KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee football made its Neyland Stadium debut this camp, as the Volunteers went through a two-hour scrimmage Saturday morning to wrap up the second week of preseason practices.
Tennessee worked all three phases and special situations with various “thud” and live tackling periods. All three quarterbacks – true freshman George MacIntyre, redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and senior graduate transfer Joey Aguilar – took equal reps in the team periods.
“I’m not naming a starter today, but all three of those guys have shown some really good characteristics of doing some special things with the ball, also managing the game, eliminating negatives,” said head coach Josh Heupel. “There are some things that each of them and collectively as a group, we have to get better at, and that’s always the nature of this point in training camp.”
Offensively, a skilled collection of running backs continues to standout. Redshirt sophomore DeSean Bishop had already established himself as one of the top backs and continues to flash. Bishop rushed for 455 yards a season ago before earning a scholarship in the spring. Duke transfer Star Thomas has made a significant jump since his January arrival, and sophomore Peyton Lewis continues to make an impact. Speedy freshman Daune Morris and Justin Baker bolster a deep group.
“He’s a dramatically different player,” Heupel said of Thomas. “Just his body, his movement, explosiveness, his physicality with the ball and without the ball. Some of the details and fundamentals that it takes in pass protection, special teams as well, he has done an elite job from the end of spring ball to where we are through practice eight.”
Player families were on hand for the scrimmage and then participated in a lunch event before the Vols reviewed scrimmage work Saturday evening. The team is off Sunday, and back-to-back practices are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.
No. 18 Tennessee opens its 2025 campaign three weeks from today on Aug. 30 when its takes on Syracuse in the Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta. Kickoff is slated for noon ET on ABC. Tickets are on sale now at AllVols.com.
Tennessee Football Press Conference | Aug. 9, 2025
Head Coach Josh Heupel
Opening statement…
“Great to be out here inside the stadium for a scrimmage. It’s as close to a gameday environment as we’re going to get before we kick off here in a few weeks. A lot of good, and a lot of things to learn from too. We got some situational football in, which is good for everybody, in particular the quarterbacks. Excited to go watch the tape. I also just want to say, we have a ton of families that are here for today’s scrimmage. I appreciate all of them coming by. It’s always great to get our entire family together.”
On what was beneficial from being in a scrimmage setting at the stadium…
“It’s as close to gameday (as possible). We try to make practice like gameday when we get into our team periods (with) how we function and operate. Make it gameday like with officials and that type of thing but this is as close as you’re going to get. Them having to own it, control situations, unique situations that come up just in the normal flow and then the situations that we put them in (like) four-minute (drill) coming out today, so football awareness and controlling everything.”
On if the team did well in the situations that were presented during the scrimmage…
“Yeah, overall, there’s a few things that we can clean up at quarterback, but really on both sides of the football teaching subtle details, which at this point in training camp, you’re constantly growing and pushing to go master the details of the game. It doesn’t just end during training camp. Good teams continue to get better throughout the course of the season. These guys have had a good mindset and have grown each day, but we’ve got a lot more that we got to get to before we get to kickoff.”
On managing practice during fall camp while also managing injuries and keeping guys healthy…
“Your practice habits matter in keeping guys healthy. Some of it you can’t control. Guys have continued to push and take advantage of their opportunities. During the course of the season, gameday from week to week, there’s an ebb and flow and the next guy has to be ready to go. Our guys that have been out, some of those guys are coming back. I like what they’ve done, in particular in our walkthroughs, the detail of it. But, as a football team, we’ve just got to continue to grow.”
On if injuries change his evaluation at any particular position or overall…
“Well, I think you understand the totality of what’s going on in the situations that they’re put in, but in each phase of the game, it truly is the details. That’s for all 11 guys continuing to grow and the guys that didn’t get that rep. One of the things we talk about is not making the same mistake twice. If you want to be elite, you learn from guys that made a mistake that you weren’t in on and that are playing your position. I like the growth that we’ve seen, there’s a lot more out there for us though.”
On if the picture is any clearer at quarterback after scrimmage No. 1…
“I’m not naming a starter today, but all three of those guys have shown some really good characteristics of doing some special things with the ball, also managing the game, eliminating negatives. There are some things that each of them and collectively as a group, we have to get better at, and that’s always the nature of this point in training camp.”
On Joey Aguilar’s ability to run the offense after having to learn it quickly over the summer..
“With what we’re doing offensively in our installs from protections, to run game, controlling it and what he’s seeing on the other side of the football (with) how multiple we’ve been here in the early part of training camp, I really like, overall, what he’s done. There’s still more for him within the structure and the details of it, but I like what he’s done.”
On if he will adjust reps following the first scrimmage…
“We haven’t got a chance to go watch tape. I don’t anticipate us dramatically changing the reps right now.”
On what he wants to see improve after two weeks…
“Eight practices in, there has been good growth. Practices have been competitive, they have been physical, good fundamental and technique growth which ultimately leads you to being in position to go make plays in all phases of the game. We still have a lot left individually and collectively, by unit, to continue to be our best. Growth mindset and let’s continue to push.”
On how George MacIntyre has performed through camp…
“George, we challenged him post spring ball in some of the areas he had to grow. Some of that physical and some of that fundamental and technique. You’ve seen a lot of that growth from him and you’ve seen his level of play be dramatically different than where we finished spring ball and that’s from day one of training camp. He’s had good presence and good control of what we’re doing. There’s some areas he’s going to have to continue to grow in, as all of our players have to do at this point. I’ve really liked what George has done so far.”
On what he saw from the receivers in the scrimmage…
“Overall, I thought they made a few plays. There are some plays that are there to make. But they operated relatively efficiently in the confines of what we’re doing offensively and for them there are some subtle details in how they operate that this is as close to gameday as they get too, which is going to be a great learning experience from them. But overall, I like what they have done.
On Boo Carter and his involvement during camp…
“When we started training camp and I talked to you guys, there were steps that he had to take to continue to earn his place in the scope of what we’re doing as a football team. He has taken those steps and continued to grow. I like what he has been able to do here, in particular the last four days. What’s going to transpire, we’re taking it day to day at this point, is the best way to say it.”
On how David Sanders Jr. has looked…
“I thought David has done a really good job. Eight practices in throughout training camp, thought today, he handled himself extremely well. Really good player in spring ball, continues to grow mentally and physically and then the fundamentals and technique too. Here through the early part of training camp, he has done a really good job for a young football player expecting to play at a really high level.”
On his takeaways from the defensive performance during Saturday’s scrimmage…
“I like how hard they are playing. We use the word ‘attack,’ playing through the echo of the whistle. (I like) how they’re running to the football, the ability to not go one-for-one out in space and in the core, block destruction. For us, the details in what we’re doing – from a shift, trade, motion, whatever it may be – all three levels communicating to be on the same page. We’ve been solid, but there’s more growth for us on a play-in, play-out basis right now with ones, twos and threes. They’ve had a great mindset and continue to grow.”
On Jermod McCoy’s recovery being on schedule after going through individual practice drills…
“Cool moment for Jermod. Big moment, getting back on the field and doing some of that individual work. It was cool to see the way his brothers were excited for him in that moment and how big that was for them, too. He broke us down before practice, and he’s done an elite job throughout his rehab. There’s still more that he has to continue to do, but excited to get him back out with us.”
On the competition at the center position…
“It’s still a competition. Ultimately, who the starting five (offensive linemen) are, moving pieces and finding the best five that fit cohesively together. At that position, multiple guys have to be ready to go play. (We will) potentially have some moving parts, as far as guys lining up from center to guard, guard to tackle, whatever it might be. Those guys have repped extremely hard. They’re playing hard. They’re playing well as a group with the moving pieces. The communication has been really solid, but we’re eight practices in. There’s a lot more for us to continue to get to.”
On Star Thomas’ progression from spring practice to fall camp…
“He’s a dramatically different player. Just his body, his movement, explosiveness, his physicality with the ball and without the ball. Some of the details and fundamentals that it takes in pass protection, special teams as well, he has done an elite job from the end of spring ball to where we are through practice eight.”
On Edwin Spillman’s ability to affect the quarterbacks in Saturday’s scrimmage…
“Edwin made a couple of plays behind the line of scrimmage. He’s taken a step as a leader. He’s taken a step in his understanding and ownership of what we’re doing defensively. His ability to communicate and get all three levels on the same page, a young player that’s only going to continue to get better. He pushes extremely hard every day to go chase his best.”
