The 2021 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Volunteers played their home games at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by first-year coach Josh Heupel.
Recruiting class +RankingPositionNameHome State★★★★OTAddison NicholsGeorgia★★★★QBTayven JacksonIndiana★★★★WRCameron MillerTennessee★★★EDGEJoshua JosephsGeorgia★★★TEBrody FoleyOhio★★★WRMarquarius (Squirrel) WhiteAlabama★★★WRChas NimrodArkansas★★★RBDylan SampsonLouisiana★★★OGMo Clipper Jr.Georgia★★★OTBrian GrantFlorida★★★OGMasai ReddickMichigan★★★DTJordan PhillipsFlorida★★★LBElijah HerringTennessee★★★LBKalib PerryKentucky
Coaching staff
Name Position Joined staffJosh Heupel Head coach 2021Tim Banks Defensive coordinator 2021Kodi Burns Wide receivers 2021Mike Ekeler outside linebackers / Special teams coordinator 2021Glen Elarbee offensive line 2021Rodney Garner Defensive line 2021Alex Golesh Offensive coordinator / Tight Ends 2021Joey HalzleQuarterbacks 2021Brian Jean-Mary Linebackers 2021Jerry Mack Running Backs 2021Willie Martinez Secondary 2021
Schedule
Game summaries
Bowling Green
Pittsburgh
Tennessee Tech
At No. 11 Florida
At Missouri
Vs. South Carolina
No. 13 Ole Miss
Statistics MISS TENN First downs 29 29 Total yards 510 467 Passing yards 231 245 Rushing yards 279 222 Penalties 10–75 6–48 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 34:09 25:51 Team Category Player StatisticsOle Miss Passing Matt Corral 21/38, 231 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT Rushing Matt Corral 30 carries, 195 yards Receiving Dontario Drummond 2 receptions, 66 yards, 1 TD Tennessee Passing Hendon Hooker 17/26, 233 yards, 1 TD Rushing Hendon Hooker 23 carries, 108 yards, 1 TD Receiving Velus Jones Jr. 6 receptions, 93 yards
The game was delayed for nearly 20 minutes in the 4th quarter as some Tennessee fans started to throw objects onto the field, including a golf ball that hit Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin in the leg. The eruption occurred after officials ruled that Tennessee tight end Jacob Warren was short on 4th-and-24 with just under a minute left to play. On the Monday following the game, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey announced that Tennessee would be fined $250,000 due to the fans' actions.
At No. 4 Alabama
Statistics TennesseeAlabama First downs 10 32 Total yards 346 574 Rushing yards 64 203 Passing yards 282 371 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 19:34 40:26 Team Category Player StatisticsTennessee Passing Hendon Hooker 19/28, 282 yards, 3 TD's, 1 INT Rushing Tiyon Evans 7 carries, 30 yards Receiving Cedric Tillman 7 receptions, 152 yards, 1 TDAlabama Passing Bryce Young 31/43, 371 yards, 2 TD's Rushing Brian Robinson Jr. 26 carries, 107 yards, 3 TD's Receiving Jameson Williams 6 receptions, 123 yards
At No. 18 Kentucky
Statistics TennesseeKentucky First downs 17 35 Total yards 461 612 Rushing yards 145 225 Passing yards 316 387 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 13:52 46:08 Team Category Player StatisticsTennessee Passing Hendon Hooker 15/20, 316 yards, 4 TD’s Rushing Jabari Small 4 carries, 55 yards, 1 TD Receiving Velus Jones Jr. 5 receptions, 100 yards, 1 TDKentucky Passing Will Levis 31/49, 372 yards, 3 TD’s, 1 INT Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 22 carries, 109 yards Receiving Wan'Dale Robinson 13 receptions, 166 yards, 1 TD
No. 1 Georgia
South Alabama
Statistics South AlabamaTennessee First downs 13 28 Total yards 285 561 Rushing yards 69 250 Passing yards 216 311 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 37:00 23:00
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Alabama Passing Desmond Trotter 19/32, 216 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Kareem Walker 7 carries, 29 yards Receiving Jalen Tolbert 7 receptions, 143 yards, 1 TDTennessee Passing Hendon Hooker 17/20, 273 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Jaylen Wright 13 carries, 83 yards, 1 TD Receiving Velus Jones Jr. 6 receptions, 103 yards
Vanderbilt
Statistics VANTENN First downs 18 25 Total yards 321 441 Rushing yards 115 285 Passing yards 206 156 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 38:16 21:44 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Mike Wright 16/31, 198 yards, TD, INT Rushing Rocko Griffin 30 carries, 104 yards, TD Receiving Will Sheppard 5 receptions, 98 yards, TDTennessee Passing Hendon Hooker 10/18, 156 yards, 2 TD Rushing Jaylen Wright 15 carries, 112 yards, TD Receiving Cedric Tillman 6 receptions, 106 yards, 2 TD
Purdue
Players drafted into the NFL Tennessee had five players selected in the 2022 NFL draft.
2 49 Alontae Taylor CB New Orleans Saints 3 71 Velus Jones Jr WR Chicago Bears 5 175 Matthew Butler DT Las Vegas Raiders 6 199 Cade Mays OG Carolina Panthers 6 204 Theo Jackson S Tennessee Titans
References
External links Season summary at Sports Reference