Week of July 21st
Titans Training Camp Kicks Off, Zakai Zeigler, and Vols Football Quick-Hits (Yes, Boo Carter Included)
Titans Training Camp Begins (Day 1 & 2)
The Titans kicked off training camp this week with back-to-back open practices at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park. We will provide you the highlights that were reported on by TennesseeTitans.com.
Rookie quarterback Cam Ward was front and center, describing his first day as “mid,” though his performance Day 1 was far from that. Ward went 12-of-17, starting 4-for-4 in 7-on-7 drills and connecting on a dart to tight end Chig Okonkwo. He missed a couple of throws, including one that sailed over Calvin Ridley, but avoided any major mistakes. Ridley, by the way, showed off his elite catch radius with a leaping grab and added another reception later in the day.
Tyjae Spears picked up where he left off last season. He turned a simple screen into a chunk play and routinely found space in the defense. Tight end David Martin-Robinson led all pass catchers with four grabs, and rookies Elic Ayomanor and Gunnar Helm added three each. 16 Titans caught passes in total, showing off early rotation and depth.
Quarterbacks Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle also had efficient outings, combining to go 16-of-17 on Day 1. Julius Chestnut had a few strong runs but fumbled on a failed trick play, while Tony Pollard flashed veteran footwork with a sharp jump-cut.
Defensively, Jeffery Simmons was as loud as he was disruptive. Cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. made a pair of nice breakups (including one on Treylon Burks) before he eventually blew chunks on the field. Rookie safety Kevin Winston Jr., just recently cleared for full practice, already looks the part with strong positioning and awareness.
Day 2 shifted momentum heavily toward the defense. From the start of Day 2 the defense were getting significant pressure, picked off two passes, and made life uncomfortable for all three quarterbacks. Cody Barton continues to impress, picking off Ward in 7-on-7 and nearly snagging another on the final play. That makes three interceptions for him in camp so far.
Winston Jr. added a highlight turnover while ripping the ball away from tight end Josh Whyle and securing what was ruled an interception. Ward finished Thursday 9-of-14 with the pick, often forced into rushed throws due to constant pressure. Allen went 5-of-7 with a pick of his own, though he delivered a strike to Burks across the middle. Boyle cooled off a bit but is still 14-of-19 through two days.
Tyler Lockett led receivers with three catches on Thursday, turning short routes into solid gains. Van Jefferson, James Proche II, and Xavier Restrepo each added two grabs. Kalel Mullings showed intriguing size-speed potential, and Spears again stood out with his burst.
The defensive front was relentless. Dre’Mont Jones was flying to the ball, Arden Key blew up a play and celebrated accordingly, and rookie Femi Oladejo made noise off the edge. Simmons continued his vocal dominance, reminding everyone the defense was winning, and he wasn’t wrong. Xavier Woods broke up a deep Ward-to-Ridley attempt, and Roger McCreary earned praise for tight coverage on Lockett. Other standouts included Jermari Harris, Amani Oruwariye, Anfernee Orji, and newly signed Jihad Ward, who practiced for the first time in No. 53.
Zakai Zeigler Heading to France
Zakai Zeigler’s next move is taking him across the Atlantic. The former Tennessee point guard is officially headed to France to begin his professional basketball career with Nanterre 92, a Paris-based team competing in the country’s top league, LNB Pro A.
After going undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft, Zeigler joined the Detroit Pistons for NBA Summer League action. In four appearances, he averaged 9.0 points, 3.0 assists, and just under 2 turnovers per game while shooting a solid 39.1% from the field and an impressive 45.5% from beyond the arc. While he didn’t land a full-time NBA contract, Zeigler certainly showed flashes of the same energy and shot-making Vol fans came to love during his time in Knoxville.
With two of his former Tennessee teammates—Chaz Lanier (No. 37 to Detroit) and Jahmai Mashack (No. 59 to Memphis)—hearing their names called on draft night, Zeigler now takes a different, but promising, route to prove his game at the pro level.
Vol Football Quick Hits
Five-Star RB Savion Hiter Sets Commitment Date
One of the biggest names in the 2026 class, five-star running back Savion Hiter, will make his college decision on August 19. The 5-foot-11.5, 200-pound Virginia native is the No. 1 running back and No. 8 overall player in the Rivals Industry Ranking. Tennessee, Michigan, Georgia, and Ohio State are the four finalists, each receiving official visits this summer. The Vols hosted Hiter most recently on June 20, and he’s visited Knoxville multiple times unofficially over the last year. A massive target for the future of Tennessee’s offense. Rumors are this is down to a Tennessee/Michigan battle.
Boo Carter’s Status Remains Cloudy
Freshman defensive back Boo Carter is still officially on the team, but his standing is shaky. He was confirmed to be in the building last week, but there’s been no confirmed presence this week. Sources believe there’s been communication between Carter and the program, but his recent trip to California and ongoing absences from team events haven’t sat well with team leaders. He’s missed multiple workouts and shown up late when he has been present. Tennessee players report Monday night for fall camp. The big question: Will Boo be there? Expect head coach Josh Heupel to address the situation publicly on Tuesday if it isn’t resolved by then.
Heupel Ranked No. 2 Head Coach in FBS (Yes, Really)
Josh Heupel is finally starting to get national recognition (at least from ESPN’s analytics team). Bill Connelly ranked Heupel the No. 2 head coach in college football (minimum four years experience), behind only Ohio State’s Ryan Day. The ranking is based on performance versus expectation, where Heupel’s 15.1 score edged out Kirby Smart, James Franklin, and Dabo Swinney.
Connelly praised Heupel’s transformation of Tennessee, citing four straight top-20 SP+ finishes and two top-10s in the last three years. Despite not cracking ESPN’s own top 10 list back in May, Heupel’s numbers speak for themselves:
37-15 overall at Tennessee (20-12 SEC)
65-23 career record (including UCF)
Led Vols to New Year’s Six and CFP in back-to-back years
As Connelly put it: “He might not be getting the credit he deserves.”