KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A pair of Tennessee football defensive standouts were recognized Wednesday afternoon as preseason watch list members for two national awards. Arion Carter was tabbed to the 2025 preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, while Jermod McCoy was selected to the 2025 preseason watch list for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award.
 
The Butkus Award annually honors the nation’s top linebacker. The Butkus Foundation announced 51 candidates on their preseason watch list, including Carter who was one of 18 SEC linebackers featured.

The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is awarded to the best defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability and character. McCoy was one of 35 players included on the award’s preseason watch list and one of five SEC players recognized.

Arion Carter • Butkus Award Preseason Watch List
Carter returns for his junior season after starting all 13 games at linebacker in 2024 and leading UT with 68 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for loss. The in-state product also had six pass breakups and an interception to go along with three quarterback hurries as a sophomore to help lead the Big Orange to their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance.

After representing the Vols at SEC Media Days in mid-July, Carter was chosen by the media as a third team preseason All-SEC selection. He also garnered All-SEC second team preseason acclaim from Athlon Sports.

Butkus Award semi-finalists will be named Tuesday, Nov. 4. Finalists are set to be announced Tuesday, Nov. 25, and the winner will be revealed by Wednesday, Dec. 10. Appearing on the watch list is not a requirement to win the award. The 2025 winner will be honored at a ceremony at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium in early 2026, featured on a Big Ten Network special.

Jermod McCoy • Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List
McCoy enters the year widely regarded as one of the nation’s top corners after earning first team All-SEC recognition as well as second team All-America honors from the Associated Press and Sports Illustrated last season. He finished third on the team with 44 total tackles and led the team with 13 passes defended, which ranked fourth in the conference. He also tied for the team lead with four interceptions in 2024, two of which occurred in the end zone and prevented touchdowns.

Entering this season, McCoy had already been recognized as a first-team preseason All-American by multiple outlets and was named an All-SEC preseason first-team selection by the media after being tabbed a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award in 2024. On Tuesday, he was additionally tabbed to the Nagurski Trophy watch list.
 
Fifteen semifinalists for the 2025 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award will be announced Tuesday, Oct. 28, and that list will be narrowed to three finalists on Tuesday, Nov. 25. The winner will be announced Friday, Dec. 12, on the ESPN live presentation of The Home Depot College Football Awards at 7 p.m. ET.
 
The official presentation of the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award takes place in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. The current winner and all former winners are invited each year to celebrate. Over 600 supporters attend the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Banquet each year, including many celebrities and dignitaries.

2025 Tennessee Football Preseason Honors

Head Coach Josh Heupel
Dodd Trophy Watch List
 
DeSean Bishop, RB, R-So.
Fourth Team All-SEC (Athlon)
 
Arion Carter, LB, Jr.
Butkus Award Watch List
Second Team All-SEC (Athlon)
Third Team All-SEC (Media)
 
Boo Carter, DB, So.
Third Team All-SEC (Media)
Fourth Team All-SEC (Athlon)
 
Bryson Eason, DL, R-Sr.
Allstate/AFCA Good Works Team Nominee
Third Team All-SEC (Athlon)
 
Rickey Gibson III, DB, Jr.
Third Team All-SEC (Athlon)
 
Lance Heard, OL, Jr.
Fourth Team All-SEC (Athlon)
 
Joshua Josephs, DL, Sr.
Second Team All-SEC (Athlon)
 
Miles Kitselman, TE, R-Sr.
Fourth Team All-SEC (Athlon)
 
Jermod McCoy, DB, Jr.
Nagurski Trophy Watch List
Jim Thorpe Award Watch List
Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
First Team All-American (Athlon, PFF, Walter Camp)
First Team All-SEC (Athlon, Media)
 
Jackson Ross, P, R-Jr.
Fourth Team All-SEC (Athlon)

• Banks Press Conference
• Halzle Press Conference
• Heupel Press Conference

Football July 29, 2025

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel, defensive coordinator Tim Banks and offensive coordinator Joey Halzle, as well as select players met with members of the media Tuesday on the eve of preseason football camp practice.

The Volunteers will practice three times over the next four days beginning Wednesday morning. Practice is closed to the public. Heupel praised the team’s leadership council on a journey that began in January and continued through summer workouts.

“I love the leadership and the accountability piece of what we have inside of our building,” Heupel said. “The challenge is to continue to grow that throughout the course of the season. You get into day-to-day, inside of football, sometimes that can take a step back if you’re not intentional on it. I think it’s really important as young guys come into your program, the older guys are essentially being a big brother to those guys and helping them grow and understand what it takes to be successful at this level, what it takes to be a Tennessee Volunteer.”

Heupel and Halzle have been through numerous quarterback battles throughout the different stages of their careers. They both spoke on the one that will take place during camp featuring Jake Merklinger, George MacIntyre and transfer Joey Aguilar.

“I think that’s important for your team to see, but ultimately the strength of one position could never be one guy,” Heupel said. “We’ve sat in rooms with three guys that ultimately went on to the NFL all at one time that were all at one point competing for a job. I think it’s important that they handle it the right way. All three of those guys have done an elite job of competing and pushing each other throughout the course of the summer. They’ve helped each other through the journey of the summer, and I think that’s going to be important as we get into training camp too.”

“Whoever steps on the field with them will have earned that job,” Halzle added. “That is why you never hear Coach Heupel or myself saying, ‘By this date, we will announce a guy.’ Someone has to take it. Someone has to step up and take it and prove it.”

Quotes from Heupel, Halzle and Banks are below: 

Head Coach Josh Heupel

Opening statement…
“Great to be back. (I’m) excited to get to training camp with these guys, the next phase of us preparing ourselves for football. I can’t wait to get out on the field with these guys tomorrow. (I’m) excited and proud of the work that they’ve put in. You start this journey as they come back in January through your winter, spring and summer. I’m proud of what we have done and what our players have done, the leadership that we have inside of our locker room and now it’s about taking the next step and taking steps every single day – competing to be our best individually and collectively as a group. We’ve got great leadership on this team. I know at some point I’m going to get a question about Boo [Carter], so I’m going to address that right now. Boo is a part of our team here. There are some things that he has to accomplish to get back on the field with us. I don’t have a set timeline on that. Our leadership council has been a part of those things, those discussions with me and with Boo. I’m proud of what they have done. They care for and love Boo and want him to be his best, too. Through this, I think Boo sees that as well. At the end of the day, us collectively continuing to grow here through the course of training camp. I will be the one who will handle and take questions on Boo, and that’s today and here throughout the beginning part of training camp as well. I’m proud of how our team has handled those things and ultimately will handle those things internally. I’m not going to get into details on everything. So, I’m excited to roll. You guys are going to get a chance to hear from some of our staff and players today, but everybody in the building is ready to go for tomorrow.”

On how much he’s communicated with Boo Carter this month and his policy with players and voluntary summer workouts…
“At the end of the day, it’s a requirement to be here and be a part of what we’re doing. There’s a lot of information out there in the world, some of it’s correct, some of it’s not. I’m not going to address everything. Over the last week, we were disappointed with how some things were handled. At the end of the day, you have a conversation, ‘what does it look like moving forward?’, and that’s all parties. That’s our leadership council, Boo [Carter] and our staff. It’s not about what yesterday was. it’s about today and we’ll see as we continue to progress where that leads us.” 

On if he always consults with his leadership council regarding decisions that involve disciplining a player…
“I think always is probably a stronger word than I would say. ‘Always’, my wife would tell you, would get me into trouble. I think each situation is unique. I think in leadership it’s important that you step back and try to look at it from different angles, as well. Ultimately, in this case, we had conversations with multiple parties.” 

On what gives him confidence that his leadership council will welcome back Boo Carter with open arms…
“The guys on leadership council, I know it’s true in the locker room too, they care about the person. They care and love for him and want him to be his best. I think that starts in life through the conversations we’ve had with him and then that parlays itself onto the football side of it as well. So, I’m not worried about the chemistry. At the end of the day, there are standards that we all have to meet and that’s everybody in the building. When somebody fails in that, whether they get another chance or not, each situation is different, but ultimately Boo [Carter] has to meet those standards here as we move forward.” 

On one thing he wants to see out of the team throughout fall camp as they head into the season opener vs. Syracuse in Atlanta…
“I’m not sure how many days it is until kickoff, but it’s going to approach fast. Being where your feet are at I think is really important here through training camp. Through that, if you are where your feet are at, you’re going to drain everything out of it. That’s on the practice field, it’s in the meeting room, it’s recovery – all the things that ultimately go into them being their best. Collectively, if you do that, you’re going to take big steps forward. Every team in the country at this point has got to take big steps. I’m excited to start that on-field part of that tomorrow with our guys.” 

On the quarterback competition and if he prefers for the potential starter to arise sooner than later…
“Yeah, sure. Absolutely. It gives you more time to build continuity or whatever it might be. At the end of the day, I think it’s really important, you guys heard me say that at (SEC) Media Days that somebody has to go earn it. It’s not in one throw. It’s not on one day. The consistency of who you are, the growth of who you are and how you continue to grow from practice to practice. I think it’s important the staff sees that, but most importantly your players see that as well.” 

On Boo Carter’s current status and what he has to do to get back on the field…
“I’m not getting into all the details of everything. He’s here. He’s with us. Each day we’ll figure out what comes next.” 

On if his playing experience at quarterback impacts how he handles the quarterback competition…
“I think the communication side of it, it impacts it a great deal whether that’s me as a player going through different quarterback battles and at different stages of my career having quarterback battles. The playing experience, the transparency of it, communicating together with all of those guys when they got back from the summer, they understood this isn’t something that’s going to be decided in June. It’s not going to be decided in July. You have to go earn it and take it during the course of training camp. Everything that you do is a part of who you are as a player, but also how you’re impacting and ultimately making 10 guys around you better too. As we go through training camp those conversations will be had collectively with the group as well so that they can see that it’s transparent, it’s real and there’s no misinformation.” 

On the last time he had a quarterback competition and center competition going on at the same time…
“I think it’s important that they are competitive with themselves first and foremost. Are you competing with the guys in the room? Absolutely. How that drives you on a day-to-day basis I think is the most important thing. That’s true in June and July. It will be true in the course of training camp. I think it’s really important that collectively you do it in the right manner where you’re helping, encouraging and supporting each other too, in a positive way. I think that’s important for your team to see, but ultimately the strength of one position could never be one guy. We’ve sat in rooms with three guys that ultimately went on to the NFL all at one time that were all at one point competing for a job. I think it’s important that they handle it the right way. These few guys, with George [MacIntyre], Joey [Aguilar] and [Merk] Jake Merklinger, all three of those guys have done an elite job of competing and pushing each other throughout the course of the summer. They’ve grown. They’re at different stages in their careers as far as eligibility, years on task, inside of our program, what we’re doing offensively. They’ve helped each other through the journey of the summer, and I think that’s going to be important as we get into training camp too.” 

On how Jake Merklinger and George MacIntrye are approaching the quarterback competition compared to their mindset previously…
“Well, George [MacIntrye] just getting in here in December for playoff prep, leading into spring ball – I thought of those guys collectively as a group, as a pair, supported each other through the learning curve, and that can be mistakes that you made when you first got to campus, it can be on the detail of a play. You can see those guys helping each other inside of the meeting room, asking a lot of questions. So, I think that’s been really positive, and I just want to continue to see that as we go through training camp.”

On junior cornerback Jermod McCoy’s injury status…
“There’s no timetable on him. There’s benchmark things that he’s got to accomplish within our training room to move on to the next phase of it. He’s handled it really well from the very beginning, just his mindset and how he’s approached every single day. He’s done a really good job throughout the course of the summer. Periodically, you can see his drills, movement, explosive type drills that he’s doing change based on his rehab protocol. He’s handled it extremely well, and as we go through training camp, there will be progression. How his body responds to some of those things will kind of dictate the time period of when he’s available for us.”

On the role that experience plays in the center competition…
“Yeah, I don’t think you can solely look at the experience of the player. Otherwise, your young guys are never going to get an opportunity to get any experience. The ability to communicate at a really high level, get all five guys on the same page, pass protection, run game, the ability to snap it accurately and efficiently, the ability to play with fundamentals and technique. End of the day, (for the) offensive line, you have to get to the best five guys on the field that are going to go operate as one. That’s what we have an opportunity to do. We have competition, and I’m looking forward to see that unfold as we get started.”

On the importance of junior OL Lance Heard heading into fall camp…
“He’s a lot different physically, just in what his body looks like, his ability to move. A year ago, he got nicked up multiple times early in the season – training camp and early part of the season. I think that limited his ability to grow as a really young player who only had one fall before he had gotten here. He wasn’t a mid-year enrollee either. I think all of that has led to him really growing throughout the course of spring. He’s done a great job during the course of the summer and now we got to go take it to the field here in fall.”

On the jump that cornerback Rickey Gibson III has made this offseason…
“Rickey did a lot of really good things last year at a really high level. Physically, he has done a good job at the continuing to add weight to his frame. The detail of his fundamentalsm, technique and then understanding of our scheme has continued to jump. I expect him to play at a really high level. Obviously, we’ve got some competition on the back end as well and I’m excited to see that unfold.”

On the possibility of using Boo Carter offensively…
“We’re going to take it slow here in the beginning and we’ll figure out where we’re at as we get deeper into camp.”

On the growth of the offensive line this summer…
“(We had) an influx of some high school guys into the offensive line room, a couple of transfers in there. (We’re) seeing those guys connect and challenge each other inside of the meeting room. That certainly takes place as you get out on the practice field or in the weight room, too.  So, I think the group has continued to grow close, the connection and continuity that they have in that room, that allows you to challenge and demand things of the guys around you, too, in a positive way. I think all of those you’ve seen a lot of growth from even where we were when we started spring ball, finished spring ball. (There’s) better leadership inside of that room. So, I’m excited to see those guys get on the field and compete.”

On the leadership council and program standards in the age of the transfer portal…
“Yeah, what it takes to be successful on a Saturday afternoon or evening, hasn’t changed, right? You get between the white lines, the game has not changed. Outside of it, there’s been dramatic changes over the last four or five years. The standards of who we got to be and how we compete and grow together as a team, that can’t change. Earlier on I mentioned I love the leadership and the accountability piece of what we have inside of our building. The challenge is to continue to grow that throughout the course of the season. You get into day-to-day, inside of football, sometimes that can take a step back if you’re not intentional on it. I think it’s really important as young guys come into your program, the older guys are essentially being a big brother to those guys and helping them grow and understand what it takes to be successful at this level, what it takes to be a Tennessee Volunteer.  I think we’ve built a group of guys inside of that team room that care about each other.”

On the value of transfer DB Colton Hood…
“He’s smart. He’s accountable. He’s really mature. He’s got some leadership traits that I think as he’s here will continue to show up more and more each day, each block of our season and ultimately our offseason. He’s got position flexibility, and he’s got great understanding of the game. He retains information really well and he’s played, and he’s got experience. He came in here learning what it takes to be a Vol, what does a great teammate look like here? I’m excited to see him continue to grow on the field and off the field inside of this program.”

On what he hopes the identity of the team will be by the end of camp…
“Leadership, accountability and then we get to playing. The effort and attitude that we approach every day with. The consistency of ultimately what our fans are going to see on Saturdays. But to do that, you’ve got to be consistent every single day. So, that’s where I expect from our guys and what I think I’m going to get.”

On Tennessee’s talented young wide receivers….
“Young guys don’t have time to be young. That’s been one of the things that we’ve talked about as a program since we got back in January. Our coaches are responsible for that, our players are too. Guys that are vets inside those position rooms. I really like the guys that we have inside of the wide receiver room. That’s athletic traits, playmaking ability, their attention to detail. (I’m) excited to see that room continue to grow throughout the course of training camp and really through the season as young guys continue to get better.”

Tennessee Defensive Coordinator Tim Banks

On the addition of cornerback Colton Hood….
“We’re excited about [Colton] Hood to say the least. I think it just starts with the process of getting to know him. He’s extremely competitive. He’s a kid who understands there is a process to everything that you do, and he’s really working at it. I think he has fit in with our guys in our group. He’s super hungry, but he’s really smart. Like I said, just a competitive nature that he brings to the room. Obviously, he has to do it here at the University of Tennessee. Based on everything we have seen this summer, again, how he’s fit in with everybody. I heard he has worked. We have no doubt that he will be able to help us in some capacity.”

On how he is going to manage the secondary room with the young guys and uncertainty at positions…
“I think that’s one of the things that we have prided ourselves in. Teaching guys, not just how to play defensive back, but every position in terms of whether it’s a STAR, whether it’s a safety, whether it’s a corner spot. Obviously, guys have unique skill sets that you try to play to their strengths. You mention [Kaleb] Beasley, he’s definitely had a chance to play some STAR in the spring. He’s also played some safety. We think he’s a guy who brings great versatility to the position, but we’re mixing a lot of guys there if we are being honest and being frank. We are excited about, you mentioned, Colton Hood, you talk about Jalen McMurray, even William Wright. We have had numerous guys that have had some reps at that spot, so it’s our job right now, between Coach Willie Martinez and Coach Earnest Thomas III. Those guys will figure out to put the best guy in the best spot to be the most valuable they can be to this team.”

On the other guys in the linebacker room besides Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander…
“I think the first guy that comes to mind is Edwin Spillman. Spillman had a really good spring for us. He’s exactly what we are looking for in terms of understanding the standards and living by it day-by-day. Just the way he comes to work everyday. He’s got great leadership skills. Another guy, Jordan Burns has gotten significantly better over the past year and a half. We are excited about those guys. Brenden Anes showed some things as well during spring. He’s a guy that has a great combination of size and athleticism. Then obviously, we have got a couple of young guys between Jaedon Harmon and Jadon Perlotte, so obviously, we are going to be young there but from a talent perspective we are probably even deeper than we have been in the past just off pure talent.”

On when he knows to dedicate a player to a specific position rather than move him around…
“That’s a great question. We have obviously had, from right after the season to weightlifting, right before spring ball, you start going through installs and things of that nature. You obviously have spring, then you have the summer ball. Then, obviously, we are going into fall camp, so we have had some moments to be able to teach and evaluate. Obviously as the bullets start to fly and start to put more on their plate, you get a better idea of who can handle what, and who obviously needs to be at what position. I think that’s always a work in progress, but we have got some really resilient kids, extremely smart kids and very competitive kids. Those guys want the challenge. They want opportunities to play multiple spots, but again, at some point we will obviously figure out who is best at what. We will go from there.”

On if it is a luxury to bring back the experience on the defensive Line…
“We are excited about them. We feel like we have built a really good culture around here, and it’s refreshing that guys want to be a part of it. Our front, we have a lot of guys that haven’t played a lot. We do have some key figures that have played a lot of snaps, significant snaps, so it’s up to those guys to continue to move the needle, so to speak, and bring those other guys along. It’s been awesome, but I think that’s a tribute to the culture we have built here on defense and what Coach Heupel has done overall as a team.”

On how he prepares his guys for fall camp…
” We like to think we have been working at it again since spring ball. Understanding what was ahead of us. Understanding how fast this thing comes, but it’s not hard. These kids love ball. They love football. They are excited about it. They can’t wait to get down there. If anything, it’s us trying to slow them down a little bit. Not trying to get it all done in one day, but that’s what you want as a coach. You want guys that are eager and excited about the opportunity, but it’s been fun. It really is. Like I said, we have a really good mix of older guys with a lot of talented young guys new to the program, but the way these guys hit the ground running since spring ball. I know they can’t wait to get going and neither can we.” 

On Edwin Spillman’s blitzing technique…
“All those linebackers want to pressure and blitz, so I’m not surprised he said that. There’s a lot of them saying the same thing, but they’ll get their opportunities. We’re a pressure team, and we want athletic linebackers that can win one-on-ones. He’s definitely worked his tail off in the spring to kind of sharpen some of the technique and the fundamentals that come with being a great pass rusher. It’s exciting. You want guys that believe in themselves and that are confident. Obviously, showing it in practice day in and day out. It would be the proof in the pudding.”

On why Jeremiah Telander and Arion Carter have been so good at pushing each other…
“Those guys are just uberly competitive. They want to win. Just watch these young guys, how they have matured over the last couple of years, and that’s what you want. You want your linebackers to be the tip of the spear. Guys that can lead. Guys that are high communicators, and both of those guys have that. You look at Telander, he’s a coach’s kid. That’s what you expected. That’s what you expect. Obviously with Arion, the amount of snaps he has played, he’s earned that right. Both of those guys have been outstanding since, again, spring ball and even before that. You talk about the fourth quarter workouts. Those guys have been tremendous leaders and great ambassadors for our program. I think both of those guys are primed for great years, and just because of the energy and the work that they put in, they can’t help but lead. The guys are following.”

On what Joshua Josephs and Caleb Herring need to do to take the next step in their careers…
“I think for Josh, it’s just continuing to do what he’s been doing. He’s been extremely good for us in the run game. When you go back and you watch the cut ups, and you see how valuable he was in the run game. We kind of felt that way, but to get proof of concept is another thing. He did it in spades for us. I think as he just continues to be the vocal leader. I think when he got here, I think Josh would tell you, he was quiet and kind of to himself, but you see him being a lot more vocal and a lot more to the point with the younger guys. It’s only helped us. You mentioned Caleb Herring, I think for Caleb, it’s just staying healthy and he’s worked his tail off to do his part for it. So far it’s been great. We feel really blessed to have both of those guys, and we are clearly expecting big things from both of those guys, high returns.”

On what tells him this year’s defense can be better than last years…
“Not to be cliche about it, but we look at every year as a new year. I think that’s why we have been able to build a culture the way we have built it. We don’t necessarily talk a lot about what we did last year, or where we need to go as a unit because it’s a different team. There are obviously some things that you look at statistically, where you can be better. You ask yourself, is it scheme? Is it personnel? How can we be better as coaches? But to a man, those guys understand this is a new year, and I think because we have that starting fresh, starting over, adhering to the process and working step by step and day by day to get better. I think that’s always helped us in a way we have been able to grow just because we know no sacks, no interceptions or no tackle for losses will pay dividends this year. Those guys understand that. I think that’s why we have been good.”

On what the next step for Rickey Gibson III is….
“You just watch Rickey’s confidence grow throughout the course of the season last year. It was no different during spring ball. He’s got a great quiet confidence about him. It was always a thought that he could do it, but for him to do it and do it at the level he did. I think it only breeds confidence for him, and again, when you play on that back end confidence is everything. I think even a younger corner seeing how he goes about his business has only helped that room. I think for him, he’s gotten a lot stronger. He’s really paid the price in the weight room and off the field with all the things he needed to do to be a stronger defensive back, and I think you will see that coming to fruition in terms of how he plays. Just be able to see the strength of which he plays with. I think he’s just scratching the surface if I’m being honest. I think he can be even better, and I know he wants to be. He has continued to work at it.” 

On self-scouting and where he wants to improve from year two to year three…
“I think for us, when you look at the self-scout, it always comes down to are we playing winning football. What do we need to do to win? I think at the end of the day, whether you are talking about our first year here or three years after that, we have always tried to play to the strength of our players, first and foremost. Put those guys into the best situation to be successful, and as you evaluate, you ask yourself, did you do that? We’ve felt like we did that in a lot of ways. There’s obviously some things we think that we can still be better at, whether you are talking about first and 10 defense or whether you are talking about continuing to be even better in the redzone. Again, as good as you are, when you look at that tape, like man, if we had just executed a little bit better here, we will be even better. I don’t know that there’s some real big action items outside of just continuing to grow and make sure we identify who we are from a personnel group. Now the next question is how do we play to their strengths and put these guys in the best situation to play winning football.” 

On his expectations of Andre Turrentine for the season and leading the team…
“I know we mentioned Arion [Carter]. We mentioned [Jeremiah] Telander. I put Andre in that same conversation. He’s been awesome from a leadership perspective. He’s definitely been a voice in that room. He’s got a great work ethic. I think his body has changed. I think he has gotten stronger. I know he has got stronger. We’ll see him continue to play with even greater confidence. Last year, I think, was his first year fully starting a whole year, and he did a lot of really good things for us but as we watched the tape and some of the private conversations we have had. I think he understands there’s still some meat on the bone, and some things that he can do better. Where he is right now, today, as a leader, has been outstanding. He’s what you are looking for. He’s a kid that gets it. You talk about being able to play to strengths and scheme-wise. He’s a kid that can digest it and be able to articulate it. He’s one of the guys you can kick the scheme around to, and if he doesn’t understand it then it’s a good chance nobody will understand it. He’s kind of been the sounding board for us as a coaching staff in the backend.”

On what growth he has seen from Edrees Farooq…
“Really good. Edrees has always been a hundred miles an hour guy. Great physicality. He’s a guy that’s selfless. That, again, embodies what we want to be on defense. We are excited. He had a really good spring for us. It was consistent. He worked on some of the things that he felt like he needed, that we identified that he needed to work on coming out of last fall. He addressed it. We are really excited about him, like we really are. I think he will be what Andre [Turrentine] is, in terms of being a guy that is super sharp and able to communicate the defense. We think he is cut from that same cloth. He just needs the opportunities. As long as he continues to do what he did in the spring, he will have those opportunities.”

On how Arion Carter can take the next step and where he might have improved…
“I think just being more vocal. Not being afraid to hold guys accountable. It’s been awesome. That can be extremely uncomfortable for people in general and when you talk about young people, but he has really embraced that role. I think his body has changed a little bit. He’s noticeably bigger and stronger. We are definitely looking forward to seeing a guy with that type of instinct, that type of grasp on the defense. Now that size and combination of power, just seeing what it looks like when he puts it all together this fall. I think he’s in a really good place for us right now, and like I said we are expecting really big things from him.”

Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Joey Halzle

On Joey Aguilar continuing to limit the number of interceptions thrown within the Tennessee offensive system…
“I think a lot of that comes from what we can do here scheme-wise. Getting him ready to go as far as fundamentals, eye placement, getting involved in our scheme, because it’s never just a ‘plug-and-play’ with an older guy like that. A lot of people think you just drop a guy in, and (because) he has played, he knows how to do it. It’s all going to be how does he go through this offense, how does he adjust to our fundamentals; the way we teach it, the way we use our eyes, the way we know our protections. His ability to dive into that, his want-to to dive into that has been awesome. I don’t foresee any issues there, but obviously that’s why we’re going into fall camp, and we have to go see the actual proof of concept there.”

On Joey Aguilar’s film study habits and how he has developed chemistry with his new teammates…
“Joey has been high-end at that since he has gotten here. Ever since he got here in late May, he didn’t start by starting where everyone else was. He went back and did every single spring install that our entire team went through. He did that on his own in about four days. Embraced it really well, went out and walked through it all on the field at a high level. He has been going through summer ball the exact same way, so there hasn’t been any fall-off there. He’s done a great job of making sure that he gets around his teammates, because he is new. Taking the offensive line out to dinner, taking the wide receivers out to dinner. He and (Jake Merklinger) do that together a lot, actually. You’ll see them all together out there, making sure that more than anything, that this is a tight-knit unit and that whoever steps on the field for that first game has well earned it and has their teammates back.”

On the young talent on the offensive side of the football…
“I think we’re a very talented, young room. I do agree that there’s not a lot of guys with a ton of time in this offense. We’re very talented at the wide receiver position. It’s why Coach Heupel sets us up the way he does; where we go through pre-spring, get through all the installs that way, we go through spring ball, and then you go through summer install. By the time you get to fall camp, you’re on your fourth time running through the offense. So now, it’s less about learning what to do, how to do it, and more about what is the way to actually go play this game at a high level. The way we go through our offseason has allowed our young guys and new guys to really step in and show what they can do and not be slow out there on the field because they are wondering what they are supposed to do.”

On the running game complementing the passing game, particularly with the current group of quarterbacks…
“Whenever you are introducing a new quarterback into the system, however it may be, the run game is always big-time. We have been able to run the ball at a high level here, with Dylan Sampson winning the offensive player of the year in the SEC, led the SEC in rushing last year. It is something that, since we have been here, we have decided to hang our hat on being able to run the ball at a high clip, so we do not see that taking any step back this year. To your point, if you can run the ball at a high level, it makes a lot of other things a lot easier for the guy catching the snaps back there.”

On Jake Merklinger’s growth in protecting himself in space, understanding defensive disguises and coverages…
“A lot of times for young quarterbacks, the ‘protecting themselves’ thing is when you are running around in a red jersey, and that red jersey comes off pretty quick. That is just a thing for all young quarterbacks that like to run. He is a tough, competitive, smart kid. He is not scared to put his body on the line for the team. He is going to need to do that in a smart way, just like any quarterback will. In this conference, taking 15 to 20 hits in a game is not the way to play an entire season. Doing that, you know, it is just reps. For guys that have not been here for a long time, I am going to include him in that, he has been here for one year, it is just reps and reps. When you are playing against a Tim Banks defense, you are seeing every structure of every front of every background of every coverage. It is a really good learning tool for our guys. It is like swinging with a weighted bat playing against our defense all fall camp. You see everything under the sun that you could imagine. Now, you go into game week and you are like, now let’s reduce it down to this is what we are expecting. I do not foresee any issues with him on that end.”

On a sense of urgency to find a starter at quarterback and the competition going into the season…
“Whenever you are going through a quarterback competition, the first thing is that the team, the full team, but mostly the offensive unit, has to understand that this is a true competition. Whoever steps on the field with them will have earned that job. That is why you never hear Coach Heupel or myself saying, ‘By this date, we will announce a guy.’ Someone has to take it. Someone has to step up and take it and prove it. There are multiple ways to do that. Obviously, as soon as you can get to that guy and let your guys start rallying behind one person, understanding their skill set and tailoring the offense to them, the better. We can’t be in a rush to do that, because if it does not present itself organically, then you are just going to be trying to put a square piece in a round hole.”

On the expectation for Lance Heard as the lone returning starter on the offensive line…
“The thing about Lance is that he has shifted from learning the offense his first time in it, to being a guy that is extremely comfortable in it. Now, he is just focusing on his style of play and getting to do all the tricks and trades of playing O-line at a high level in this conference. So, we expect him to take a huge jump this year. He is a very talented young man. He has the size, the foot speed, the length, everything that you want in a left tackle. I am looking forward to seeing how he takes the field this fall, completely healthy, ready to go and taking that game to the next level.”

On what Ethan Davis and Chris Brazzell II need to do during fall camp to take the next step and solidify their spot…
“Both those guys you talked about are highly, highly talented young men. There is no doubt about that whenever you see them. Even when they go through summer or winter workouts, the way they can move, run and jump. The challenge has been just to be consistent with it. You cannot flash one day and then come back the next day. We have to be very comfortable when we put you on the field. What is the product we are going to get? So, for those guys, it has been about being consistent. They both have put two really good off-seasons together where we feel really confident with them going into fall camp.”

On what he is looking for to have confidence in a starting quarterback…
“First and foremost, you have to play this game in this offense with an aggressive nature. I think a lot of times, the mistake quarterbacks make in a competition is they try not to lose it. They try just to not make a mistake. We want our guy to walk the line between being extremely aggressive, but not reckless at all. Reckless is just throwing the ball up for grabs. Aggressive is driving a ball into a tight window. We want our guy to be aggressive, we want him to be smart, and we want him to operate this offense. It is not just about who throws the football the furthest or the hardest. It is about who can operate this offense so that when we take the field, he gives us a chance to win. Whether that is them carrying the football, them getting to their checkdowns, them making big plays down the field. However it presents to that individual skill set, it’s them doing that at an extremely high level to where we say that is the guy that gives us a chance to be up plus-one at the end of the ball game.”

On what he has seen from DeSean Bishop and Peyton Lewis that gives him confidence they can fill Dylan Sampson’s shoes…
“To your point, every year it has been, ‘How are we going to replace this guy? How are you going to replace this guy? How are you going to replace this guy?’ It speaks to the scheme that we have put in place, but also how these young men work. We have a lot of young talent in that room. They have completely reshaped their bodies. They look like what they are supposed to look like taking the field. We feel like whoever comes on the field for us at the running back position (will have success). And as you guys know, it typically has not been just one guy. There has been a main guy, but there are two or three guys playing every single ball game that as a group, that team can go out there and we do not expect the production in that running back room — not from one man, but from that running back room — to take a step back at all.”

On a moment that captures the heart of Tennessee Football since he has been here…
“The biggest thing I can speak to, my mind went straight to it, was our first year here when we were having the quarterback competition. It is (Hendon Hooker) and (Joe Milton III), and Joe wins the job. Hendon never takes a step back, he never pouts. He just keeps doing his thing. Joe gets injured. Hendon comes in and never looks back. Joe doesn’t leave. Joe doesn’t jump ship. He stays, he gets his opportunity, and then he goes and plays. You have two guys that competed against each other for the starting job. They both took turns winning it. They are both still best friends, and they are both playing in the NFL. That is the culture, that is the locker room, and that is the expectation of this program.”

On managing a quarterback competition with QBs who have not been in one before…
“I actually had that conversation this morning with the guys. It is how we are going to go about our business. There are not enough reps to go around that everybody can get every look they need, so we have to be able to talk about each other’s reps. We have to be able to have conversations in the meeting room. Nobody is trying to cut the other guy down, and nobody is getting in their feelings when we talk about their rep, whether it be positive or negative. If we will hold to that, and we go about our business understanding that we are going to compete fiercely amongst each other, but the team is still first, we will be in a really good spot coming out of fall camp. To your point, there are two guys that have not done it, and you have heard Coach Heupel say for almost a year now, ‘Young guys do not have time to be young.’ It is very true in that room. You have to handle your business with maturity, like a professional when you step in this building, not just on the field but in that meeting room as well with the guys, that we have the main goal in mind. ‘Yeah, I am trying to get on the field, but the team is of primary importance.'”

On creating more explosive plays this season…
“That has been the entire focus of the off-season, is when people are playing really, really soft and dropping eight in coverage, how do we keep being explosive in the passing game? Once again, that is why we ran the ball the way that we did last year. It is not going to be that, where we’re going to just say that is par for the course now. The entire focus of this offseason is how do we get our playmakers in space with the ball in their hand, where they can run and do what we have recruited them here to do? I feel like we have made some changes and done some things differently, but we are never going to lose sight of who we are, which is to be extremely aggressive with how we call it, to push the tempo, to make people play in space. But what are the one or two different things that we can do that help free people up? When people are playing really, really soft and saying ‘Alright, you are not going over the top today,’ what are we going to do to attack that and not let them set the directive of the game?”