By Jack Glennon
Andre Turrentine Spoke with Media Members on Monday, August 25, 2025 | Jack Glennon / Rock Solid Sports
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Coming off the heels of a 10-3 season cut short by a brutal defeat in the opening round of the College Football Playoff, the Tennessee Volunteers are just five days away from their season opener against Syracuse.
The Aflac Kickoff Game, between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Syracuse Orange, is set for Saturday at noon inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
As always, the excitement and expectations from Tennessee fans across the country are remarkably high.
Tennessee held a media availability after practice on Monday afternoon to address some of the questions fans might have about the upcoming matchup with Syracuse.
Although Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has already named senior transfer Joey Aguilar the team’s starting quarterback, he refused to disclose other details about Tennessee’s depth chart.
“You [all] will find out on Saturday… when the depth chart comes out”, he chuckled.
Heupel also added that he does anticipate sophomore defensive back Boo Carter being available for Saturday’s matchup with Syracuse.
Although the depth chart remains somewhat of a mystery, some players are clearly in line to play a large role for the team throughout the season.
DeSean Bishop, a part-time back for the Volunteers a year ago, said that despite his expanded role in the upcoming season’s offense, his approach “[does not] change at all… I’ve been attacking this year… my preparation grows by the day.”
It will certainly be interesting to see Bishop’s diligence and preparation put into effect on Saturday, and how Heupel will distribute carries among a crowded Tennessee backfield.
Bishop noted that the running back group, which also includes former Duke Blue Devil transfer Star Thomas and sophomore Peyton Lewis, is “connected… we push each other to be better… we love each other.”
Junior linebacker Jeremiah Telander was also made available to the media and spoke about some of the defensive improvements he has noticed throughout the offseason.
Telander noted how important it is for him to demonstrate vocal leadership on the defensive side of the ball, saying, “as a linebacker, you [are] the quarterback of the defense… just bringing the young guys up… is the biggest thing…”
Few things will be more critical than upperclassmen leadership in the early parts of this season, particularly on defense, where Tennessee lost key pieces such as Omarr Norman-Lott, James Pearce Jr., and a multitude of other players.