A third Tennessee wide receiver to enter NCAA transfer portal following the 2024 regular-season.
A third Tennessee wide receiver will enter the NCAA transfer portal following the regular-season.
Redshirt freshman Nathan Leacock intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal. He will have three years of eligibility remaining.
“Tennessee wide receiver Nathan Leacock plans to enter the transfer portal, he tells On3 Sports,” Hayes Fawcett announced.
The 6-foot-3, 217-pound wide receiver appeared in five games for the Vols in 2024. He totaled one reception for 15 yards. He played in six games at Tennessee from 2023-24. Leacock did not record statistics in the only game he played in against UConn during the 2023 season.
Tennessee wide receivers Kaleb Webb and Chas Nimrod also entered the NCAA transfer portal following the regular-season.
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava recognized by Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.
Tennessee redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava was named a finalist for the 2024 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year, announced by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.
He is one of the eight finalists. Finalists were chosen from a watch list of nearly 100 players for the award. The award is presented annually to the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry, and who epitomizes great ability and integrity.
During his first season as the Vols’ starting quarterback, Iamaleava has totaled 2,512 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. He has also recorded more than 300 rushing yards and one touchdown.
Iamaleava led Tennessee to its first College Football Playoff appearance in program history. The Vols will play Ohio State in a first-round game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Dec. 21. Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. EST (ABC).
Tim Banks becomes second Tennessee assistant coach under Josh Heupel to be named Broyles Award Finalist.
Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks was named one of five finalists for the Broyles Award, announced by The Frank and Barbara Broyles Foundation.
The award was created in 1996, recognizing coach Frank Broyles’ legacy of selecting and developing great assistant coaches during his hall-of-fame career as head coach at Arkansas.
The Broyles Award selection process includes the Football Writers Association of America, broadcasters, a college football hall-of-fame selection committee and current college head coaches.
Banks, who is in his 18th season as an FBS defensive coordinator, and his fourth with the Vols, is one of two SEC assistants announced as semifinalists. Banks joins Texas’ Pete Kwiatkowski on the list. Other candidates are Arizona State’s Marcus Arroyo, Indiana’s Bryant Haines and Notre Dame’s Al Golden.
Banks is the second assistant coach to be named a Broyles Award finalist during Josh Heupel’s tenure as head coach at Tennessee. Former offensive coordinator and current South Florida head coach Alex Golesh was recognized as a semifinalist in 2022.
The Tennessee-Ohio State game will mark the Vols first game played in Ohio. A look at which states the Vols have not played in all time.
No. 9 seed Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 SEC) will play at No. 8 seed Ohio State (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) on Dec. 21. The matchup is a first-round game in the College Football Playoff.
Kickoff between the Vols and Buckeyes is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST (ABC) at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
The game will mark Tennessee’s first time playing in Ohio. The Vols have not played in the following states during their program’s history: Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
The Tennessee-Ohio State game will also mark the first time the Vols will play on Dec. 21 in program history.
The Tennessee-Ohio State winner will advance to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals against No. 1 seed Oregon (13-0, 9-0 Big Ten). The game will be played on Jan. 1, 2025 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California (5 p.m. EST, ESPN).
The Southeastern Conference announced 2025 football schedules for its 16 league members on Wednesday.
Tennessee will open its 2025 season on Aug. 30 versus Syracuse at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Tennessee will first play at Neyland Stadium on Sept. 6 versus East Tennessee State. The Vols will open SEC play against Georgia on Sept. 13 in Knoxville.
The Vols will travel to Mississippi State on Sept. 27 for their first road game.
Tennessee 2025 football schedule
Aug. 30 Tennessee versus Syracuse (Atlanta, Georgia)
Former Tennessee offensive lineman enters the NCAA transfer portal.
Arkansas offensive lineman Addison Nichols entered the NCAA transfer portal on Wednesday. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Nichols played at Arkansas in 2024 after transferring from Tennessee.
“After much prayer and thoughtful reflection, I have made the difficult decision to enter the transfer portal, with two years of eligibility remaining,” he announced.
Nichols transferred from Tennessee to Arkansas following the 2023 season. He appeared in 14 games for the Vols from 2022-23.
Nichols appeared in every regular-season contest in 2023, while playing against Ball State and UT Martin in 2022.
He went to Tennessee from Greater Atlanta Christian School in Norcross, Georgia.
Nichols and Arkansas defeated Tennessee, 19-14, during the 2024 regular-season in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson named SEC Offensive Player of the Year.
The Southeastern Conference announced its football postseason individual awards on Wednesday, selected by the league’s 16 head coaches.
Tennessee junior running back Dylan Sampson was named SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2024. Sampson recorded 1,485 rushing yards and scored 22 touchdowns on 256 attempts.
He also totaled 19 receptions for 141 yards.
2024 SEC football individual awards:
Offensive Player of the Year
Dylan Sampson, Tennessee
Defensive Player of the Year
Kyle Kennard, South Carolina
Special Teams Player of the Year
Alex Raynor, Kentucky
Freshman of the Year
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
Newcomer of the Year
Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
Jacobs Blocking Trophy
Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
Will Campbell, LSU
Chicago trades former Vol baseball pitcher Garrett Crochet.
Former Tennessee baseball pitcher Garrett Crochet was traded on Wednesday.
The White Sox traded Crochet to Boston for catcher Kyle Teel (No. 25 overall prospect), outfielder Braden Montgomery (No. 54 overall), infielder Chase Meidroth (Boston’s No. 11 prospect) and Wikelman Gonzalez (Boston’s No. 14 prospect).
The former Vol (6-12) recorded 209 strikeouts and a 3.58 ERA in 2024 for Chicago.
Crochet was selected by the White Sox in the 2020 Major League Baseball draft (No. 11 overall).
He played for the Vols from 2018-20, appearing in 36 games. Crochet (10-9) recorded 149 strikeouts during his career at Tennessee.
The former Vol went to Tennessee from Ocean Springs High School in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
Crochet was selected by Milwaukee in the 34th round of the 2017 MLB draft. He signed with the Vols over Texas and Tulane.
A look at Tennessee’s assistant football coach salaries in 2024 from USA TODAY.
USA TODAY released its annual coaching salary database on Wednesday.
Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks is the Vols’ highest-paid assistant coach. He earns a total pay of $1,500,000.
Offensive line coach Glen Elarbee and defensive line coach Rodney Garner are earning $900,000. Joey Halzle, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, is making $850,000.
First-year linebackers coach William Inge is earning $720,000, while outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler is making $575,000.
Tennessee’s remaining assistants are earning the following: Kelsey Pope ($550,000, wide receivers), Willie Martinez ($540,000, secondary), De’Rail Sims ($350,000, running backs) and Alec Abeln ($250,000, tight ends).
Entire college football assistant coach salaries from USA TODAY can be viewed here.
Tennessee finished the 2024 regular-season 10-2 (6-2 SEC) and will play at Ohio State in the first-round of the College Football Playoff on Dec. 21. The Vols are in their fourth season under head coach Josh Heupel.
Former Tennessee undergraduate assistant hired as head coach at Clinton High School.
Former Tennessee defensive undergraduate assistant Jake Dawson was named head coach for Clinton High School football in Clinton, Tennessee.
Dawson, 24, was on Tennessee’s staff under former head coach Jeremy Pruitt from 2019-20. He served as defensive coordinator at Catholic High School in Knoxville during the 2024 season.
Prior to his stint with Catholic, he was co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Heritage High School (Maryville, Tennessee) under head coach Joe Osovet. Osovet also served as an assistant coach for the Vols under Pruitt.
Dawson, a graduate of Marion County High School in Jasper, Tennessee, was defensive backs coach at Powell High School (Powell, Tennessee) when the Panthers won a state championship in 2021.
He will be Clinton’s third head coach in three years. Last year, Clinton (3-8) advanced to the 5A state playoffs for a second consecutive season.
Dawson told Vols Wire Clinton can be successful in 2025.
“When I look at the Clinton program, I see untapped potential, and I’m looking forward to working with these young men,” Dawson said. “I saw the facilities and they’re great, and the administration, (principal Robbie) Herrell and (athletic director Josh) Reid, they’re great people. I’m blessed. I don’t deserve this opportunity, but God is good.”
Reid said Dawson is the right person to lead Clinton’s program.
“Jake is a great young man and I look forward to see him work with our young men, and give the opportunity they deserve,” Reid said. “He’s wise beyond his years and the sky’s the limit.”
