KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The fourth year of the Josh Heupel era has arrived as Tennessee football officially reports for preseason camp on Tuesday with its first practice set for Wednesday morning at Haslam Field. The Volunteers will hold their annual media beginning at 12:45 p.m. ET Tuesday.
Heupel takes the podium first followed by defensive coordinator Tim Banks and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle. The coaches press conference will be streamed live on Tennessee Athletics’ YouTube channel as well as @Vol_Football X and Facebook.
Select players will then speak to the media, including redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava, before taking their annual team photo in Neyland Stadium.
The beginning of preseason camp puts a wrap on the Vols’ two-month offseason program. The team enjoyed a week away from workouts before returning to the building. Tennessee will work out in helmets and shorts on Wednesday and practice again on Thursday and Saturday.
The Vols will have nine members from their #RockyTop24 signing class going through their first practice, though most of the class enrolled in January and went through spring ball.
Tennessee welcomes back 10 “super” seniors who will be participating in their final preseason camp, including offensive guard Javontez Spraggins and wide receiver Bru McCoy. Both were limited in the spring while recovering from injuries sustained last fall. Six offensive linemen who have started games are back on the roster led by preseason first-team All-American center Cooper Mays, Spraggins and offensive tackle John Campbell Jr.
Heupel’s fourth fall in Knoxville will also see the Vols sport one of the deepest defensive units in the country. Five of Tennessee’s top seven leaders in tackles for loss last year are back, ignited by preseason first-team All-American edge rusher James Pearce Jr. Pearce was first in the SEC in sacks (10) and third in tackles for loss (14.5) a year ago. The new-look secondary features FBS transfers Jermod McCoy (Oregon State), Jalen McMurray (Temple) and Jakobe Thomas (MTSU) and standout returnees Andre Turrentine, Jourdan Thomas and Rickey Gibson III.
Heupel has produced a 27-12 overall record in three seasons and a 20-6 mark since 2022, representing the Vols’ best two-year stretch since 2003-04. The 2024 season is his seventh as a head coach as his 55 career victories are eighth nationally since 2018.
Banks’ steady leadership at defensive coordinator over the past three seasons has seen Tennessee emerge as one of the nation’s most aggressive and productive units. UT has racked up 297 tackles for loss during Banks’ tenure, which leads the SEC during that span. Since the start of the 2022 season, the Vols are issuing just 3.24 yards per rush. That figure is the eighth-best mark in the nation and leads the SEC.
Halzle is entering his fourth year on staff and his second as offensive coordinator. The two highest passer rating seasons in UT history have occurred under his watch. Vol signal callers have thrown only 11 interceptions since 2021, which is the fewest in the country over that span.
Tennessee opens the 2024 campaign at home on Aug. 31 versus Chattanooga. Kickoff is set for 12:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network. Limited single-season game tickets remain on sale for select home games at AllVols.com. Season tickets are sold out for the second straight season, a year after the Vols led the SEC in accumulated attendance (713,405) and average attendance (101,915). Fans interested in purchasing future new season tickets can fill out the 2025 season ticket interest form.
