Josh Heupel believes Jalin Hyatt's added size adds to his confidence

The Tennessee passing game was the team’s best strength in 2021. And this coming season, they return their quarterback and several top playmakers. Plus, Josh Heupel believes one wideout in particular is line for a big breakout season.

While talking to the media after a recent practice, Heupel revealed that junior wide receiver Jalin Hyatt has added weight and grown more confident on the field. Here was what he said of Hyatt:

“Yeah, even in the middle part of last year — his focus and his attention to detail, he understood that it needed to change, and he started making those changes. Dramatically different from the time that we got back in January.”

The most drastic change, may have been simply getting a lot bigger since the end of last season.

“We talked earlier about guys who have changed their body. Like he’s added a ton of size and strength, maturity to his frame. I think that’s gained a lot of confidence for him and how he plays with the physical presence. And that can be in one-on-one matchups, could be blocking on the perimeter. it can be the way he presents himself and finishes plays when he has the ball in his hands too. All those factors give him the ability to have a big year for us this year.”

Look for Hyatt to use his larger, stronger frame to his advantage this season for Tennessee. And per Josh Heupel, the wide receiver unit as a whole is expecting another terrific year.

Heupel sets expectations for wide receiver room

During that seem post-practice press conference, Josh Heupel also revealed his expectations for the receiver room. Here was how he responded when asked about the wide receivers and how he evaluates them:

“Yeah, you know it just depends on the number of guys that are ready to play at an elite level. We’ve had six, we’ve had five. There’s been years there’s been four. Just based off of who they are. The more guys that are able to play, the more that we’re going to use them.”

He then mentioned switching up his systems in previous years depending on where the pass catchers stepped up.

“Our personnel groupings have been different every year everywhere that we’ve been. You know, from being in a bunch of 12 personnel because we had tight ends that were ready to play at a really high level — and we trusted them to being in four-wide receiver sets more depending on the year because we had a bunch of wideouts that we felt were going to play at that level.”

Heupel doesn’t care what sort of athletic profile his pass catchers are. He’ll fit his scheme around the guys who step up.