it and uh the way our guys, you know, take him into being a part of our team too is something that’s really special and you know, for me as a kid, I remember those days too, and those are huge memories that I still have and I’m excited that he gets to be a part of it, our whole family. I think if you watch, you know, how we try to incorporate our families into anything that we can do, you know, after practice, Tuesdays and Wednesdays there’s a bunch of wives and a bunch of baby strollers. You know get a chance to go have lunch with their dads after practice and Vol walk. I think it’s important, you know, not just talking about family, but actually living those things out and I think it’s important for players see that too.”
On QB Joey Aguilar scanning the field and his ability in going through progressions with his late arrival post spring ball…
“I think that’s always something that you know quarterbacks like have to grow in, right? And for us, not having any time on task on the practice field or in the meeting room with him, you want to see those things, you know, play out in real life and he’s smart, his ability to retain information one day to the next where we’re first doing installs with him. Our entire quarterback staff did an elite job of helping him grow really quickly. Once you get to training camp, his ability to recall and, you know, really not make the same mistake twice, understand the ‘why?’ behind things, led you to believe that he was gonna be able to execute at a really high level. I thought, you know, when game one new offense, three months on task, he did an elite job of controlling and understanding what was going on around him.”
On growth of OC/QB coach Joey Halzle since being on his staff…
“Yeah, I think Joey’s done a great job. You know, leading our offensive staff. The stability that we’ve had on that side of the football has been a key component to us to continue to grow and, you know, our teaching patterns to our players, in our concepts and adjustments on game day. Coach (Glenn) Elarbee, ( Kelsey) Pope, (Alec) Abeln, (De’Rail) Sims has been here for a couple of years now. I think all of that has been a huge help to our growth offensively. Joey’s done a tremendous job as quarterback coach, but offensive coordinator, organization, and helping us continue to find ways to attack defenses.”
On DB Colton Hood showing secondary can still be successful after injuries…
“Next guy is up. Colton’s performed at a really high level from day one getting here. He’s smart, has had position flexibility. He learned multiple spots from when he first got here. Super consistent in his competitive makeup every day in the meeting room and on the practice field. A guy that has had some time on the field, but has continued to grow at a really high level since he first got here. Great teammate, great player and nobody in our building is surprised that he played extremely well on Saturday. I continue to expect big things from him as we go throughout the course of the season.”
On the success of former Heupel assistants as head coaches…
“I think leadership roles are about helping people grow. For me, the first group of people that I have to take care of is our players and ultimately, you guys will ask the question after the draft, you want guys to be able to reach and fulfill their dreams. That’s players playing at an elite level here and then have an opportunity to go on. It’s the same thing with your staff. You want them to have the opportunity to grow and take the next step in their careers too. And I’m super excited about the success that our guys have had as they’ve gone and taken head jobs.”
On if he was surprised with freshman DB Ty Redmond’s performance against Syracuse..
“I’m not surprised. It’s how he’s performed throughout the course of training camp, but his growth during spring ball too. Smart football player, has great length, the ability to bend. Fundamentals and technique have continued to grow. He’s a guy that is very smart and understands the scope of what we’re doing and then what offenses are doing as well. That’s situational football, it’s splits. He’s a really smart, competitive, talented young player that has a great future in front of him.”
On evaluating wide receivers against Syracuse and if they showed any rust…
“Chris (Brazzell II) missed the first half of training camp. Braylon (Staley) played extremely well early and missed the 10 days in the middle of it. Mike (Matthews) got back pretty quickly. Not surprised in how they played or performed. Those guys have been super diligent and consistent in how they’ve tried to grow since they got here in January, the time that we had with them during spring ball, through the course of the summer. And for each of them, different times as far as when they were available during training camp, but all performed at a really high level. I thought they did an elite job on Saturday.”
