How Josh Heupel, Tennessee football avoid NCAA's transfer 'epidemic'
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Transfers are a reality of college football in 2024, but Tennessee loses fewer players than most. Even better, the Vols very rarely lose top performers.
Tennessee bid farewell to 15 transfers this offseason, three of whom were walk-ons. That's the fewest number of transfer departures for any SEC team. By comparison, Alabama lost 39 players to the portal.
How does Josh Heupel pull off this impressive roster retention?
On this edition of "The Volunteer State," Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network and the News Sentinel's Adam Sparks unpack Tennessee's effectiveness at limiting its number of transfers.
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While there's no magic bullet to combat transfers, the Vols attack this on multiple fronts:
1. Tennessee's NIL program is in good shape. A volatile NIL collective can motivate players to transfer in search of a better, more stable deal. Tennessee doesn't experience this. The Vols' NIL collective boasts a strong reputation.
2. The Vols retain their coaches. The surest way to experience a mass exodus? Change coaches. (See Alabama.) For more than a decade, Tennessee experienced a revolving door of coaches, but Heupel brought stability. He's delivered three straight winning seasons and appears to be positioned for the long haul. Tennessee hasn't lost many assistant coaches, either. When it has, it looks to promote from within. Stability in the coaching staff results in roster stability.
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3. Tennessee's got momentum. Even if a program hasn't changed coaches, it's in danger of a mass exodus if the team is coming off a losing season and the coach sits on the hot seat. Arkansas finished 4-8 last season and Sam Pittman sits on one of the SEC's hottest seats. Not coincidentally, the Razorbacks lost 31 transfers. Tennessee remains on an upward trajectory under Heupel, which tamps down the temptation to transfer.
4. The Vols aren't overly active in adding transfers, either. The programs that sign the most transfers must make room for those players, because rosters have only 85 scholarship spots. Thus, if a coach enters "Portal King" mode, expect a high amount of turnover each offseason. Dozens of transfers arrive while others exit. Heupel isn't coming for the "Portal King" throne. Tennessee added eight transfers. Being selective about who you add helps maintain the roster.
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Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's SEC Columnist and a published author. Adam Sparks covers the Vols with award-winning coverage for the News Sentinel. You can subscribe to read all their coverage, or check out the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: How Josh Heupel, Tennessee football avoid NCAA's transfer 'epidemic'
