University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Secondary Focused on Development and Preparation
August 18, 2026 | Football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee's secondary continues to make strides during preseason camp, with the Vols focused on sharpening technique and preparing each player to be ready come game day.
Assistant coach Anthony Poindexter has been particularly impressed with the development of Dejuan Lane, who has taken a significant step forward from a year ago.
"Just how he's seeing the game. His pace of the game has slowed down," Poindexter said. "He's really not just guessing. Now, he's really reading it out and understanding what's happening in front of him. He's doing a nice job. He keeps moving his game each day, he's getting better and better."
That same approach has been emphasized throughout the secondary, where players are being challenged to consistently put good work on film. Poindexter said the message to his defensive backs has been simple, keep stacking days.
"I tell them the tape is your resume, so you just have to keep practicing, keep putting it on tape," Poindexter said.
Cornerbacks coach Derek Jones pointed to Tim Merritt and Tre Poteat III as two players who have benefited from the additional opportunities in camp.
"Those guys are going to have to be counted on this year for us," Jones said. "So being able to get in there, to get a chance to go with the ones and getting a chance to go with the calls that coaches are calling with the ones has been very beneficial for us."
That preparation has also meant developing confidence and composure, particularly within a young cornerback room.
"It's just a next man up mentality," Jones said. "Whoever goes out there, we're going to have to play with."
"First off, it's devastating. Not only for this team, but I feel bad for Edrees. Like, just all the work he had put in. He was having a tremendous camp and really was starting to separate himself. I could have seen him having a great season, so it was unfortunate for him. Obviously, it was unfortunate for the team, but like I told the guys, now it's next man up."
On what he liked about Dejuan Lane at Penn State…
"Well obviously, you look at him, his size, his athleticism, his speed, and just from this point a year ago to now, the growth in him is unbelievable. He keeps moving his game each day, he's getting better and better. So, we're going to need it out of him. We're going to need him to play really good football, so hopefully he just continues doing what he's doing in camp right now."
On Dejuan Lane's biggest growth from year to year…
"Just how he's seeing the game. His pace of the game has slowed down. He's really not just guessing. Now, he's really reading it out and understanding what's happening in front of him. He's doing a nice job."
On the competition level in the room and manufacturing depth…
"Well, I thought we had great depth before (Edrees Farooq) went down. I thought you know, you're just rotating, you had six guys rotating. Obviously, we were going to have to declare starters, but you know, I felt good about the depth. But when you lose an impact player like (Farooq), you have to reshuffle and reorganize. But we still have some really good players in that room. We should be good enough to play good football and good, solid pass defense and run defense with the guys we have left."
On what Dylan Lewis has done to gain attention and show improvement…
"(Lewis), he's just coming out each day. He was a little bit limited to start the camp off. He's back full go. Each day, like all these guys, I tell them the tape is your resume, so you just have to keep practicing, keep putting it on tape. And he's doing a nice job with it as he's getting more and more reps and getting his feet back underneath him."
On Qua Moss' flexibility and potential impact in the back end…
"Qua can give you flexibility all over the place. He's a tremendous football player. Twitchy, fast, tough, loves to play the game, shows up every day ready to compete, so we are really happy that we got him. He's been a big impact in our secondary, and I'm looking forward to watching him play this year."
On identifying NFL level talent and recognizing those traits at Tennessee…
"Well obviously it starts with the player, you know? A lot of coaches, we can pat ourselves on the back by sending these guys to the league. We are a part of it, but when you get really good players, you just have to point them in the right direction, get them in scheme and let their true talent and the reason you recruited them take over. So, we have real talent in our room, and they just have to keep developing. You do it through practice, but the real tests are going to be when they're playing the game."
On TJ Metcalf's development in camp, adjusting to a new system…
"Well, he's a mature kid. First off, this is his third defense in four years that he's been in. So, obviously he's smart, he can pick up stuff, he's got some leadership qualities to him and you can tell that he's been in games. Like, he's been in this conference, he's been in the Big 10. This dude has played big time football and he's been in big time environments, so the moment isn't too big for him. He's just steady Eddy."
On if it's more important for players to have an understanding of the scheme or raw talent…
"I think all the guys, I'm very pleased with where they are understanding our system and what we want done. Do we need to get some things cleaned up? Yes, but that's why we practice. But the raw talent piece, you can't put the raw talent out there if they don't know what to do, because the raw talent won't come out; he'll just be spinning around in a circle, so it's a combination of both. And like I said, right now, these dudes are in good spots. They'll be ready to play, and they should be ready to play winning football."
On if players are being taught concepts differently compared to last year at Penn State…
"Yes, because I really understand what Coach (Jim Knowles) is looking for. A year ago, first time working with him, I was kind of learning on the run with the kids. This year, I know what he wants out of the defense, know how he wants the technique played, know what he expects out of the technique, and I think I am a better teacher this year than I was a year ago."
On tackling in scrimmages and camp translating to game day…
"Well again, if you want to be a great tackling team, you have to tackle. So, I believe that, I grew up like that. All the coaches I worked for, just being a player, like you have to get used to going to the ground, wrapping people up and having contact. But I think with all the stuff we're doing in training camp, our angles are becoming better. They're understanding what kind of tackle they need to make on certain kinds of angles they're coming in on. So, now the game is going to be a test. The true game is going to be the test, but I'm pleased with where we're at as far as how we're tackling, how we're approaching on our angles, and how the kids are just taking pride in knowing what kind of tackle to make or knowing what kind of tackle to show us they're making on every play."
"I think we've benefited a lot in getting some guys that are unproven and young some reps. Football is a game of injury and football is a game of sickness, football is a game of change and adversity, and when you have young guys that haven't played, they have to have the reps. Going through the course of the season, you never know who you're going to have to depend on to get in the game, and any time you have a guy that's got experience go down, it gives the next man up and the man behind him a chance to get reps. I think that's been very beneficial for us."
On who in particular has benefited most from fall camp…
"I think Tim Merritt and Tre Poteat III in particular. Those guys are going to have to be counted on this year for us, and they hadn't played a lot of snaps in the SEC. Kayin Lee is a guy who has played more football than anybody in that room, so he's had a lot of reps, but those guys could very well – if something were to happen to our starters – become our instant starters. So being able to get in there, to get a chance to go with the ones and getting a chance to go with the calls that coaches are calling with the ones has been very beneficial for us."
On emotions of moving his daughter into school here at Tennessee…
"First off, hats off to Coach Heupel for allowing me to be able to do that. I think as a father, you raise your children, and you have goals for them, you have things you want to be a part of, but being a football coach causes you to miss a lot. Whether it's a birthday, whether it's a holiday, anything else, if you're practicing, that comes first. So, being able to join my wife and moving her in was indescribable to me. You know, those memories and those pictures we'll have for the rest of our lives. That's my last daughter, so it's not like I'm going to have anybody else that goes to college for the first time, and she's in Torchbearer, which is right beside us, so being able to have her close to me is indescribable as well. Just knowing that I can call her and have lunch with her, knowing that if she needs something, I'm right here, means the world to me. I have reached out to her over the last couple of days and asked if she wanted to see me, and she said no. I guess it doesn't mean quite as much to her right now, she's enjoying the freedom."
On Jadais Richard's progress before his injury…
"I was really excited about him. Naturally, I knew of him because I competed against him in the ACC. Knew his talent level, but the biggest thing is the leadership that he brings to the room. When you have a room of young guys, you have to have guys in there that lead, guys that they follow, guys that know what it looks like, and even though he's been injured, he's been on some good football teams. He's climbed into the playoffs and done some of the things that we're trying to do, so when you have that guy out there that you can point to on film or in practice and say, this is how I want things done because he understands it because of his experience and maturity, it's hard when you lose that guy. It's also a heavy blow to a young unit that looks to a guy as a leader when he's no longer in pads going with them. So, what we've tried to do is incorporate him in the meeting room, still leaning on his leadership and empowering him to still be able to pour into the young guys because they're going to need him."
On having a young unit and if that affects how he coaches...
"No, not at all. This is year 28 for me and I've been in about every situation that you can imagine, but when you are a corners coach, when you've played corner, the one thing you have to understand is confidence and composure. And for me, I have to walk so that they follow me, so that part of football is losing guys that you're depending on. I've been in situations where I've lost both of my starters before. It's just a next man up mentality. So, if they see me moping, or if they see me looking uneasy, or if they see me having anxiety, that's how they are going to do it. It can't be fake, it has to be real. Whoever goes out there, we're going to have to play with, and I understand as a coach nobody's going to care that the starters aren't playing, so I have to get those guys ready to go and I have t to get them ready to go with a high level of confidence."
On if there are differences in coaching Kayin Lee because of his experience…
"No, you have to coach all the guys the same. I think one of the things you want to make players understand as coaches is that every day is a new day, every week is a new week, every month is a new month, every year is a new year, and this is a different season. This is also a different scheme. I'm a different coach, but he can't rely on anything he's done in the past. As a matter of fact, when you're a guy like that in the room, you have to coach that guy a little bit harder because when he does things, everybody else follows, and he has to be on the same page as me, and I have to be on the same page as him. In addition, I'm trying to help this kid obtain his goals here at the University of Tennessee, as well as his long-term goals. One thing I talk about with my guys all the time is that you're not only in competition with guys in this building, you're in competition with guys that have the same goals, dreams and aspirations as you, and when you get guys to buy into that, they understand why you're trying to get them to be as good as they can be. At the cornerback position, no matter how much you play, you've got to pay attention to detail every single time you line up to play a snap."
On if there was a need to pour new things into Kayin Lee…
"No, Kayin has been very well coached, coming from where he was. It's just a matter of picking up the things that we're doing. It's a matter of elevating his game to the next level. When you look at a guy coming out of his sophomore year, you want him to be better in his junior year, and when you look at a guy in his junior year, you want him to be better in his senior year. My job as a coach is to go look at him and see the things that I can help him to refine and improve on, so that's just kind of what we've been doing."
Assistant coach Anthony Poindexter has been particularly impressed with the development of Dejuan Lane, who has taken a significant step forward from a year ago.
"Just how he's seeing the game. His pace of the game has slowed down," Poindexter said. "He's really not just guessing. Now, he's really reading it out and understanding what's happening in front of him. He's doing a nice job. He keeps moving his game each day, he's getting better and better."
That same approach has been emphasized throughout the secondary, where players are being challenged to consistently put good work on film. Poindexter said the message to his defensive backs has been simple, keep stacking days.
"I tell them the tape is your resume, so you just have to keep practicing, keep putting it on tape," Poindexter said.
Cornerbacks coach Derek Jones pointed to Tim Merritt and Tre Poteat III as two players who have benefited from the additional opportunities in camp.
"Those guys are going to have to be counted on this year for us," Jones said. "So being able to get in there, to get a chance to go with the ones and getting a chance to go with the calls that coaches are calling with the ones has been very beneficial for us."
That preparation has also meant developing confidence and composure, particularly within a young cornerback room.
"It's just a next man up mentality," Jones said. "Whoever goes out there, we're going to have to play with."
Tennessee Football Press Conference | Aug. 18, 2026
Co-Defensive Coordinator/Secondary Coach Anthony Poindexter
On losing Edrees Farooq for the season…"First off, it's devastating. Not only for this team, but I feel bad for Edrees. Like, just all the work he had put in. He was having a tremendous camp and really was starting to separate himself. I could have seen him having a great season, so it was unfortunate for him. Obviously, it was unfortunate for the team, but like I told the guys, now it's next man up."
On what he liked about Dejuan Lane at Penn State…
"Well obviously, you look at him, his size, his athleticism, his speed, and just from this point a year ago to now, the growth in him is unbelievable. He keeps moving his game each day, he's getting better and better. So, we're going to need it out of him. We're going to need him to play really good football, so hopefully he just continues doing what he's doing in camp right now."
On Dejuan Lane's biggest growth from year to year…
"Just how he's seeing the game. His pace of the game has slowed down. He's really not just guessing. Now, he's really reading it out and understanding what's happening in front of him. He's doing a nice job."
On the competition level in the room and manufacturing depth…
"Well, I thought we had great depth before (Edrees Farooq) went down. I thought you know, you're just rotating, you had six guys rotating. Obviously, we were going to have to declare starters, but you know, I felt good about the depth. But when you lose an impact player like (Farooq), you have to reshuffle and reorganize. But we still have some really good players in that room. We should be good enough to play good football and good, solid pass defense and run defense with the guys we have left."
On what Dylan Lewis has done to gain attention and show improvement…
"(Lewis), he's just coming out each day. He was a little bit limited to start the camp off. He's back full go. Each day, like all these guys, I tell them the tape is your resume, so you just have to keep practicing, keep putting it on tape. And he's doing a nice job with it as he's getting more and more reps and getting his feet back underneath him."
On Qua Moss' flexibility and potential impact in the back end…
"Qua can give you flexibility all over the place. He's a tremendous football player. Twitchy, fast, tough, loves to play the game, shows up every day ready to compete, so we are really happy that we got him. He's been a big impact in our secondary, and I'm looking forward to watching him play this year."
On identifying NFL level talent and recognizing those traits at Tennessee…
"Well obviously it starts with the player, you know? A lot of coaches, we can pat ourselves on the back by sending these guys to the league. We are a part of it, but when you get really good players, you just have to point them in the right direction, get them in scheme and let their true talent and the reason you recruited them take over. So, we have real talent in our room, and they just have to keep developing. You do it through practice, but the real tests are going to be when they're playing the game."
On TJ Metcalf's development in camp, adjusting to a new system…
"Well, he's a mature kid. First off, this is his third defense in four years that he's been in. So, obviously he's smart, he can pick up stuff, he's got some leadership qualities to him and you can tell that he's been in games. Like, he's been in this conference, he's been in the Big 10. This dude has played big time football and he's been in big time environments, so the moment isn't too big for him. He's just steady Eddy."
On if it's more important for players to have an understanding of the scheme or raw talent…
"I think all the guys, I'm very pleased with where they are understanding our system and what we want done. Do we need to get some things cleaned up? Yes, but that's why we practice. But the raw talent piece, you can't put the raw talent out there if they don't know what to do, because the raw talent won't come out; he'll just be spinning around in a circle, so it's a combination of both. And like I said, right now, these dudes are in good spots. They'll be ready to play, and they should be ready to play winning football."
On if players are being taught concepts differently compared to last year at Penn State…
"Yes, because I really understand what Coach (Jim Knowles) is looking for. A year ago, first time working with him, I was kind of learning on the run with the kids. This year, I know what he wants out of the defense, know how he wants the technique played, know what he expects out of the technique, and I think I am a better teacher this year than I was a year ago."
On tackling in scrimmages and camp translating to game day…
"Well again, if you want to be a great tackling team, you have to tackle. So, I believe that, I grew up like that. All the coaches I worked for, just being a player, like you have to get used to going to the ground, wrapping people up and having contact. But I think with all the stuff we're doing in training camp, our angles are becoming better. They're understanding what kind of tackle they need to make on certain kinds of angles they're coming in on. So, now the game is going to be a test. The true game is going to be the test, but I'm pleased with where we're at as far as how we're tackling, how we're approaching on our angles, and how the kids are just taking pride in knowing what kind of tackle to make or knowing what kind of tackle to show us they're making on every play."
Cornerbacks Coach Derek Jones
On how the group benefited from Ty Redman's early preseason camp absence…"I think we've benefited a lot in getting some guys that are unproven and young some reps. Football is a game of injury and football is a game of sickness, football is a game of change and adversity, and when you have young guys that haven't played, they have to have the reps. Going through the course of the season, you never know who you're going to have to depend on to get in the game, and any time you have a guy that's got experience go down, it gives the next man up and the man behind him a chance to get reps. I think that's been very beneficial for us."
On who in particular has benefited most from fall camp…
"I think Tim Merritt and Tre Poteat III in particular. Those guys are going to have to be counted on this year for us, and they hadn't played a lot of snaps in the SEC. Kayin Lee is a guy who has played more football than anybody in that room, so he's had a lot of reps, but those guys could very well – if something were to happen to our starters – become our instant starters. So being able to get in there, to get a chance to go with the ones and getting a chance to go with the calls that coaches are calling with the ones has been very beneficial for us."
On emotions of moving his daughter into school here at Tennessee…
"First off, hats off to Coach Heupel for allowing me to be able to do that. I think as a father, you raise your children, and you have goals for them, you have things you want to be a part of, but being a football coach causes you to miss a lot. Whether it's a birthday, whether it's a holiday, anything else, if you're practicing, that comes first. So, being able to join my wife and moving her in was indescribable to me. You know, those memories and those pictures we'll have for the rest of our lives. That's my last daughter, so it's not like I'm going to have anybody else that goes to college for the first time, and she's in Torchbearer, which is right beside us, so being able to have her close to me is indescribable as well. Just knowing that I can call her and have lunch with her, knowing that if she needs something, I'm right here, means the world to me. I have reached out to her over the last couple of days and asked if she wanted to see me, and she said no. I guess it doesn't mean quite as much to her right now, she's enjoying the freedom."
On Jadais Richard's progress before his injury…
"I was really excited about him. Naturally, I knew of him because I competed against him in the ACC. Knew his talent level, but the biggest thing is the leadership that he brings to the room. When you have a room of young guys, you have to have guys in there that lead, guys that they follow, guys that know what it looks like, and even though he's been injured, he's been on some good football teams. He's climbed into the playoffs and done some of the things that we're trying to do, so when you have that guy out there that you can point to on film or in practice and say, this is how I want things done because he understands it because of his experience and maturity, it's hard when you lose that guy. It's also a heavy blow to a young unit that looks to a guy as a leader when he's no longer in pads going with them. So, what we've tried to do is incorporate him in the meeting room, still leaning on his leadership and empowering him to still be able to pour into the young guys because they're going to need him."
On having a young unit and if that affects how he coaches...
"No, not at all. This is year 28 for me and I've been in about every situation that you can imagine, but when you are a corners coach, when you've played corner, the one thing you have to understand is confidence and composure. And for me, I have to walk so that they follow me, so that part of football is losing guys that you're depending on. I've been in situations where I've lost both of my starters before. It's just a next man up mentality. So, if they see me moping, or if they see me looking uneasy, or if they see me having anxiety, that's how they are going to do it. It can't be fake, it has to be real. Whoever goes out there, we're going to have to play with, and I understand as a coach nobody's going to care that the starters aren't playing, so I have to get those guys ready to go and I have t to get them ready to go with a high level of confidence."
On if there are differences in coaching Kayin Lee because of his experience…
"No, you have to coach all the guys the same. I think one of the things you want to make players understand as coaches is that every day is a new day, every week is a new week, every month is a new month, every year is a new year, and this is a different season. This is also a different scheme. I'm a different coach, but he can't rely on anything he's done in the past. As a matter of fact, when you're a guy like that in the room, you have to coach that guy a little bit harder because when he does things, everybody else follows, and he has to be on the same page as me, and I have to be on the same page as him. In addition, I'm trying to help this kid obtain his goals here at the University of Tennessee, as well as his long-term goals. One thing I talk about with my guys all the time is that you're not only in competition with guys in this building, you're in competition with guys that have the same goals, dreams and aspirations as you, and when you get guys to buy into that, they understand why you're trying to get them to be as good as they can be. At the cornerback position, no matter how much you play, you've got to pay attention to detail every single time you line up to play a snap."
On if there was a need to pour new things into Kayin Lee…
"No, Kayin has been very well coached, coming from where he was. It's just a matter of picking up the things that we're doing. It's a matter of elevating his game to the next level. When you look at a guy coming out of his sophomore year, you want him to be better in his junior year, and when you look at a guy in his junior year, you want him to be better in his senior year. My job as a coach is to go look at him and see the things that I can help him to refine and improve on, so that's just kind of what we've been doing."
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/ FootballTuesday, August 18
Tuesday, August 18
Tuesday, August 18
Tuesday, August 18
