Week of June 9th
Zakai Zeigler Lawsuit, Vols Football Commit & Game Times, and Titans Mini-Camp Concludes
Zakai Zeigler’s Lawsuit Denied
On Thursday a federal judge in Knoxville denied Zakai Zeigler’s lawsuit seeking a fifth year of eligibility for the 2025-26 NCAA basketball season. Judge Katherine Crytzer ruled that Zeigler’s legal team failed to demonstrate that the NCAA’s four-seasons-in-five-years rule constitutes an unlawful restraint of trade under antitrust laws, specifically citing insufficient evidence of anticompetitive harm in the market for student-athlete services and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) compensation. The lawsuit, filed on May 20th, sought a preliminary injunction to allow Zeigler to compete while pursuing graduate studies at Tennessee.
Zeigler, who was a late addition to Tennessee’s 2021 recruiting class, became a cornerstone of the Volunteers’ program. Over four seasons, he averaged 11.3 points, 5.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals across 118 games, shooting 39.0% from the field and 33.1% from three-point range. He ended his final season with 13.6 points, 7.4 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game, leading Tennessee to a second consecutive Elite Eight appearance. Zeigler set program and SEC records, including Tennessee’s all-time assists mark (747) and the SEC’s single-season assists record (257). He became the first SEC player to amass 1,550 points, 700 assists, 350 rebounds, and 250 steals, cementing his legacy as an all-time Tennessee great.
The denial follows a similar ruling against Tennessee baseball’s Alberto Osuna, despite Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia and Rutgers’ Jett Elad recently winning additional eligibility through comparable legal challenges. Despite Zeigler’s denial, Tennessee has positioned itself well with his replacement, having secured Maryland transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie, a dynamic point guard who averaged 14.7 points and 4.8 assists last season, to fill the void.
Reflecting on his Tennessee tenure, Zeigler emphasized the relationships with his teammates & coach Barnes through 109 wins, two Elite Eights, a Sweet 16, and a round of 32 appearance. “These are people I’m going to talk to for the rest of my life, people that I love,” he said after Tennessee’s Elite Eight loss to Houston. With his collegiate career ending, Zeigler’s impact on Tennessee basketball endures, a testament to the incredible influence he had during his time in Knoxville.
Tennessee Lands DB Commit
Tennessee football has added an additional commitment to it’s 2026 recruiting class from three-star defensive back KJ McClain. McClain announced his commitment on Wednesday, following an official visit, choosing Tennessee over Michigan State, Penn State, and Texas A&M. Ranked as the No. 515 overall prospect and No. 43 safety in the 2026 class by On3’s composite rankings, McClain looks to be a player that Josh Heupel and his coaches see as underrated.
McClain’s high school coach, Augie Hoffman, describes him as a sure tackler who excels in space. His physical development is ongoing, with significant strides in the weight room as he tries to get his body ready for SEC physicality. McClain’s ability to play multiple positions, including safety and potentially STAR, adds depth to Tennessee’s defensive back room. With 50 tackles and several forced turnovers in his junior season, McClain’s football IQ stands out. KJ’s brother, Jaylen, starts at safety for Ohio State.
Tennessee’s 2025 Football Schedule Partial Times Announced
Tennessee’s 2025 football schedule now has five confirmed kickoff times and seven games assigned to flex or specific windows.
The season kicks off on August 30 against Syracuse in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium at noon ET on ABC, part of the Aflac Kickoff Game tripleheader.
Tennessee’s home opener follows on September 6 against ETSU at 3:30 p.m. ET, will be streamed on SEC Network+/ESPN+.
September 13th, Tennessee gets Georgia in Knoxville at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC for their SEC opener, which is a hell of a game to kick off conference play. This will be the “Checker Neyland” game, and the Vols will be honoring John Henderson’s College Football Hall of Fame induction.
UAB visits on September 20 at 12:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Other SEC matchups include road games at Mississippi State (September 27, flex window), Alabama (October 18, flex window), Kentucky (October 25, night window), and Florida (November 22, flex window).
Home games include Arkansas (October 11, flex window), Oklahoma (November 1, flex window), and Vanderbilt (November 29, afternoon window).
The homecoming game will be against New Mexico State on November 15 at 4:15 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Titans Mini-Camp Concludes
The Titans concluded their three-day minicamp on Thursday. As expected, the focus was on rookie quarterback Cam Ward.
According to Jim Wyatt at TennesseeTitans.Com, Ward experienced a bit of a rollercoaster final day. He completed 9-of-15 passes, including a touchdown pass to tight end David Martin-Robinson and another to receiver Bryce Oliver. However, he had two interceptions, one to linebacker Cody Barton and another to cornerback Davion Ross. Ross’s pick sparked a playful taunt from defenders, who mimicked Ward’s signature “Zombieland” celebration from his time at Miami. Ward apparently spent a lot of time post-practice working on his conditioning (maybe some sort of self-punishment for the interceptions). He finished the three-day minicamp with 42-of-58 completions during the 7-on-7 and team periods.
2024 undrafted free agent receiver Bryce Oliver had a strong showing, hauling in three touchdowns, including a deep ball from quarterback Will Levis, who went 5-of-8 on the day. Running back Julius Chestnut also made plays, making a one-handed touchdown catch from Ward. Tight ends Martin-Robinson and Chig Okonkwo, along with running back Tyjae Spears, each recorded three receptions.
Defensively, cornerbacks Jermari Harris and Amani Oruwariye, along with safety Amani Hooker, made notable pass breakups, while Femi Oladejo and T’Vondre Sweat were disruptive in the backfield. Several players, including cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and tackle Dan Moore, were absent from practice.