Big Orange Report September 4, 2025

 


Party Time on Rocky Top

The 2025 Tennessee Volunteers open their home campaign on Saturday when they entertain in-state opponent East Tennessee State. The visiting Buccaneers are members of the Southern Conference and were picked to finish fourth in that league this season after completing 2024 with a 7-5 record. ETSU opened its schedule on Saturday while the Vols were battling Syracuse in Atlanta.
The Bucs had 10 players selected to the first or second, pre-season all conference checklist this summer. First team picks included running back Devontae Houston, a red shirt senior who ran for 648 yards last fall and averaged 5.4 yards per carry. Wide receiver Hakeen Meggett, a senior, grabbed 21 passes for 427 yards and two scores in '24. Outside linebacker/pass rusher Nick Hunter posted 34 tackles and 6.5 sacks for the Bucs last season.
Obviously Tennessee is a heavy favorite in this contest and one of the main goals is that the staff will, hopefully, have an opportunity to get as many younger, reserve players on the field for significant snaps in live, game action. Assuming the squad came out of the Syracuse game with no major injuries, Vol fans might expect to see all the young wide receivers, running backs and the three quarterbacks in this game. The team also has some promising youngsters at all three levels of the defense that can use game experience to their advantage.
The Tennessee game plan should be quite vanilla on both sides of the ball as the staff has one eye on this home opener and the other eye on an impending collision with the Georgia Bulldogs one week later.
Watch for This
The younger players will be looking to make some attention-grabbing plays in order to attempt to increase their time on the field in future games. We have mentioned the wide receivers, but also the two freshman tight ends might get a chance to display their abilities along with freshmen and sophomores in the defensive line.
2026 Recruiting
The staff has 23 verbal commitments on the board right now and the class is near a top 10 national ranking. Five star quarterback Faizon Brandon (6-4, 195) is rated as high as the No. 3 prospect in the nation at his position. Three wide receiver verbals, Salesi Moa (6-2, 185), Tyreek King (5-11, 175) and Joel Wyatt (6-4, 195) are all ranked among the top 11 pass catchers in high school this year according to ESPNU. Moa checks in at No. 5, King is listed at No. 7 and Wyatt sits at No. 11.
Two outside linebacker pledges, Brayden Rouse (6-3, 210) and T.J. White (6-2, 225) are both high four star rated commitments and are included among the top 15 recruits at their positions. Defensive end Zach Groves (6-4, 220) an elite pass rusher and defensive tackle Dereon Albert (6-2, 315) are also four stars that have announced they plan to sign with UT.
Obviously the transfer portal will come into play after the conclusion of this season and Coach Heupel has shown a desire to find two or three plug-and-play guys that want to transfer to another school.
Lady Vols Soccer
Athletic Director Danny White's building program for all sports at Tennessee has reached the soccer squad. The Lady Vols are 5-0, all shutouts and the team is ranked No. 2 in the nation in the Coach's Poll. The Lady Vols have wins over then No. 1 ranked North Carolina and another road victory over No. 4 rated UCLA.
Hoop It Up
While basketball season is still about two months away, Tennessee hoops fans are very optimistic about the potential for both the men's and women's teams this year. And why not, Coach Rick Barnes signed the highest rated recruit in school history, Nate Ament (6-9, 190). Rated as high as the No. 2 prospect in the nation, Ament could have that "one and done" kind of talent because he can play all five positions on the floor. Barnes also added five intriguing transfers and filled out his roster last month with Ethan Berg (6-3, 187), a 24 year old guard from Isreal who has played professionally in Europe the past two years.
Not to be outdone, Lady Vol coach Kim Caldwell inked a freshman class that was ranked No. 2 in the nation by one service and she also added some size inside with Janiah Barker (6-4) from UCLA and Jersey Wolfenbarger (6-5) from LSU.
Vol Notes
Head football coach Josh Heupel got a one year extension on his contract which now runs through the 2030 season. Assistant contracts are being reviews and several anticipate raises and extensions as well. 

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