16 days until week 1 of college football; the Orange face the Tennessee Volunteers in the Aflac Kickoff Game from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons. While there has been plenty of offseason Syracuse news to keep fans busy, including an ongoing quarterback battle, Rocky Top will look a lot different from the 2024 team that was dismantled in their road playoff game against the eventual champion Ohio State Buckeyes.
Quarterback Drama
Quarterback was supposed to be Tennessee’s strength this season; a NFL-esque NIL holdout during spring practices sent former No. 1 overall recruit Nico Iamaleava to UCLA. Adding to the irony of the situation, UCLA’s original transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar left and joined the Vols mid-spring. Head Coach Josh Heupel is currently running a quarterback battle, but recent reports have noted that Aguilar will win the job over the less-experienced freshmen in Jake Merklinger and George McIntyre. Aguilar threw for over 3000 yards last season at Appalachian State, with a 23-14 TD-to-INT ratio.
Offense
You thought the similarities ended with the quarterback situation? Tennessee lost four of their starting offensive lineman, their star running back in Dylan Sampson to the Cleveland Browns, and their top three wide receivers over the offseason. They retooled with transfers on the line, and are expecting major production from star sophomore receiver Mike Matthews and tight end Miles Kitselman. Tennessee is expected to have a more “Committee-based” running back room this season, with DeSean Bishop and Star Thomas transferring in from Duke. The Tennessee staff is impressed with true freshman tackle David Sanders, the top tackle recruit in 2025, and he could make a push to start right away. While it won’t be the same offense as that electric 2022 Hendon Hooker/Jalin Hyatt downfield attack, Heupel is one of the best offensive schemers in all of college football.
Defense
Tennessee sent both elite defensive lineman from last year’s squad to the NFL: Edge rusher James Pearce Jr. was a first round pick by the Falcons, and defensive tackle Omar Norman-Lott was a Chiefs’ second round selection. However, returning defensive tackle Bryson Eason is poised to have a big year as a sixth year senior. Their strongest defensive unit, and strongest unit overall, is the secondary. Cornerback Jermod McCoy is a virtual lock to become a first round NFL draft pick. Safety Andre Turrentine is poised to have a great senior year with his NFL stock on the line. Even with this defensive momentum, Boo Carter’s presence changes elevates the entire defensive unit. Carter has missed practices and also showed up late to parts of fall camp, leading to internal discipline that could include a suspension for week 1. They will still be a tough defense if he isn’t able to play, but Carter helps the Vols in more ways than one. He is a top option for kick and punt returns, there were offseason rumors that he would have some level of involvement as a receiver, and he is a major piece in why Tennessee had a strong scoring defense in 2024.
What Will Syracuse’s Gameplan Look Like?
Whoever is the quarterback will likely take time to fully adjust to the in-game system; no drills in fall camp can replicate what goes on during the games against an opposing team. Syracuse will look to their retooled offensive line and running back duo in Yasin Willis and Will Nixon to establish a ground game early and often. Defensively, expect heavy blitzes to try and rattle Aguilar before he gets comfortable.
This will be an amazing game with both teams facing their fair share of offseason issues. The “Neutral site” of Atlanta favors Tennessee, but Head Coach Fran Brown has coached SEC champions in that stadium dating back to his time with Georgia. Week 1 often offers a true coaching battle with so many new pieces trying to get acclimated on the fly.
