Tennessee tight end Miles Kitselman (87) is stopped by Vanderbilt cornerback Kolbey Taylor (6) during the second quarter at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee Football's Josh Heupel Talks Importance of Having Miles Kitselman

Originally posted on Tennessee Volunteers on SI
By Caleb Sisk | Last updated Jul 15, 2025 2:41 PM ET

There are many Important factors to the game of football, including the players that you have. luckily for the Vols, at the tight end position they have one of the best players in the nation at the position. That player being Miles Kitselman. Kitselman is entering his second year as a Vol, and has high expectations.

Coach Josh Heupel talked with the media at SEC Media Days about the importance of having Kitselman and more.

"I think it starts with him, with his competitive makeup of who he is every single day as he walks into the building. Elite competitor, you know exactly what you're going to get, which is everything that he has every single day. He's got great football IQ and understanding as of what we're doing offensively, the fundamentals and the technique, but also understanding the scheme we're going against on the other side of the football. He's really developed as a leader during the course of this
off-season. He's always been a guy that's been able to coach the guys at his position or even during the course of the special teams as he got comfort and earned the trust of the guys around him. He's taken his leadership to a whole 'nother level for us. Expect him to play at an elite level, be a huge part of what we're doing. The tight end position inside of the scope of what we do offensively is kind of our utility knife. Within our tempo, it gives us the ability to play in a lot of different formations if they have the skill sets that Miles has. That's the ability to play out in space, be in line, be off the ball, the ability to run, block and pass protect while being a guy that can make plays down the football field with his hands as well. He's got great understanding of spatial relationships in the scope of our pass game too."