Josh Heupel Makes a Plea to 100k Tennessee Fans After Major David Sanders Injury Statement

Unranked romps like this will be good for Tenn’s confidence because they’re going to need every bit of it next week when they face Georgia. The Tennessee Vols opened the season hammering East Tennessee State 72-17 inside Neyland Stadium. But while the win was a confidence booster, it also came with a lingering cloud: the continued absence of five-star freshman right tackle David Sanders Jr. The highly touted lineman, expected to be a cornerstone of Josh Heupel’s offensive front, has now missed back-to-back games after going down in practice on August 27.

After the game, Josh Heupel made it clear that the showdown with the Bulldogs isn’t just about the 11 guys on the field—it’s about all 100,000 in the stands. As Vols insider Wes Rucker reported, “Tennessee coach Josh Heupel on next week’s showdown against Georgia: We want to be the best team on the field that day. To do that, we’ll need to be at our best, and we’ll need our fans to be at their best, too.” Neyland Stadium is already one of the loudest cathedrals in CFB, but Heupel is calling for max volume when the Bulldogs roll in.

On Sanders’ status, Heupel explained the cautious approach. “Dave, anticipated him being ready. Ultimately, medical decided for him, for us, it probably wasn’t the best move to play him today.” The Vols may be humming offensively, but keeping their young star healthy for the SEC grind is priority No. 1. Coach didn’t disclose the injury last week but said Sanders got “nicked up” late in practice.

The sight of him in street clothes last week in Atlanta only fueled the speculation. Sources close to the program told Volquest at the time that it wasn’t expected to be a long-term issue, but his presence on the sideline rather than in the trenches has been impossible to ignore. In his place, Tenn has had to shuffle the deck: Jesse Perry filled in at right tackle, Wendell Moe moved to right guard, Shamurad Umarov slid to left guard, Sam Pendleton held things down at center, and Lance Heard stayed solid at LT. It was a jigsaw puzzle of sorts, but one that held up well enough in blowout territory.

Josh Heupel made it clear he wasn’t taking any unnecessary risks with his freshman star. “Anticipated him being able to play. This morning, our medical staff just felt like probably wasn’t the right thing to do. We are always going to be mindful of our guys and their health.” Heupel added that the young lineman had been eager to take the field against Syracuse last week but handled the disappointment like a pro. “It was hard for David when he got that news. He anticipated being ready to play (against Syracuse). … I thought he handled it extremely well.” The expectation remains that David Sanders Jr. will be back in uniform when Georgia visits, and Tennessee will need him more than ever.

Josh Heupel’s offense was fast and balanced

Josh Heupel walked off the podium Saturday night with the kind of grin that tells you things are clicking in Knoxville. Tennessee didn’t just take care of business in another non-conference win—they flashed signs that this team is building layers of confidence and rhythm as SEC play looms. Fans got a good look at new playmakers stepping up, depth across the roster shining, and even some juice from special teams that could pay dividends down the road.

The start was exactly what Heupel has been pushing for. From the opening whistle, the Vols looked locked in on both sides of the ball. The defense wasted no time, getting stops on third down and flipping field position in the Vols’ favor. On the other side, the offense moved the chains with rhythm and consistency, though Heupel was quick to point out one nitpick. Settling for three instead of six happened more often than he’d prefer. “A few more than we want to,” he admitted when asked about the field goals.

But even with those small miscues, Heupel couldn’t hide his pride in the overall energy and focus his squad showed. “Starting fast, defensively in particular, I thought they executed really well early. That was a big part of the field position,” he said. A steady, confident tone-setter.