Tennessee defensive back Jermod McCoy (3) celebrates after making a play during a college football game between Tennessee and Georgia at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, November 16, 2024. Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What We Hope To Learn During Fall Camp For the Tennessee Vols

Originally posted on Tennessee Volunteers on SI
By Brooks Austin | Last updated Jul 25, 2025 9:40 AM ET

The Tennessee Volunteers are just over a month from the start of their 2025 season inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium against the Syracuse Orange. Before they do that, however, they will have an entire month of fall camp to answer all of the remaining questions they have about their roster and prepare to be the Orange.

Today, we are going to identify some of those questions and hope to have answers to them before August 30th when it’s time to kickoff.

What We Hope To Lean During Fall Camp For the Tennessee Vols

Question No. 1: Who’s the quarterback?

That seems pretty obvious considering the offseason turmoil at the position. We know there are three quarterbacks in the room now with the addition of UCLA and App State transfer Joey Aguillar alongside Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre. According to Heupel at SEC media days, it’s still a three-way battle, though most close to the program believe it will be between Aguillar and Merklinger this fall camp.

Question No. 2: Who are the Weapons?

We know this is a run-first football program. Since Josh Heupel’s arrival, they haven’t finished outside of the top-3 in rushing yards in the Southeastern Conference. However, entering the year, Tennessee’s leading receiver is Chris Brazzell II who returns after just 29 catches and 333 yards a year ago. Apart from Brazzell, the Vols lost three of their top 4 receivers from a year ago either to the draft or the transfer portal. However, no one on this roster has more hype and anticipation around them then perhaps sophomore WR, Mike Matthews. The former five-star is bound to have an explosive sophomore campaign.

Question No. 3: How Healthy is Jermod McCoy?

The Vols have perhaps the best cornerback in college football entering 2025 in the form of Jermod McCoy. However, McCoy doesn’t sound like he’s going to be 100% at the start of the season after having suffered a knee injury this offseason during workouts. When asked about McCoy, Heupel said they are “taking his short term and long term health into consideration.” And also expressed the need not to rush McCoy’s rehab.