The Tennessee Volunteers have been putting in serious work this offseason—and the results are already turning heads. New strength and conditioning coach Derek Owings, who joined the Vols after helping lead Indiana to a national championship, has made an immediate and measurable impact on the roster in just a few months.
Since his arrival, Owings has been laser-focused on transforming the team's physicality. According to Tennessee's latest update, the Vols have collectively gained over a third of a ton in muscle mass while shedding more than 200 pounds of fat. That's the kind of offseason progress that gets fans excited and opponents worried.
"We've had a lot of players add already 15 pounds of muscle in a six-and-a-half-week training block," Owings shared back in March. But it's not just about packing on size. Owings emphasizes a balanced, data-driven approach to ensure every pound translates to better performance on the field.
"Everything we do has to fit together like a puzzle," Owings explained. "We track speed, power, and vertical jump every single week to make sure the weight we're putting on is good weight. These guys are athletic, twitchy, and good football players. If we make them too big and lose those qualities, we're hurting the player. We want to enhance their abilities, not take away from them."
That careful monitoring means the Vols aren't just getting bigger—they're getting faster, more explosive, and more dangerous. Owings' philosophy is clear: if a player starts to slow down, they pull back and focus on maintaining speed and power before pushing further. It's a smart, sustainable approach that keeps Tennessee's roster in peak condition for the grueling season ahead.
For fans and athletes alike, this kind of transformation is a reminder that the right training—and the right gear—can make all the difference. Whether you're hitting the gym or the field, quality apparel that moves with you and supports your performance is key. Keep an eye on the Vols this season; they're building something special from the ground up.
