Tennessee was the talk of the 2025 college football transfer portal cycle for all the wrong reasons as quarterback Nico Iamaleava departed from the program in arguably the most confounding saga of the spring. The Volunteers had to adjust late in the offseason, and they now carry a quarterback competition into camp as they seek a return to the College Football Playoff with a new signal-caller. GoVols247 expert Patrick Brown joined Bud Elliott on the Cover 3 College Football Summer School series to preview expectations for the Volunteers this fall.

What are the stakes for Tennessee in 2025?

Roster turnover defined the offseason, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, as Tennessee lost most of its biggest names to the NFL and the portal. A wave of injuries ravaged the depth chart, as well. What is left behind is a largely unproven squad that needs players to step up in order to fuel a return to the playoff.

"Instability is probably the way I would describe this offseason," Brown said. "Now it's the challenge of how do (Josh) Heupel and this staff and this team keep things on the tracks? Because 30 wins in three seasons … they've had a lot of success. Now they've gotta certainly answer some questions and keep things rolling."

The Heupel era has been a fruitful one with no fewer than nine wins in any of the last three seasons. That is the new standard for the Volunteers, who reached the playoff for the first time in 2024 but fell quickly out of the bracket when they ran into the Ohio State buzzsaw. A step back into the middle of the SEC would be a disappointment but perhaps not unexpected given the adversity this offseason brought to Knoxville.

Boo Carter in limbo at Tennessee: Altercation with teammates, agent change and more at forefront of Vols drama

Richard Johnson

Breakout player everybody needs to know

Only one of Tennessee's top five wide receivers returns from 2024, and with only one incoming transfer at the position, Heupel needs his younger options to climb the ladder and produce. All eyes turn to Mike Matthews in that regard. The sophomore is a former No. 40 overall recruit who ranked highly among wide receivers in a class that included young stars Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams, but didn't enjoy the same splash debut as his top classmates.

"He's a guy that's got the ability to make big plays after the catch, make big plays down the field," said Brown. "He can do stuff after the catch. I think he's a well-rounded receiver with a lot of ability. He's got the right mindset. But can he put it all together? That's the big question. If he's a guy that is able to take over and be that No. 1 go-to guy on third-and-7 … that helps."

Across 11 games, Matthews caught just seven passes but turned them into 90 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The per-grab production painted a pretty picture for what could lie ahead. The Volunteers passing game may largely depend on him capitalizing on his potential.

Win total outlook

FanDuel Sportsbook set the Tennessee win total at 8.5 with juice on the under, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The market suggests a slight step backward could be in store for the Volunteers, who have won at least nine games in four straight seasons. As disappointing as it may be to slip from their standard, it also would not be surprising nor an abject failure.

"I don't think 8-4 would make people mad," said Brown. "Certainly it would be a step back, but with everything that's gone on and some of the things that they've lost and a lot of unknowns, if they're able to mitigate the step back … and keep the floor at 8-4, I think you're okay."

To remain above .500 with a decent cushion may be a successful year for a program that suffered through one of the rougher springs in college football. It would give the Volunteers a solid base upon which they could rebuild and push back into playoff contention in short order.

The team at GoVols247.com is providing on-the-ground updates on every development in the Nico Iamaleava saga and spring practice. In addition to breaking news and scoop, subscribers get insights from Patrick Brown, Ben McKee, Wes Rucker while Ryan Callahan has Vols recruiting on lockdown.