The Core: Vols Ready to Sweep the Rest
In more than 40 years of watching college football, I have never called a finish like this—but here it is: the Tennessee Volunteers are going undefeated the rest of this season! Carter may laugh and give me plenty of grief, but I am standing on it. That 26–10 statement win over Alabama sealed the call for Haven.
I have not written about the Tennessee Vols in several years, but the runway is clear, the momentum is surging, and these are the players who can carry Tennessee all the way.
Haven’s Core:
We are going straight to Sham Umarov and Jeremiah Telander—two players I have tracked since they were high school seniors. When I started teaching again in Dalton in 2021, Friday nights came with a statewide buzz around the biggest high school games. These two had already committed to the Volunteers, and I was locked in, watching their highlights from the fall of 2022. Both graduated early in December 2022, sprinting onto campus in time for 2023 spring practice and the preparation for that fall.
Sham Umarov
- Position: Offensive Lineman (OL) — primarily Left Guard
- Playing Time: Sham has logged 30 games played and 13 starts. He used a redshirt year in 2023 after appearing in just four games, then burst onto the scene in 2025, starting 10 games at Left Guard and continuing to start across both guard spots.
Jeremiah Telander
- Position: Linebacker (LB) / Hybrid Edge Rusher
- Playing Time: Telander has been a constant presence, appearing in 45 games with 27 starts over his collegiate career. After working primarily as a reserve during his true freshman season in 2023, he broke into the starting lineup for the final eight games of 2024 and locked down a full-time starting role.
DeSean Bishop
I teach at DeSean’s high school alma mater, Karns High School, and I heard firsthand from one of his former coaches how he developed into more than a wonderful running back—he became a caring and empathetic human being. Carter met DeSean several weeks ago when DeSean visited Karns for a home game, and Carter got a photo with him. The scouting report from Carter? DeSean was kind and hospitable.
- Games Played & Starts: Bishop has appeared in 27 career games, making 17 starts for the Volunteers.
- Role Progression: After an injury forced him to use a redshirt year in 2023, Bishop carved out a rotational role in 2024. Then came 2025: he seized the spotlight, started 13 games, and carried a massive workload as a primary offensive focal point. He remains the main engine of Tennessee’s rushing attack.
George MacIntyre
George MacIntyre—Carter has followed and reported on him since his Brentwood Academy days. He was being educated less than 10 miles from Dolly Parton’s house—yes, the one on Crockett Road. In the summer of 2025, the four of us paid tribute to both George and that connection, touring the Brentwood Academy campus and then driving by Dolly’s house several times.
- Position: Quarterback (QB)
- Playing Time: MacIntyre has played in 9 career games. After limited action as a true freshman in 2025, his role exploded during the 2026 season. He took over the offense in relief against Auburn and has now made 2 consecutive starts, leading the Vols to a perfect 2–0 record in those games.
2–0 as a Starter with an Alabama Top-10 Win: Here comes the surge! After stepping in for an injured Faizon Brandon, MacIntyre engineered a comeback against Auburn, then guided the Vols to a massive 26–10 win over No. 7 Alabama in just his second career start.
In conclusion for today….There is no need for a long postgame speech—only the message I have delivered to Sham through our social media exchanges over the past two years: 1) Do your best, and 2) prayers for no injuries.
These young men have spectacular professional football years ahead of them. The final call from this booth is simple: I hope and pray that God blesses them and uses them to His glory.
