JUST IN!!! Former Tennessee Vols Defender Makes Strong Statement About Josh Heupel’s System Ahead…

Former Tennessee Vols Defender Makes Strong Statement About Josh Heupel’s System Ahea

of the 2025 Season

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – July 14, 2025 — As anticipation builds around the Tennessee Volunteers football program ahead of the 2025 college football season, one former player is making waves with strong words of praise — and a bit of warning — about head coach Josh Heupel’s offensive system.

Darrell Taylor, former standout linebacker for the Volunteers and current edge rusher for the Seattle Seahawks, spoke candidly in a recent interview with SEC Gridiron Weekly about how Heupel’s fast-paced, aggressive style of play is redefining expectations in Knoxville — but also carries high stakes.

> “Coach Heupel’s system is like a double-edged sword,” Taylor said. “It’s electric and it puts up points, no doubt. But if you’re not disciplined — if you’re not conditioned mentally and physically — it can expose you just as fast. That’s what separates teams that compete for titles from the ones that just make noise in September.”

Taylor, who played at Tennessee under former head coach Jeremy Pruitt from 2015 to 2019, never had the opportunity to play in Heupel’s up-tempo offense or experience the re-energized culture the coach brought when he took over in 2021. However, Taylor said he remains closely connected to the program and watches every game he can during the NFL season.

> “It’s night and day from when I was there,” he said. “Back then, we were grinding, but it was a slower, more conservative style. Heupel’s system gives Tennessee an identity — a real identity that’s feared in the SEC.”

Heupel, now entering his fifth season as head coach of the Volunteers, has steadily rebuilt the program’s national relevance. Since taking the reins following a chaotic coaching turnover and recruiting scandals, Heupel has led Tennessee to back-to-back 10-win seasons and their first New Year’s Six bowl win in over two decades. His spread offense, designed to stretch defenses horizontally and vertically while maintaining a breakneck pace, has turned Tennessee into one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the nation.

Still, critics have questioned the sustainability of the system, especially in big SEC matchups where depth and clock control often determine the outcome. Some former players, including those who played in more traditional schemes, have voiced concerns that the Volunteers’ defense is left on the field too long — a sentiment Taylor acknowledged but reframed.

> “I hear people saying the defense gets gassed,” Taylor noted. “But guess what? That’s college football today. If you want to win, you need to be conditioned, deep, and ready to rotate. Heupel’s job is to score points. The defense’s job is to get stops, and when both sides are on the same page, it works.”

Taylor went on to praise some of the current stars on Tennessee’s defense, highlighting junior linebacker Elijah Herring and senior cornerback Christian Charles as key pieces to watch in 2025. He also believes the team’s recent recruiting class, which ranked in the Top 10 nationally, will help address depth concerns and bring in the kind of speed necessary to match Heupel’s vision.

> “The future is bright. I talk to some of these young guys — they’re locked in. They’re not coming to Tennessee just to be part of the tradition. They’re coming to win.”

As for the upcoming season, expectations are sky-high in Knoxville. With returning quarterback Nico Iamaleava expected to take a major leap, a stacked receiver room, and an experienced offensive line, the Volunteers are being quietly touted as dark-horse contenders in the SEC. Defensive coordinator Tim Banks has also vowed to bring more pressure this season and improve third-down efficiency — a key area where Tennessee struggled in 2024.

Taylor, while no longer on the field in orange and white, is clearly still invested.

> “There’s no fan base like Vol Nation,” he said. “I lived it. I bled for it. And I love seeing the energy back. If the defense steps up, and if the offense keeps firing like they have, I wouldn’t be surprised if Tennessee is in the playoff conversation by November.”

For now, Tennessee fans can only wait — and hope — that the bold system Heupel has installed continues to deliver results. But if voices like Darrell Taylor’s carry any weight, it’s clear that belief in the program is not just growing — it’s being echoed by those who helped lay its foundation.