Tennessee’s Recruiting Budget Stands Above All In College Football
Image: Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics
By Cody McClure
What if I told you that Tennessee had the highest recruiting budget in all of college football last year?
Well, that’s what I’m telling you.
UT spent $5.3 million in 2024, according to On3 Sports.
That led the way among all the nation’s top college football programs, just ahead of Alabama, and well ahead of the rest of the SEC.
The Vols are currently No. 1 when it comes to the arms race that is recruiting spending, which has clearly translated to Josh Heupel’s program landing some big fish recently.
You know the old phrase, “you’ve gotta spend money to make money.”
Well, nobody can accuse Tennessee of not trying.
The UT athletic department is doing what it takes to win at a championship level.
Having elite talent and stockpiling recruiting classes is a prerequisite to winning championships.
Soon, hopefully, this bump in recruiting will pay dividends on the gridiron.
Maybe — as Jeremy Pruitt once stated somewhat eloquently — the 2020s will be the DECADE OF THE VOLS.