Tennessee

Titans WRs Have High Expectations

Published

1 year ago

July 11, 2024

The Tennessee Titans receiving corps underwent a lot of change this offseason, and the team is hoping it’s for the better.

Tennessee pulled off one of the more surprising moves of the offseason, signing Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $93 million contract away from the division rival Jacksonville Jaguars, who were the favorites to retain him. Now, Ridley has a chance to form the best receiver duo in the AFC South next to DeAndre Hopkins, who had a 1,000-yard season once again in 2023.

Ridley and Hopkins will be fighting for the chance to be the top receiver in the offense. The money suggests Ridley will, but Hopkins’ chemistry with Levis from last season could put him in the driver’s seat for that role.

The Titans also signed Tyler Boyd to help out and ease the transition of Brian Callahan’s system, which he helped execute while with the Cincinnati Bengals. Having Boyd’s familiarity in the slot will help Levis out tremendously as he learns how to operate in the new system.

Assuming the Titans carry six receivers, the race for the final three spots on the team should be interesting. Treylon Burks, a 2022 first-round pick, should be favored to grab one of those slots. However, he has underperformed in his first two seasons, making just 49 grabs for 665 yards and a touchdown in 21 career appearances. Those numbers are pretty similar to what Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has produced in the past two years, and he’ll also likely make the team.

The sixth and final spot on the roster is likely to go to sixth-round rookie Jha’Quan Jackson out of Tulane. He also has some return experience from college, so that could help his case towards making the team. Virtually any of these receivers have a shot of making it if they perform well on special teams, but Jackson should be the favorite if they carry six receivers.

The Titans will also give players like veterans Kyle Philips and Mason Kinsey a shot to make the team, but they are more likely to end up on the practice squad than the 53-man roster at the end of training camp.

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Tennessee

Tennessee football QB Jake Merklinger plans to enter transfer portal

Published

8 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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Tennessee

Seedy K’s GameCap: Tennessee

Published

20 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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