Squirrel White to play for former SEC coach

Former Tennessee wide receiver Squirrel White will play for a former SEC head coach.

Tennessee junior wide receiver Squirrel White entered the NCAA transfer portal following the conclusion of the Vols’ 2024 football season.

White committed to Florida State following entering the NCAA transfer portal. He will play for head coach Mike Norvell and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.

2025 will be Malzahn’s first season as the Seminoles’ offensive coordinator. He served as Auburn’s head coach from 2013-20.

White appeared in 38 games for the Vols from 2022-24. He recorded 131 receptions for 1,665 yards and six touchdowns.

The 5-foot-10, 167-pound wide receiver went to Tennessee from Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson, Alabama.

Florida State will open its 2025 football season on Aug. 30. The Seminoles will host Alabama at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Fifth Tennessee wide receiver to transfer following 2024 season

A fifth Tennessee football wide receiver will transfer following the 2024 season.

Josh Heupel’s fourth season as Tennessee’s coach came to an end on Dec. 21 in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Ohio State (11-2, 7-2 Big Ten) defeated Tennessee (10-3, 6-2 SEC), 42-17, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

According to 247Sports, junior wide receiver Squirrel White became the fifth Tennessee wide receiver to enter the NCAA transfer portal following the regular season.

The 5-foot-10, 167-pound wide receiver appeared in 38 games for the Vols across three seasons (2022-24). He recorded 131 receptions for 1,665 yards and six touchdowns.

White came to Tennessee from Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson, Alabama.

Tennessee wide receivers Kaleb Webb, Chas Nimrod, Nathan Leacock and Nate Spillman also entered the NCAA transfer portal following the regular season.

PHOTOS: Tennessee at Ohio State in College Football Playoff

Squirrel White. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Tennessee defeats North Carolina State in Duke’s Mayo Classic

Tennessee defeats North Carolina State in Week 2 of the 2024 college football season.

No. 12 Tennessee (2-0) defeated No. 23 North Carolina State (1-1), 51-10, Saturday in the Duke’s Mayo Classic at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Vols led, 20-3, at halftime.

Tennessee redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava completed 16-of-23 passing attempts for 211 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also recorded 65 rushing yards on eight attempts and scored a 31-yard rushing touchdown.

Dylan Sampson was the Vols’ leading rusher as he totaled 132 yards and two touchdowns on 20 rushing attempts. He also recorded three receptions for 37 yards.

Squirrel White recorded two receptions for 67 receiving yards, while Miles Kitselman totaled three receptions for 39 yards and one receiving touchdown.

The Vols’ defense forced three Wolfpack turnovers, including an 85-yard interception return by Will Brooks for a touchdown.

Max Gilbert converted three field goals for Tennessee.

Saul Young/USA TODAY Network

Vols have three top 75 draft eligible wide receivers in 2024

Three 2024 Tennessee football players are ranked as top 75 draft eligible wide receivers.

Southeastern Conference media days will take place July 15-18 at Omni Dallas Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

Fourth-year Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel will meet with media on July 16.

Ahead of the 2024 college football season, “Phil Steele’s College Football Preview” was released. Phil Steele ranked the top 75 draft eligible wide receivers (seniors, juniors and redshirt sophomores).

Three Tennessee wide receivers were ranked in the top 75: Bru McCoy (No. 10), Squirrel White (No. 24) and Dont’e Thornton Jr. (No. 54).

McCoy suffered a season-ending fracture-dislocation of his right ankle in the second quarter versus South Carolina on Sept. 30, 2023. He appeared in five games for the Vols last season, recording 17 receptions, 217 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.

White recorded 67 receptions for 803 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games for the Vols in 2023.

In his first season at Tennessee after transferring from Oregon, Thornton Jr. totaled 13 receptions, 224 yards and one touchdown.

READ: Tennessee football’s projected 2024 offensive starting lineup

Squirrel White. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Squirrel White ‘is an explosive play waiting to happen’

Tennessee wide receiver Squirrel White is an explosive play waiting to happen.

Tennessee sophomore wide receiver Squirrel White appeared in every game for the Vols during the 2023 regular-season.

The 5-foot-10, 165-pound wide receiver recorded 64 receptions for 764 yards and two touchdowns in 12 contests. He also totaled 13 rushing yards on two attempts.

Ahead of Tennessee’s matchup versus Iowa in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle met with media. He discussed what White has meant to the Vols’ offense this year and what is ahead for him.

“Squirrel, he is just an explosive play waiting to happen,” Halzle said. “That has been one of the biggest things for him, is he has legit 10.4 track speed out there. You put guys like that on a bunch of grass and you let them go run really fast, cool stuff happens.

“He is been the guy we can rely on to be, all right, we need to go take the top off of this right now, we need to go stretch the defense. Squirrel is a guy that can go out there and do it on any given down, any given snap. He has been a big, crucial part of this offense.”

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Vols defeat UConn for homecoming victory

Tennessee defeats UConn for homecoming victory.

No. 16 Tennessee (7-2, 3-2 SEC) defeated UConn (1-8), 59-3, Saturday at Neyland Stadium.

It was a homecoming victory for the Vols. who led, 35-3 at halftime.

Tennessee led, 7-0, on its second offensive play as Jaylen Wright scored on an 82-yard run.

After the Huskies kicked a field goal, the Vols scored 28 unanswered points before halftime. Joe Milton III completed a 60-yard touchdown pass to Ramel Keyton and scored on a six-yard touchdown run.

Later in the second quarter, Milton III completed an 82-yard touchdown pass to Squirrel White with 4 minutes, 34 seconds left until halftime. Tennessee’s defense scored before the end of the first half as Tyler Baron returned a UConn fumble to the end zone.

In the third quarter, Jaylen McCollough and Aaron Beasley had interception returns for scores to give Tennessee a 42-3 advantage.

Nico Iamaleava entered the game at quarterback for Tennessee and completed a 19-yard touchdown pass to McCallan Castles.

Milton III completed 11-of-14 passing attempts for 254 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. He also recorded seven rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.

Wright had eight rushing attempts and totaled 113 yards and one touchdown.

White recorded two receptions for 94 receiving yards and one touchdown.

PHOTOS: Tennessee football wears Summitt Blue against UConn

2023 SEC receiving yard leaders after Week 8

A look at 2023 SEC receiving yard leaders after Week 8.

No. 20 Tennessee (5-2, 2-2 SEC) will return to action on Saturday in Week 9.

The Vols will play Kentucky (5-2, 2-2 SEC) at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky (7 p.m. EDT, ESPN).

Tennessee kicked off its 2023 season on Sept. 2, defeating Virginia, 49-13, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

Tennessee’s home schedule has contests against Austin Peay (W, 30-13), UTSA (W, 45-14), South Carolina (W, 41-20), Texas A&M (W, 20-13), UConn, Georgia and Vanderbilt.

The Vols’ road schedule features games at Florida (L, 29-16), Alabama (L, 34-20), Kentucky and Missouri.

2023 Tennessee Vols football schedule: Downloadable smartphone wallpaper

Following Week 8 contests, Vols Wire looks at SEC receiving yard leaders and are listed below. Squirrel White is Tennessee’s leader for receiving yards (416) entering Week 9.

2023 SEC receiving yard leaders after Week 6

A look at 2023 SEC receiving yard leaders after Week 6.

No. 17 Tennessee (4-1, 101 SEC) will play Texas A&M (4-2, 2-1 SEC) at Neyland Stadium on Saturday.

Kickoff between the Vols and Aggies is slated for 3:30 p.m. EDT and will be televised by CBS.

Tennessee had an open date last week.

Tennessee kicked off its 2023 season on Sept. 2, defeating Virginia, 49-13, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

Tennessee’s home schedule has contests against Austin Peay (W, 30-13), UTSA (W, 45-14), South Carolina (W, 41-20), Texas A&M, UConn, Georgia and Vanderbilt.

The Vols’ road schedule features games at Florida (L, 29-16), Alabama, Kentucky and Missouri.

2023 Tennessee Vols football schedule: Downloadable smartphone wallpaper

Following Week 6 contests, Vols Wire looks at SEC receiving yard leaders and are listed below. Squirrel White is Tennessee’s leader for receiving yards (276) entering Week 7.

2023 SEC receiving yard leaders after Week 5

2023 SEC receiving yard leaders after Week 5.

No. 18 Tennessee (4-1, 101 SEC) will next play on Oct. 14 versus Texas A&M at Neyland Stadium.

Kickoff between the Vols and Aggies is slated for 3:30 p.m. EDT and will be televised by CBS.

Tennessee will checker Neyland Stadium orange and white for the Southeastern Conference matchup in Week 7.

Tennessee kicked off its 2023 season on Sept. 2, defeating Virginia, 49-13, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

Tennessee’s home schedule has contests against Austin Peay (W, 30-13), UTSA (W, 45-14), South Carolina (W, 41-20), Texas A&M, UConn, Georgia and Vanderbilt.

The Vols’ road schedule features games at Florida (L, 29-16), Alabama, Kentucky and Missouri.

2023 Tennessee Vols football schedule: Downloadable smartphone wallpaper

Following Week 5 contests, Vols Wire looks at SEC receiving yard leaders and are listed below.

Squirrel White ‘continues to get better’ for Vols

Wide receiver Squirrel White continues to get better for Tennessee.

Sophomore wide receiver Squirrel White led Tennessee in receptions (nine) and receiving yards (104) versus South Carolina on Saturday.

The 5-foot-10, 165-pound White has totaled 26 receptions and 276 receiving yards in five games during the 2023 season.

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel discussed White after the Vols’, 41-20, win against South Carolina.

“He’s a young player, relatively speaking, that just continues to get better and that’s extremely confident and comfortable out there,” Heupel said. “He operates extremely efficiently. Joe Milton III has great confidence in him. He made a big time competitive play on the deep ball early in the first quarter. He gets us going. He just did an unbelievable job. A lot of the night was one-on-one. I told our skill players earlier that it was the line of scrimmage, to own it, and then out on the perimeter was going to be a one-on-one game. You’ve got to be efficient, throwing it, catching it and winning it in those matchups. Squirrel, obviously, nine targets and nine catches, that’s a night by him.”

PHOTOS: Tennessee defeats South Carolina in dark mode uniforms

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire