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5 returning players who need big growth this spring to propel Tennessee this fall

On3 imageby:Austin Price•about 18 hours•

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After a college football playoff performance last fall, Tennessee returns to spring practice this week. The roster is full of talent and yet also full of plenty of questions heading into a big season for Josh Heupel and company.

Volquest looks at five returning players who need to have big spring’s to give Tennessee growth this fall.

Nico Iamaleava

This is the common sense easy top choice. Iamaleava was really solid last season. He has phenomenal arm talent and his ability as a scrambler was on full display in Columbus against Ohio State to end the season. This year, though, he has to become a game changer. He has to be able to take over games and live up to the hype that he had coming into the program. It’s a quarterback driven game and he can be the ultimate catalyst in Tennessee returning to the college football playoff. This is year three for him in the offense and year two as a starter so it’s logical to expect big growth this spring.

Edwin Spillman

Right behind Iamaleava for me is Tennessee’s redshirt freshman linebacker Edwin Spillman. With Arion Carter out this spring, Tennessee will need to find linebackers looking to take advantage of opportunity and Spillman is that player for me. He had to miss a portion of last year with a wrist injury but the staff trusted him against Vanderbilt with a playoff berth on the line and again in Columbus against the Buckeyes. He would’ve likely played a much bigger role last year, had he not gotten injured. If you talk to anybody about Spillman, they praise his work ethic and how much he wants to be great. I expect him to take a huge step this spring.

Heard needs a big spring.

Lance Heard

Heard grew from the beginning of the season in 2024. He was more dependable late but he still needs to build off that growth this spring. As the only returning member of the offensive line, he has to mature and be the voice in that room that leads the way. Heard has all the tools physically but improving his craft and getting lighter on his feet would also give him more opportunities to take a leap. Heard, much like Iamaleava is now in his third year of college, which means there is no time like the present.

Mike Matthews

Many wondered why Matthews didn’t get much playing time last fall. That certainly won’t be the case this spring or fall for that matter. Tennessee has a thin wide receiver room, and he has to be the one that not only takes a step in the right direction but a massive leap, in my opinion. When Dont’e Thornton joined The Nation on Sunday, he didn’t hesitate when I asked him who he thinks will burst onto the scene this year. It’s Mike and Mike for a number of different reasons. He can play all the positions and has the most upside of anyone in the room. He knows this is his moment and everyone around him firmly believes he is ready to run with the baton.

Jordan Ross

Speaking of opportunities. Nobody will have that more than Jordan Ross at edge. Can he have a similar impact to James Pearce impact two years ago? People in the building are hopeful that he is ready to take the next step in his progression. Ross has every physical tool that you need to play the position and be disruptive off the edge. Ross was buried last fall with Pearce, Josh Josephs and Caleb Herring ahead of him on the depth chart. Pearce is off the NFL and Ross now has the wind at his back heading into spring. Multiple people I’ve spoken to believe he is ready mentally and when you add that to his physical attributes, then watch out for real growth.

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