2025/26 Transfer Portal Thread

[HalfullVol]

Thanks. Is that through the grapevine or have you seen a place where Indiana discusses it?

Info Probably came from the new S&C Coach

 

[TrippieRedd]

Indiana did an analysis of total snap count vs productivity. That’s their core metric. They aren’t on the hunt for “small”. They looked for high snap count because it suggests physical development and high productivity against snaps. Our vulnerability is youth. Garner is an A+ developer of talent and now we have a modern conditioning program, but none of that adds the physical growth of 18-22 or the yields that come with hundreds of snaps. We needed some more vets, but we definitely will get higher yields on youth than most teams would.

So they use PFF grades

 

[volinbama256]

Sounds like we won't be involved

DT is going to be interesting this coming season... staff is putting a lot of faith in our existing position group to be much improved from this past season...

We have the same meh performance at DT as this past season, without us trying to gain talent in the portal, and there should be questions asked... Tired of everyone making excuses for a staff that will be here 6 years talking about "competing for championships"... No QB... and Staub is NOT the QB we needed... We had plenty of chances to get one, but we didn't. For whatever reason.

Aside from the Defense hires and bringing a few PSU studs over, I think we barely covered what we lost IMO... So maybe a wash... certainly not huge upgrades in position groups except LB... Replacing Gibson and McCoy, maybe even or slightly lower...

Based on what we did in the Portal, the perceived mindset is certainly not serious about taking the next step/moving to the next level.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

Thanks. Is that through the grapevine or have you seen a place where Indiana discusses it?

Right outside 7-11.

Actually I made a long post before the portal season discussing how we/other teams have moved to advanced analytics for the portal. Teams that used these methods the last couple of years (Vandy/Indy) have incredible returns on spend. The big difference from past years, is the elimination of HS recruiting grades entirely. Indiana and Vandy used a blend of snap count and productivity against snap count only. I’m sure they look as speed, strength and other measurables, but the big development is dumping “potential” as a metric. LSU spent over 35mm in the portal and has an additional 20mm from profit sharing they spent this year. They chased big names, but did focus on snaps too. It will be interesting to see how it pans out next year. We have a very talented group, but they’re still a young team.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

So they use PFF grades

Zackly

 

[Dadof2Vols]

Portal window should last longer than 2 weeks, just for this thread.

I don’t know what I am going to do once portaling is done….maybe women's basketball, baseball and softball. I would like men’s BBALL but losing hope…..

 

[Jackcrevol]

Right outside 7-11.

Actually I made a long post before the portal season discussing how we/other teams have moved to advanced analytics for the portal. Teams that used these methods the last couple of years (Vandy/Indy) have incredible returns on spend. The big difference from past years, is the elimination of HS recruiting grades entirely. Indiana and Vandy used a blend of snap count and productivity against snap count only. I’m sure they look as speed, strength and other measurables, but the big development is dumping “potential” as a metric. LSU spent over 35mm in the portal and has an additional 20mm from profit sharing they spent this year. They chased big names, but did focus on snaps too. It will be interesting to see how it pans out next year. We have a very talented group, but they’re still a young team.

I am in favor of a hybrid Safety Defensive tackle body.

 

[rockytop25]

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

.

 

[Jimmy Football]

.View attachment 809232

Nowhere to go but up!

 

[Wickman]

Nowhere to go but up!

2 tackles = 100% increase!

 

[screenthis]

.View attachment 809232

Yikes. Was he hurt? Asked to Portal? hmmm.

 

[rikberry31]

He obviously reads VN and knows Yeti wisdom is damn near infallible. I am AP's source.

Ok, we can put aside our need for a DT or two, we got much bigger problems. We are in desperate need of another kind of fatboy. I hear that they did not sign a 3x male cheerleader this portal season and there isn't one on the roster. What the heck are we going to do with that XL cheerleading shirt that we give our fatboy? We gotta find someone to fill that jersey or we're screwed. This is unacceptable at Tennessee

 

[head1]

Some of you need to make a new thread titled AP! Y’all spend more time on him than the players.

I’d wager not a single one of you is a member of VQ so why do you care if someone else is? Don’t believe him, skip over the post.

Same ones are the first to ask someone to share the info when AP posts an article.

 

[rockytop25]

 

[BbwVol]

Yes please

 

[Jackcrevol]

squat down, stay low

 

[rockytop25]

Tennessee and Josh Heupel have added 18 players through the transfer portal. And the Volunteers are not done adding to their roster ahead of the 2026 season, On3 has learned.

Miami transfer cornerback Jadais Richard is visiting Knoxville on Friday, sources tell On3. He made five appearances for the Hurricanes this past season, recording five tackles. In his three seasons with the Hurricanes, Richard made eight starts and amassed 46 tackles, three pass breakups and an interception.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound cornerback is a former Vanderbilt transfer. He emerged as a starting cornerback for the Hurricanes in 2024, before suffering a season-ending injury late in the year. With Miami’s talented secondary in 2025, Richard played in five games.

Tennessee has added multiple pieces from the portal to its secondary, including Kansas State’s Qua Moss, Auburn’s Kayin Lee, Penn State’s Dejuan Lane, Michigan’s TJ Metcalf, Michigan’s Tevis Metcalf, Appalachian State’s DJ Burks and Colorado’s Isaiah Hardge

Richard played high school football at West Monroe (LA), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 341 overall player and No. 36 cornerback in the 2022 recruiting cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.

- Nakos On3

 

[NIL>KidsCollegeFund]

Tennessee and Josh Heupel have added 18 players through the transfer portal. And the Volunteers are not done adding to their roster ahead of the 2026 season, On3 has learned.

Miami transfer cornerback Jadais Richard is visiting Knoxville on Friday, sources tell On3. He made five appearances for the Hurricanes this past season, recording five tackles. In his three seasons with the Hurricanes, Richard made eight starts and amassed 46 tackles, three pass breakups and an interception.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound cornerback is a former Vanderbilt transfer. He emerged as a starting cornerback for the Hurricanes in 2024, before suffering a season-ending injury late in the year. With Miami’s talented secondary in 2025, Richard played in five games.

Tennessee has added multiple pieces from the portal to its secondary, including Kansas State’s Qua Moss, Auburn’s Kayin Lee, Penn State’s Dejuan Lane, Michigan’s TJ Metcalf, Michigan’s Tevis Metcalf, Appalachian State’s DJ Burks and Colorado’s Isaiah Hardge

Richard played high school football at West Monroe (LA), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 341 overall player and No. 36 cornerback in the 2022 recruiting cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.

- Nakos On3

Dee Tee?

 

[rikberry31]

Played in five games and had 5 tackles and a pass break up.

Seems like a progrrsss stopper. I’d rather roll with the young guys.

Were they defensive tackles?

 

[LotteryPick]

Somebody wake up Rodney

Think he knows what he’s doing. Maybe 30 years isn’t enough evidence though.

 

[WilliamDuVOL]

Indiana did an analysis of total snap count vs productivity. That’s their core metric. They aren’t on the hunt for “small”. They looked for high snap count because it suggests physical development and high productivity against snaps. Our vulnerability is youth. Garner is an A+ developer of talent and now we have a modern conditioning program, but none of that adds the physical growth of 18-22 or the yields that come with hundreds of snaps. We needed some more vets, but we definitely will get higher yields on youth than most teams would.

Excellent breakdown and insight. Thank you. I take it by your past tense usage of the phrase "needed some more vets" we are no longer looking to add any D lineman, as some news pundits have reported?

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Yikes. Was he hurt? Asked to Portal? hmmm.

What’s wrong with having depth?

 

[NighthawkVol]

Indiana did an analysis of total snap count vs productivity. That’s their core metric. They aren’t on the hunt for “small”. They looked for high snap count because it suggests physical development and high productivity against snaps. Our vulnerability is youth. Garner is an A+ developer of talent and now we have a modern conditioning program, but none of that adds the physical growth of 18-22 or the yields that come with hundreds of snaps. We needed some more vets, but we definitely will get higher yields on youth than most teams would.

Do you actually think that most of the idiots on this board can understand what you typed here? Phrases like "high productivity against snaps" and "higher yields on youth" are going to cause brain aneurisms to this group. @TrippieRedd got cross-eyed one sentence in and hid under a table. @Jackcrevol read "snap count vs. productivity" and started clapping like a baby seal, then licked the screen. @Weezer colored his screen with blue crayon. To be fair, he does that to every post.

 

[therickbol]

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The real story here is who is the player that allowed himself to be tackled by him? How does it feel to be the only player all season that this dude was able tackle. Poor guy!