Tennessee receivers Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley came of age last football season.
Now they’re trying to help a young quarterback do the same.
“Obviously we have young quarterbacks coming into this thing, and it’s great when you’ve got guys who understand the where and when,” offensive coordinator Joey Halzle said this past week in a news conference as the Volunteers opened preseason practice. “They’re not only at the places they’re supposed to be, but they can do extremely talented things with the ball.
“We think that those two guys give us a chance to be really, really competitive in every ballgame, and we expect big things from them this year. They’ve put in the work to be even better.”
Although Tennessee’s 8-5 season a year ago ended with a thud — falling at home to Vanderbilt by three touchdowns and getting topped by Illinois in the Music City Bowl — the Vols produced three receivers with at least 800 yards for the first time in program history. Chris Brazzell II led Tennessee with 1,017 yards before getting selected by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of April’s NFL draft, while Staley and Matthews amassed 837 and 813 yards, respectively.
Staley’s total occurred through a team-high 68 receptions, and it led to him being named the Southeastern Conference’s freshman of the year. His notable ascension transpired with Joey Aguilar at quarterback, but now he is ready to assist in the transition to either redshirt freshman George MacIntyre or early enrollee Faizon Brandon.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence,” Staley said. “Last year, I was a little timid coming off my freshman year, when I barely played. This year is going to be one of those years where I’ve got a lot of confidence going on the field.
“I’m just coming in trying to be the best player on the team. I want to come in with a great mindset every day and with great energy and just be a leader.”
Staley, a 6-foot, 192-pounder from Aiken, South Carolina, played in only four games during the 2024 season and redshirted, while Matthews played in 11 games that year. The 6-1, 200-pound Matthews, who is from the Atlanta suburb of Lilburn, had only seven catches in those 11 contests and went seven straight games without a single receiving yard.
Neither Matthews nor Staley was on the preseason All-SEC first, second or third teams last month at media days, leaving both feeling disrespected after last season’s productivity.
“I know people are always going to have comments to say about how we play and that they’re not sure about Tennessee,” Matthews said, “but every year we’ve been able to prove them wrong. I feel like we’ve got to continue to do what we do and trust the process.
“I like being doubted, because whenever you win, it feels way better.”
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The two third-year players headline a promising receivers room that contains second-year talents Joakim Dodson, Radarious Jackson and Travis Smith Jr., as well as newcomers TK Keys and Tyreeq King. Matthews said becoming a veteran along with Staley has been beneficial for the two and for the receivers room.
Halzle, meanwhile, is plenty excited about the potential for the weeks ahead.
“What you love about both of those guys is neither of them felt like they had arrived after having good years,” Halzle said. “They both went back and attacked it like they were trying to get themselves on the field. So they’ve put themselves in a great position mentally and physically to go have a big year this year.”
Learning the defense
Tennessee held its third preseason practice Saturday after having Friday off.
Following the workout, third-year linebackers coach William Inge was available to the media. Inge and line coach Rodney Garner were the only defensive assistants retained by new coordinator Jim Knowles, so they had to learn his system along with all the returning players, early enrollees and transfers who didn’t come from Penn State, where Knowles coached last season.
“It is a great process, because the one thing that we all understand is that football is football,” Inge said. “As leaders, we have to challenge ourselves to make sure that we can be able to be the best, so when we come into the room, we have to be the best leaders for our players. Having someone who is as sharp, bright and intelligent as Coach Knowles helps as far as it really just trickles down to all of us who really understand football.
“Now, you have to learn and understand the system and how you’re going to get this across to all of your players, but the transition from our perspective has been very good.”
Taking the fifth?
Senior linebacker Jeremiah Telander is entering his fourth season with the Vols and was asked Saturday if he could envision himself playing in Knoxville again next year under the NCAA’s new landscape of having five years to play five seasons.
“I would say for the parents, it’s probably a little bit better,” Telander said, “because they’re not sitting there every home game thinking, ‘This could be the last.’ My focus is just tomorrow’s practice and then game one.
“Then we’ll see what happens.”
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.