Tennessee offensive lineman Lance Heard (53) during UT spring football practice on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Lance Heard Eager To Prove Himself In 2025

Originally posted on Tennessee Volunteers on SI
By Evan Crowell | Last updated Mar 31, 2025 5:00 PM ET

Tennessee Volunteers offensive tackle Lance Heard didn't have the year he expected a season ago. He met with the media and addressed why and how he plans to fix it moving forward.

One year ago, Tennessee offensive tackle Lance Heard went through his second recruiting process in as many years. The 6-foot-6 Louisiana native chose the hometown LSU Tigers out of high school over a litany of major suitors. He didn't see the field in his expected capacity, though, and entered the transfer portal after just one season in Baton Rouge.

Heard zeroed in on the Tennessee Volunteers early during his time in the portal. He visited Oklahoma, and Ole Miss was interested, but Heard quickly found a home in Knoxville, Tennessee. The allure of blocking for quarterback Nico Iamaleava, coupled with Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright becoming a top-10 draft pick, was too enticing for Heard to pass up.

While the Volunteers won ten games in 2024 and earned their first College Football Playoff berth, the passing offense wasn't a driving factor. There were many reasons for that, but Heard wasn't what many expected him to be in his first season with the Vols. "I was never 100 percent," he told reporters on Saturday. "I would say the most that I played at was 75 percent. That hampered my play a lot. I couldn't move like I wanted to, like I know that I can."

Heard missed two contests early in 2024 and was tired of sitting on the bench while watching his teammates compete. "I said to myself, 'I can't continue to sit out. I can't miss that many games.' So, I was playing injured the entire year, fighting through it, and that was challenging mentally for me."

Naturally, many critiqued Heard's play, especially considering his elite recruiting status out of high school. While Heard can't manage others' expectations, he explained how he'll handle the weight others put on him this season. "It motivates me a lot, hearing all the critics and stuff like that, but I haven’t proven myself yet, so that’s what this season is about."

"It’s challenging because sometimes you have no other choice but to see it," Heard explained. "Somebody else will see it and send it to you, so there’s almost no way around it. But you avoid it as much as you can."

Expectations in Knoxville go much further than Heard. Fans and pundits are openly pondering what 2025 could bring for the Volunteers. The program is on an upward trajectory, and head coach Josh Heupel has maximized his roster value yearly. However, they lost a lot this offseason and have unproven players across their team. An uptick in Heard's play would only be positive for a squad searching for breakout stars.