Tennessee reportedly makes decision on Darian Mensah pursuit
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Tennessee is not actively recruiting Duke transfer quarterback Darian Mensah, according to a report by ESPN insider Pete Thamel on Friday afternoon.
Earlier on Friday, Thamel reported that Mensah planned to enter the transfer portal after just one season at Duke. Mensah “submitted his request for transfer paperwork,” according to Thamel.
Thamel had also reported earlier on Friday that Tennessee could be one of the teams in the mix for Mensah, with the Volunteers and SEC rival Ole Miss having “quarterback potential need.” In that same report, Thamel said that Miami right now “looms as the early favorite” for Mensah, with Carson Beck heading off to the NFL after he leads the Hurricanes in Monday night’s national championship game against Indiana.
It appears now though that Tennessee won’t be going after Mensah, who transferred to Duke for the 2025 season after spending 2 years at Tulane.
Mensah made his one year at Duke count, leading the Blue Devils to an ACC title. He ranked second in the entire FBS with 3,973 yards passing and 34 touchdown passes.
But Mensah has reportedly decided to head elsewhere for the 2026 season, with plenty of suitors waiting. According to Thamel, one of those suitors won’t be Josh Heupel‘s program, which had Joey Aguilar at the helm for the 2025 season after the messy transfer of Nico Iamaleava.
With Aguilar’s status up in the air for the 2026 season as he seeks a waiver for an extra of eligibility, Tennessee could have a massive void to fill at quarterback. Despite Mensah reportedly heading to the portal, the Volunteers won’t be turning their attention to the now former Duke quarterback, according to Thamel.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
