Josh Heupel on new Tennessee offensive scheme, depth

No team in the Power Five has been through more offseason changes than the Tennessee Volunteers. Between head coach Josh Heupel and a mass exodus via the transfer portal, there are a lot of new faces in Knoxville. 

The first-year SEC head coach commented on the changes he is implementing following a Monday practice. 

“Offensively, our kids do grasp what we’re doing,” Heupel said. “I think during training camp, because you’re constantly installing, you get to game week a week from now and you’ve put in your package—in some ways it becomes easier for them. I think they have a good understanding of what we’re doing. They’ve gotten on the same page with the quarterbacks. They’re [handling] the tempo portion of it extremely well. They’re handling from the whistle to the next snap in a much better way. That’s a position that we’ve got to continue to develop guys at though as well as we go through the season.”

Heupel has yet to name a starting quarterback. Michigan transfer Joe Milton, Virginia Tech transfer Hendon Hooker and Harrison Bailey are in the running. Brian Mauer entered the transfer portal last week.

Vols have depth at WR but thin along OL

Third-round draft pick Josh Palmer is on to the Los Angeles Chargers, but the Volunteers have a couple of other returning impact players at wide receiver. Velus Jones is back at the college level for a sixth year. He spent four years at USC before joining the Vols last season. He had 22 receptions for 280 yards and three touchdowns in 2020.

Additionally, inexperienced, new talent has shown bright spots in camp. 

“There is some depth there,” Heupel said. “We got some young guys who are doing well like JaVonta (Payton) and Jalin Hyatt who were hurt for a portion of spring ball and have started to grasp what we’re doing. I think we can play five or six guys in a game and they all can compete and play at a high level.”

Mississippi State graduate transfer Payton joins Tennessee after 22 games and five starts in Starkville. 

“JaVonta (Payton), like (Joe) Milton whom we talked about earlier, is a guy who’s only gotten 14 or 15 practices in what we’re doing,” Heupel said. “He’s a guy who’s really come on here in the last four of five practices, as far as comfort and understanding how we want to play and then being able to play the play.”

Hyatt had an impressive freshman year last season, playing in all 10 games with one start. He had 20 receptions, 276 yards and two touchdowns. 

While there is exciting depth at wide receiver, the offensive line is a different story.

“At that position, we’re thinner there than you would want to be, but I think the guys have grown tremendously, especially the guys in our starting five have started to grow,” Heupel said. “At that position you’re going to get banged up. The versatility that guys have to be able to move from left side to right side or multiple spots inside helps our team.”

Former five-star recruit and right tackle Darnell Wright anchors a unit that should be competitive as long as they can stay healthy.