Josh Heupel is entering his fifth year as head coach of Tennessee football, but he’s doing something the Vols haven’t done since Jeremy Pruitt’s first year back in 2018: Sending a player only in his third year of college ball to SEC Media Days. When Pruitt did it, he was taking over for the worst team in school history. Heupel is doing it coming off a CFP appearance.
The Vols are sending senior defensive lineman Bryson Eason, senior tight end Miles Kitselman and junior linebacker Arion Carter to the event next week when they take the stage Tuesday. Carter is the first junior to represent UT at the event since Jarrett Guarantano back in 2019.
However, Guarantano was a four-year player, as he had redshirted in 2016. Carter is a true junior. The last player to do that with Tennessee football was wide receiver Marquez Callaway back in 2018. This is a testament to Carter’s leadership, no doubt, but it also shows how young the Vols are.
Only three players expected to be part of the starting lineup this year will be seniors Heupel signed out of high school: Eason, Tyre West and Joshua Josephs. Kitselman, Joey Aguilar and Andre Turrentine are the only othe three projected seniors to start. That could be a big concern for the Vols, but it could also bode well for next year.
Most of the really exciting UT prospects won’t even be able to enter the NFL Draft after this year, including Peyton Lewis, David Sanders Jr., Mike Matthews and Boo Carter. Arion Carter is one of the few, and that is a huge reason to be excited about what he will be able to bring to the table.
Sure, youth is why Carter is going, but as we just showed on our list, there were other options. Turrentine, Josephs and West were other defenders specifically who could have gone over him, and Aguilar is the quarterback. Even if he just did transfer, Heupel could have shown him some confidence by tabbing him to go.
Honestly, though, that even further highlights the youth of the offense. Kitselman is banged up, but Heupel had to bring somebody on that side of the ball, and he’s the only senior expected to start who actually played for UT’s offense last year. It’s a bit wild to think about. More than half of the projected starters on that side will be freshmen or sophomores.
Of course, this also means Heupel’s recruiting and talent evaluation will finally be tested. He will rely significantly more heavily on guys he signed out of his school this year than ever before. On the offensive line alone, Tennessee football is projected to have at least two starters Heupel has signed out of high school. He hasn’t yet had one such starter at UT.
As a result, watch out. Even with the switch from Nico Iamaleava to Aguilar, many things about this season are make or break for Heupel. He’s got to prove what he can do with his players, not Pruitt holdovers or veterans from the transfer portal. Whether or not he can remains a mystery.
