Josh Heupel Focused on Fixes as Tennessee Official Accuses Rivals of Rule-Bending

Josh Heupel is working to address the problems that led to Tennessee’s 8-5 finish in the 2025 season. The squad saw losses against Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, and Illinois this season.

While programs across the country have been active in recent days adding talent via the transfer portal, Tennessee athletic director Danny White accused some schools of violating rules to secure top portal players.

“There are schools that don’t intend to submit (NIL deals) through the (NIL) clearinghouse, and I think that’s a low integrity move. It’s akin to paying players under the table in the old world,” White told Knox News. “If we’re going to have rules, then people need to follow them. And if they don’t, there needs to be penalties.”

White also said that stronger enforcement and accountability are necessary if cheating is occurring, which he believes it is.

“There are two sides to it: Are you planning on just cheating and never submitting it to the clearinghouse?” White said. “If so, there needs to be penalties for that. Otherwise, why do we even have rules? Because if we want to go that route, then my goal will be that become the New York Yankees of college sports. We can do that at Tennessee.”

Tennessee has had several players enter the transfer portal, including Jake Merklinger, Lance Heard, William Satterwhite, Jack Van Dorselaer, Peyton Lewis, Rickey Gibson III, Jordan Ross, and Max Gilbert.

However, the Volunteers have added a number of experienced transfers to strengthen the roster, including Chaz Coleman, Amare Campbell, Xavier Gilliam, Dejuan Lane, TJ Metcalf, Kayin Lee, Jordan Norman, Qua Moss, Ory Williams, and Cooper Ranvier.

Josh Heupel’s Tennessee Athletics’ Record-Breaking Revenue Surge 

The University of Tennessee athletic department recorded a phenomenal $304 million in revenue for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which concluded on June 30. It marks a historic milestone for the Volunteers and proves the rapid financial growth of the program in the last few years.

Tennessee athletics has now set a revenue record for four consecutive years. The department reported $154 million in the 2022 fiscal year, followed by $202 million in 2023, and $234 million in 2024 before this year’s leap. The steady climb underscores the department’s expanding reach and increasing national profile.

“It’s pretty crazy. It’s unprecedented growth,” White told Knox News. “We talk about building the best athletic department in the country. I think it’s a testament to this fan base about how aggressively everything has grown.”

Fan support has played a crucial role in the financial rise, particularly within Heupel’s football program. Ticket revenue climbed from $46.4 million in the 2024 fiscal year to $52.2 million in 2025, with football accounting for most of the increase. Neyland Stadium sold out every home game during the 2024 season, and the trend carried over into this season as well.