ESPN projects Tennessee among top teams in the nation to take a big leap forward in crucial area in 2026
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The Tennessee Vols' defense was nothing short of a train wreck in 2025. After serving as a catalyst for their 2024 run to the College Football Playoff, the unit served as an anchor that kept one of the best offenses in the SEC from bringing the program back to the CFP for a second straight year.
The unit's failures were most apparent late in the season in November and December. After allowing offensively stagnant Oklahoma to escape Knoxville with a season-wrecking 33-27 win, Tennessee ended their regular season with a 45-24 shellacking at the hands of Vanderbilt where the Vols allowed an alarming 579 total yards to the Commodores. Defensive coordinator Tim Banks was fired, and Josh Heupel plucked experienced DC Jim Knowles from Penn State as his replacement.
So naturally, the question is how quickly the Vols can get their defense turned around to catch up to an offensive brimming with talent at the skill position and a veteran offensive line mostly returning? ESPN's Bill Connelly thinks pretty quickly. He put out his list of top five teams with new DCs who will improve in 2026, and the Vols checked in at No. 5.
Tennessee among ESPN's top 5 teams expected to have biggest improvement with new defensive coordinator in 2026
"The Vols collapsed from sixth to 63rd in defensive SP+ last season, so Josh Heupel called in a ringer," Connelly wrote. "Knowles has produced seven top-25 defenses in 12 years, but his first season in a given location doesn't usually produce improvement — it usually takes him a year to get his footing. With a brand-new quarterback and potentially questionable offense, Heupel needs the defense to rebound immediately."
The Vols will have a number of new faces who were impactful elsewhere looking to help make that jump come to fruition. EDGE Chaz Coleman, LB Amare Campbell, and SAF TJ Metcalf should earn starting roles. Defensive backs Kayin Lee, Dejuan Lane, and Qua Moss could also end up earning a starting role, as could DL Xavier Gilliam.
The question, naturally, with so much turnover is, how well and how quickly will that talent mesh together with the coaching staff and defensive scheme/philosophy?
Fortunately, Knowles coached a number of those transfers during their time together at Penn State in Coleman, Campbell, Gilliam, and Lane, and the rest have spring and fall camps to get acclimated to the system.
Tennessee needs a major turnaround on the defensive side of the ball, and with Knowles and a fortified roster at all three levels, better things could be ahead for the Vols' defense in 2026.
This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Mar 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the Nashville section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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