The beginning of 2025 has been a rough ride for Josh Heupel. The Tennessee Volunteers’ head coach had to part ways with his quarterback, Nico Iamaleava. The duo reportedly had a strong relationship, so it must have been tough for Heupel to say those words, “We’re moving on as a program without him.” Lucky for Heupel, though, he did not have to wait long to fill Iamaleava’s seat.
Joey Aguilar is believed to be the starter for the Vols in 2025. Even though the head coach seems to have moved on from Iamaleava, there still prevail concerns for Aguilar. But that did not stop Heupel from turning his attention towards bolstering the 2026 recruiting class. Tennessee recruiting has been quiet, but it feels like it’s starting to heat up.
As per On3’s 2026 Industry Ranking football Team Recruiting Rankings, the Vols stand at No.13 with 20 recruits locked in. Now that’s not a good momentum for Heupel, whose squad will have to fight against frontrunners like Lincoln Riley’s USC, which has already locked in 31 recruits. This was taken up on the July 10 podcast of the Rivals podcast. Steve Wiltfong shared his take on how Heupel is on high alert as they are now on their way to hunt down two 5-stars- Tristen Keys and Savion Hiter. The analyst shared, “They got a chance at a top-five recruiting class. It’s going to come down to these five stars. They already have one committed in Faizon Brandon.”
The analyst continued, “He was terrific at the Elite 11 finals. He is someone who has built a great relationship with a lot of his peers in this class. The way he carries himself, he’s a guy that these other blue chippers want to play with.” So, that gives Heupel an edge in this 5-stars race. Keys has already been committed to the LSU Tigers since March. But amidst this, there is some good news for Tennessee.
The analyst noted, “Tristen Keys currently committed to LSU, but there is more buzz around the Vols and Texas A&M right now. He has always loved Tennessee. They were one of his favorites. The coaching staff, his connections with the fan base, the people in the building, the offense. He’s told me recently that Tennessee is doing everything right in his recruitment. Texas A&M’s also involved, but the Vols have some momentum with Tristen Keys.”
On the July 13 weekend, Keys was spotted having the best time at Heupel’s squad wearing the orange-colored gear. After his trip to Knoxville, he said, “They’ve always been high for me. I love Tennessee.” As per the reports, even though Heupel is known for closing his fist tightly when it comes to NIL, he is willing to pay $1 million to flip Keys. Then comes Hiter. Even though the race to land the hot running back target won’t be easy with power five programs like Georgia, Ohio State, and Michigan running the race, Heupel got a big update.
Where does Josh Heupel stand in the Savion Hiter race?
The Michigan Wolverines had dialed up the recruiting drama. They choreographed a “handoff photo op” between Hiter and five-star QB Bryce Underwood, held a family dinner hosted by Tony Alford. But somehow, Sherrone Moore and Co. went outside the race. That’s when Heupel made the most use of the golden chance. Tennessee scheduled an official weekend for June 20–23. Sources from Tennessee’s staff described the visit as “strategic and electric.”
On June 26, Austin Price came with an update on how the fight will be, Moore vs. Heupel to hunt down Hiter. “Right now, I think Tennessee—it’s still a two-team race, Josh. I think it’s Tennessee, it’s Michigan. Everybody else is to me way behind, and those are the two teams that have separated.” The craze for the 5-star is real. Now, why wouldn’t it be? Hiter earned MaxPreps Junior All-American honors after racking up 1,897 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns. Defensively, he added 56 tackles and seven sacks, which places him at No.1.
Now, Wiltfong, too, doubled down on Price’s take. The analyst believes that it’s Tennessee and Michigan that are in Savion Hiter’s top two: “Tennessee is in the top two for top-ranked running back Savion Hiter. The five-star from Virginia is closing in on his decision and the Vols are battling long-time front-runner Michigan.” And for the chase, if Josh Heupel needs a morale boost, he already got it. The Tennessee head coach has been named to the 2025 Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List. Heupel shares the list with eight SEC coaches among the 26 total number of elites. The 2026 trail is still unfolding—who knows what it’ll bring his way next?
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