🏈 Tennessee's next step in 2025

Hello. This is the Josh and Swain Newsletter, a quick roundup of the week’s top stories and topics involving Tennessee and the sports world.

Here’s what we have for you today:

• Where Tennessee needs to improve following the Vols’ playoff loss

• Perspective on the growth of Tennessee football under Josh Heupel

• An unexpected loss for the No. 1 ranked Tennessee basketball team

• A great 2024 for Tennessee sports… the best ever?

TENNESSEE’S ROOM TO IMPROVE

Last week could have gone better for Tennessee’s football team. 

The Vols went to Columbus confident they could upset Ohio State. 

The result? The Buckeyes won easily, 42-17. 

Tennessee went 10-2 and earned a spot in the College Football Playoff this year. 

That accomplishment can’t be taken away. 

But Ohio State reminded Tennessee it has work to do to catch the very top programs in the nation. 

Ohio State had more speed than Tennessee and more talent across the board. 

The game was so lopsided that Ohio State pulled starters with more than 10 minutes remaining in the game — and managed to play four different quarterbacks before the game ended. 

So what must Tennessee do to have a better chance to compete with teams like Ohio State in the future? 

Here are a few items on the to-do list:

Upgrade the skill talent

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard delivered the ball to sure-fire NFL players on Saturday. 

Freshman Jeremiah Smith plays at a different level than any UT receiver. 

And Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate are proven playmakers. 

The same goes for OSU running backs Quinton Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. 

Tennessee doesn’t have a proven receiver like OSU’s top three. 

Dylan Sampson, who missed most of the playoff game, is Tennessee’s only skill player in the same class as the five OSU players mentioned above. 

And there’s a good chance Sampson will declare for the NFL Draft.

If Tennessee wants its offense to return to the 2022 level that led the nation in scoring, the Vols must improve their speed and skill talent. 

Compete better up front

Tennessee’s defensive line had a great season. 

But against Georgia and Ohio State, UT struggled to generate pressure. 

The Vols’ biggest strength looked weak when it mattered the most. 

On offense, Tennessee will have to replace several linemen next season. 

The Vols will need to find a way to be better when they do. 

Tennessee has improved on the line of scrimmage under coach Josh Heupel, especially on defense. 

But UT’s games against Georgia and Ohio State showed there’s more room to improve. 

Those teams operate at a different level.

Nico Iamaleava needs to make a jump

We’ve established the help Iamaleava needs around him. 

He needs to improve, too. 

Nico showed off his toughness against Ohio State, and his running ability can open up more playmaking opportunities next season. 

Let’s see if Iamaleava and the 2025 group of receivers can develop some consistency. 

It wasn’t there this season, and Tennessee’s lack of explosive passing plays limited the Vols’ offense.

In 2022, Tennessee was second in the SEC in passing plays of 20-plus yards.

This year, Tennessee was 12th in the league in the same category.

Tennessee’s quarterback and receivers have to help that improve in 2025.

Win on the road

Tennessee’s road results have not been good under Heupel.

Qualifier: Most programs have a tough time on the road. 

But Tennessee is trying to better than most programs. 

Why has Tennessee had such issues away from home?

Part of the answer comes back to talent (like the Georgia and Ohio State games).

But that doesn’t explain the egg Tennessee laid at Arkansas — or at South Carolina, Florida and Missouri in 2022 and 2023.

Tennessee has dealt with penalty issues the last four seasons. 

That can be costly on the road when the margin for error shrinks. 

Tennessee’s road schedule next year will include trips to Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, and Mississippi State. 

Tennessee hasn’t won in Gainesville or Tuscaloosa since 2006. 

Next season would be a good time to change that.

The coaching staff

Tennessee has to improve its coaching staff. 

That’s for both on-field results and recruiting.

This doesn’t mean any particular assistant coach needs to go. 

(Heupel might decide that’s the case on his own.)

There are ways to be flexible with a football staff. 

Analysts can play a big role in a program. 

Example: Former Florida and South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp is a Defensive Analyst at Georgia. 

But as Swain said on Thursday’s show, what Tennessee had this season wasn’t good enough.  

Not if the goal is to win championships.

Everyone has to recognize that’s the case, especially Josh Heupel.

Tennessee needs someone who can either challenge Heupel or offer him a different perspective when he needs it.

That would benefit everyone.

HOW FAR TENNESSEE HAS COME

The frustrating end to Tennessee’s season needs perspective. 

Two things can be true at once at the same time:

1️⃣ Tennessee has to improve to win an SEC and national championship. 
2️⃣ Tennessee football has improved greatly under Heupel.

Other accomplishments to consider:

◼️ Tennessee has beaten Alabama in consecutive seasons at home for the first time since the 2004 and 2006 seasons. 

◼️ Tennessee’s program is respected nationally, which hadn’t been the case most of the 2010s.

◼️ Three SEC teams made the playoff this year; Tennessee’s one of them.

If you’re disappointed or angry about Tennessee’s loss to Ohio State, don’t apologize. 

That was ugly.

But there are plenty of reasons to feel good about the position Tennessee’s in. 

Tennessee has an improved roster, resources to grow, and strong leadership.

ESPN’s Chris Low pointed to the commitment from Tennessee’s leadership during Thursday’s Josh and Swain.

There’s work to be done to improve, as we’ve highlighted above.

Fortunately for Tennessee, the Vols are in a good position to make it happen.

➡️ Check out our full conversation with Chris Low below.

SPORTS NUGGETS

🏈 What changes might occur with the College Football Playoff format? Check out this report from Ross Dellenger.

🏈 Here’s a look at the talent level on Ohio State’s roster, offering a reminder of the work Tennessee has to do in recruiting and the transfer portal.

🏈 ESPN’s Bill Connelly offered these takeaways from the OSU-Tennessee game. (ESPN+ required)

🏈 Here’s a look at the NFL’s playoff picture with the rest of Week 17 and Week 18 remaining.

🏀 See where No. 1 Tennessee stands in a way-too-early bracketology update.

🏀 Jim Larranaga stepped down at Miami on Thursday, citing the “lack of a system” in the new landscape of college basketball.

📺 The NFL on Netflix was a big hit on Christmas while the NBA saw its viewership rise as well.

CARR HITS THE ROAD

Tennessee received less than ideal news this week when sophomore guard Cameron Carr decided to leave the team. 

Carr, who’s been out since Nov. 21 with a thumb injury, will enter the transfer portal and hope to preserve his redshirt for this season. 

Cart’s departure leaves Tennessee with nine available scholarship players. 

If you were surprised by this news, you’re not alone. 

“Had no idea (this was coming),” Rick Barnes said on Monday. “He just walked out.”

Barnes added that Carr’s decision was “baffling,” as UT planned for Carr to join the rotation in January when he returned from injury.

Carr’s departure leaves Tennessee in a vulnerable spot.. 

Tennessee could be fine with 8-9 scholarship players in the rotation. 

But what if another player goes down with an injury? (Freshman Bishop Boswell missed Monday’s game due to injury, leaving UT with eight scholarship players.)

Tennessee will enter the grind of the SEC schedule on Jan. 4. 

Tennessee will have to manage a lot of minutes for its players over the next few months. 

Tennessee remains one of the top contenders in the SEC.

After all, the Vols are 12-0 and ranked No. 1 in the country. 

A lot of that success has occurred without Carr playing. 

But Tennessee was excited to get Carr back for a reason; he has the talent to make a real impact. 

As for Carr, it’s not a great look… to leave the team in the middle of the season. 

Leaving without providing any heads up makes it worse, if that version of the story is true. 

We also can’t be totally surprised by this type of news. 

College athletes have the ability to transfer from one school to another whenever they want. 

Carr has the opportunity to redshirt this season and extend his college eligibility… if he wants to do that. 

College athletes have earned more power as the game (and money) has grown. 

But has it gone too far?

TENNESSEE’S BANNER YEAR

This is the final newsletter edition of 2024.

However long you’ve been reading, thank you. 

This has been a fun year to cover everything happening with Tennessee athletics. 

Some of the highlights included:

• A baseball national championship
• An SEC basketball championship + run to the Elite Eight
• A College Football Playoff appearance

Was this the best year ever for Tennessee sports fans?

For fans under the age of 30, it would be difficult to argue for any other year. 

What will 2025 hold for Tennessee?

We never KNOW in sports. 

But it will be fun to find out. 

Thank you again for reading, and Happy New Year.

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