The Tennessee Volunteers are walking a fine line between progress and potential disaster as they head into the 2025 season. Sure, their 10-3 record in 2024 was an improvement over their 9-4 finish the previous year, and they even punched a ticket to the playoffs. But beneath that surface-level success lies a storm brewing in Knoxville—one centered around questionable coaching decisions and a quarterback who hasn’t silenced his doubters.
Head coach Josh Heupel has been working overtime to address Tennessee’s weaknesses, bringing in seasoned coaches to shore up his backroom staff. His latest hire? Seth Littrell, the former North Texas head coach and Oklahoma offensive coordinator. At first glance, Littrell’s addition seems like a strategic move—after all, he and Heupel share a history as Oklahoma teammates, having won a national championship together in 2000. But not everyone is sold on the hire.
FOX Analyst Sounds Off: “Will This Move Even Matter?”
RJ Young, a FOX Sports analyst, didn’t hold back when giving his take on the Littrell hiring, questioning whether it would make any real impact on Tennessee’s success.
“I don’t know what else Seth Littrell could add to you (Tennessee), except perhaps a new set of eyes, which is always going to be good for the football program… just scanning spring practice and going, ‘What about this guy? Do we think we have space for him? Where can he help us, or even look at that defense? And going to these guys gave me hell. Why don’t we play these guys more?’ I am interested to see. Seth Littrell being hired to Tennessee is going to make them a better football team? I don’t think it’s going to hurt them, but I’m not so sure it’s going to make them better.”
Ouch. While Young acknowledges that extra experience on the coaching staff is never a bad thing, he isn’t convinced that Littrell will move the needle for the Vols. And when you take a closer look at Littrell’s recent track record, it’s hard to argue with him.
Littrell’s Questionable Resume: A Step in the Right Direction or Dead Weight?
Before joining Tennessee, Littrell served as offensive coordinator and QB coach at Oklahoma, where, to put it bluntly, his offense was a disaster. Here’s a breakdown of the Sooners’ offensive struggles under his watch:
- 110th in points per game (21.1)
- 126th in total yards per game (one of the worst in FBS)
- 83rd in rushing yards per game (136.1)
- 132nd in sacks allowed per game (4.2)—a near-bottom ranking in FBS Division I
With numbers like that, it’s no surprise that analysts are skeptical about what Littrell can bring to Tennessee. If he couldn’t fix the Sooners’ offense, why should Vols fans believe he’ll revamp Tennessee’s attack?
But coaching isn’t the only concern swirling in Knoxville—the quarterback situation is becoming a full-blown crisis.
Nico Iamaleava: The $8M Quarterback Who Can’t Crack the Top 10?
The expectations for Nico Iamaleava heading into 2025 couldn’t be higher. He’s the face of Tennessee football, the $8 million NIL superstar, and the supposed future of the Vols’ offense. But after an up-and-down 2024 campaign, some are beginning to question whether he’s truly the guy.
His 63.8% completion rate, 2,616 passing yards, and 358 rushing yards weren’t terrible, but they weren’t exactly jaw-dropping either. And the national media is taking notice.
CBS Sports analyst Tom Fornelli recently released his list of the Top 10 QBs to watch in 2025—and not only was Iamaleava left off, but he also failed to make the list of five honorable mentions. That means 15 quarterbacks were ranked above him heading into next season.
Let that sink in.
A highly touted SEC quarterback, who’s being paid millions, isn’t even seen as a top-15 returning QB in college football. And if you think this was just one analyst’s opinion, think again—several recent reports have echoed the same sentiment, suggesting that Iamaleava may have already hit his ceiling.
For a program with championship aspirations, that’s a terrifying thought.
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Is Heupel Eyeing His Next Quarterback Already?
If Iamaleava doesn’t make major strides in 2025, Josh Heupel might already have his replacement in waiting. Enter Faizon Brandon, the five-star QB phenom from the 2026 class.
Brandon has been making waves in the recruiting world, and 247 Sports’ Hudson Standish recently provided a glowing review of the young signal-caller:
“This is somebody who completed 77% of his passes on 214 attempts, 35 passing touchdowns to only two interceptions. Watched his quarterfinal, semifinal, and state championship game, all against MaxPreps Top 100 schools, and he is just an elite game manager. And then, we recently saw him when he came to the All-American Bowl Combine, and I’m not sure if he misplaced a pass on the day. His accuracy at the second and third levels of the defense has gone way up, and you can kind of see it just in that setting—pretty wild.”
That’s the kind of elite production Tennessee fans hoped to see from Iamaleava, but instead, they’re left wondering if they overhyped their current QB.
Brandon has already committed to Tennessee, but as we’ve seen time and time again, top prospects can be flipped by rival programs in an instant. If the Vols want to secure their future, they need to lock him in and keep him away from SEC predators.
The Verdict: Tennessee’s Future Hangs in the Balance
With spring practice underway, Josh Heupel has some massive decisions to make. Can Nico Iamaleava take that next step and prove he’s Tennessee’s franchise quarterback, or will his inconsistencies force the Vols to start looking elsewhere?
And what about Seth Littrell? Will he bring fresh ideas to Heupel’s offense, or will he simply be another uninspiring coaching hire that doesn’t move the needle?
One thing is for sure: Tennessee can’t afford to take a step back. With the SEC becoming even more competitive, the Vols need to hit on every move they make—both on the field and in the coaching room.
If they don’t, they might find themselves watching from the sidelines as their rivals race past them.
