Tennessee

2024 Tennessee State Football Preview

Published

1 year ago

June 20, 2024

2023 Record: 6-5 (2-4 Big South-OVC)
Returning Starters: 9 (7 Off, 2 Def)
2023 Offensive Rank (YPP): No. 113
2023 Defensive Rank (YPP Allowed): No. 24

Returning All-Conference Players: James Lowery (1st Team; K), Jordan Gant (2nd Team; RB), Jackson Foster (2nd Team; P), Eriq George (Freshman Of The Year; DL)

Notable Incoming Transfers: Jalal Dean (Tennessee Tech; WR), Keandre Booker (SEMO; LB), CJ Evans Jr. (Austin Peay; RB), JayT Jackson (Georgia State; DB), Tyler Jones (Missouri; DB), Connor Meadows (Tennessee; OL), Marvin Atuatasi (Morgan State; OL), Aiden Smith (Bryant; WR), Kierron Smith (Georgia Southern; DL)

Tennessee State finished with a winning record for the first time since 2017, which signaled another step forward for the Tigers under head coach Eddie George. Over the past two seasons, the Tigers have been in a position to win the conference entering the final week of October but have failed to capitalize on late-season opportunities.

Offensive inconsistency has prevented the Tigers from reaching their full potential the past two seasons. Tennessee State hired Travis Partridge as the new offensive coordinator as he looks to revamp an offense that ranked seventh in total offense in the Big South-OVC last season.

Quarterback Draylen Ellis returns for his third season at Tennessee State and will be the x-factor for this offense. If Ellis can find the same success he had at Austin Peay, then the Tigers can immediately become a contender. Ellis started six games last season, recording 1,075 passing yards, six passing touchdowns, 252 rushing yards, and five rushing touchdowns.

Ellis will have plenty of weapons to utilize as the Tigers return multiple starters at wide receiver and running back. Running back Jordan Gant returns after his Freshman All-American season in 2023. He led the Tigers with 553 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns last season. He will be joined by former Austin Peay running back CJ Evans Jr., who has over 1,300 career rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.

The Tigers return three wide receivers with starting experience, led by senior Dayron Johnson, who ranked second on the team with 349 receiving yards in 2023. Karate Brenson and Delanie Majors also return after combining for 426 receiving yards and three touchdowns last season. Former Tennessee Tech wide receiver Jalal Dean is a name to watch after posting a career-high 323 receiving yards last season. The offensive line is the biggest question mark for Tennessee State, but the Tigers signed plenty of experience by adding six transfers to the room this offseason.

Tennessee State’s defense has consistently been one of the top units in the conference over the past two seasons. The Tigers led the OVC in total defense two seasons ago and ranked third in the conference last season. There will be plenty of defensive turnover next season as cornerback Fondren Hollis III and defensive tackle Lathun Snipes are the only two returning starters.

The Tigers added eight defensive transfers but have multiple players from last season who will be forced into bigger roles in 2024. Defensive tackle Jalen Bell returns after missing last season with an injury but was a two-time All-Conference selection at Mississippi Valley State. There will be a question mark after Terrell Allen’s departure to Tulane. Last season, defensive lineman Eriq George earned Freshman All-American honors and could step into a much larger role in 2024. A name to watch is Keandre Booker, who brings plenty of experience after recording 92 tackles and 20 tackles for loss at SEMO.

The secondary loses four starters but will return multiple key contributors who played significant snaps last season. Jalen McClendon is expected to step into a larger role at cornerback and compete for the starting job across from Hollis III. Defensive backs Dion Villiers and Boogie Trotter are primed for breakout seasons at safety and nickel, while former Georgia State defensive JayT Jackson will push for a starting job this offseason.

Head coach Eddie George made necessary changes to his offensive staff, which could be the key for the Tigers to once again compete for the conference title. The 2024 season could define George’s tenure in Nashville, as the Tigers are expected to compete for the first conference championship since 1999.

2024 Tennessee State Football Schedule

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Tennessee

Tennessee football QB Jake Merklinger plans to enter transfer portal

Published

9 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

Tennessee football QB Jake Merklinger plans to enter transfer portal

Tennessee quarterback Jake Merklinger plans to enter the transfer portal, Knox News has confirmed.

On3.com and Rivals.com were the first to report Merklinger’s decision. The transfer portal opens on Jan. 2.

Merklinger has also opted out of the Music City Bowl. No. 23 Tennessee (8-4) plays Illinois (8-4) on Dec. 30 (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Nashville. Starter Joey Aguilar will play in the bowl game, so Merklinger was not expected to be a factor. Freshman George MacIntyre will serve as the backup.

Merklinger spent two seasons at Tennessee but barely played and failed to win the starting job. He played six games and went 19-of-33 passing for 221 yards and two touchdowns.

In 2024, Merklinger was a third-string freshman when Nico Iamaleava started. In 2025, he competed for the starting job but lost to transfer Joey Aguilar.

By the end of the 2025 season, Merklinger was neck and neck with freshman George MacIntyre for the backup job. And it didn’t appear that Merklinger would factor in the starting job in 2026.

Merklinger, a native of Savannah, Georgia, was a four-star recruit in the 2024 class. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

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Seedy K’s GameCap: Tennessee

Published

22 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

When you have two legitimate Top 20 teams testing each other, it’s never inevitable.

But this U of L task in Knoxville against tall favorite Tennessee sure seemed close to that heading in.

Well coached top level foe at its sold out home.

One whose strength — inside scoring and rebounding — made it a bad matchup for the Cards, whose lack of inside depth and strength has been an Achilles heel from the get go.

That the Vols were hungry and angry coming off three straight Ls made a U of L victory seem an almost impossible task.

Then we learned that back issue of Mikel Brown’s is a problem.

Cards were toast before tip.

It was all evident by halftime — actually well before then.

It just takes a peek at a couple statistics.

Tennessee led by only 7, thanks to some tough Cardinal D. And UT’s woeful FT shooting.

That inside game issue: Volunteers 28 points in the paint. Cardinals 10.

That’s right, Tennessee had more points in the paint at the break than Louisville had points total.

That lack of point guard issue: U of L had 9 FGs at intermission. Tennessee had that many assists on 15 buckets.

Louisville’s strength is depth. At least usually.

During the first 20 Tuesday, the Cards had zero points off the pine. Vols 22. (For the game, the disparity was 34-3. Khani Rooths hit a FT. Wild Man Zougris a garbage time slam.)

Another opening stanza reality that might have you feeling the need to clean your glasses.

Only three guys scored. Adrian Wooley with 12, Ryan Conwell with 11, and Sananda Fru with 4.

Louisville’s second half performance is not worth the bandwidth, my time to write about, nor your time to read.

The final, in a lopsided disappointing loss: 83-62.

There is no sugar frosting this. Against teams with major size and inside presence, Louisville has and will continue to struggle.

When your most talented player doesn’t suit up, it makes it more impossible to overcome.

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Tennessee

A look at new laws proposed in Tennessee

Published

1 day ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

A look at new laws proposed in Tennessee

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