Anonymous SEC Coach Quotes About Tennessee Suggest Hope For 2025
Image: Tennessee Athletics
By Cody McClure
Athlon Sports has released its annual series of anonymous quotes from coaches about other programs.
‘SEC Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2025’
The anonymous coaches had plenty to say about Tennessee, but it’s not as bad as you may think.
“Losing Nico isn’t good,” one coach said. “They’re not replacing him with a more talented quarterback, and they’re losing the QB who ran their system in a playoff game. But because of the way everything went down, I don’t think anyone blames the program or Josh [Heupel], and with the turnover on defense, Nico leaving makes a transition year a lot easier to stomach.
“The offense won’t fall off a cliff. That system is effective at adjusting for personnel, even the quarterback.”
Ok. Good to hear. If the offense doesn’t fall off a cliff Tennessee should still be pretty decent with one of the nation’s top defenses returning some key players.
In my opinion, it’s a pretty damn good defense.
Then again, it sounds like these other coaches think the Vols have a few holes to fill on the defensive side of the ball as well.
“The bigger question, even after Nico, is replacing the defensive starters who carried them in big games,” another coach said. “The secondary is legit and probably their strength right now.”
Sure, UT lost some big names — James Pearce, Omarr Norman-Lott, Will Brooks, Elijah Simmons, etc. etc.
But there are some exciting players coming back too — Arion Carter, Jeremiah Telander, Jermod McCoy, Rickey Gibson, Boo Carter, etc. etc.
You could say the defensive line is taking a hit, but Tennessee is still going to be loaded with experience in the trenches. Bryson Eason, Joshua Josephs, Jaxson Moi, Dominic Bailey, and Tyre West are all seniors.
And who do you trust more than Rodney Garner to get it worked out?
ESPN’s Bill Connelly agrees with me on Tennessee’s defense still being pretty damn good.
One other SEC coach simply said, "they’re going to take a step back and won’t be a playoff team this season, but the quarterback play won’t be awful.”
Not awful. There we go. That’s what Nico was, honestly. Not awful. But not all that good either.
There’s really no reason Tennessee can’t win games this season on the back of the defense just like it did last year.
The running game should still be productive. You downgrade a bit at running back with the loss of Dylan Sampson, but you’ve upgraded on the offensive line.
The quarterback will be the big question mark, but everything else is relatively stable.
I’m optimistic. I still feel like the Vols are closer to 10 wins this season than they are 7.
Joey Aguilar may be the difference in 8, 9, or 10, depending on how he plays, but there shouldn’t be a dramatic downfall this year.
The schedule is quite manageable besides having to break in your new QB vs. Georgia in Week 3 and going on the road to both Alabama and Florida.
Eight wins should be the floor. Nine should be the expectation. Ten should be doable.