Tennessee State's star edge rusher Terrell Allen indicated a departure from Tennessee State as he entered the transfer portal. Pete Nakos of On3 Sports first broke the ground-breaking news of Allen's transfer.

Head coach Eddie George and Tennessee State are losing an immense piece along their defensive line if Allen's transfer goes through. The graduate student first came to Nashville in 2022 after spending two years at Austin Peay. His first year at Tennessee State was fine, but not nearly as productive as his second season. In 2022, Allen recorded 36 total tackles (20 solo), 12 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and two pass deflections. His stats that year earned him a slot on the 2022 First Team All-OVC.

A year later, Allen decided to wreak havoc on opposing offenses. All of his statistics improved: he registered 65 total tackles (44 solo), 28 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, one pass deflections, and one fumble recovery. As Allen filled up the stat sheet, his award shelf began to overflow. He earned the Big South-OVC Player of the Week award three times in a row in October and, at the end of the season, earned a spot on the All-Big South-OVC First Team Defense.

He also won the Big South-OVC Defensive Player of the Year and the Buck Buchanan Award, which recognizes the best defensive player in FCS football. Previous winners include Florida A&M's Isaiah Land, Southern's Jordan Lewis, Norfolk State's Deon King, and Bethune-Cookman's Rashean Mathis. Mathis, a cornerback, went to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft and enjoyed a long 13-year career with 111 pass deflections and 32 interceptions. He also played for the Detroit Lions.

Allen's entrance into the transfer portal only further complicates Tennessee State's offseason. Despite finishing with a positive record for the first time in Eddie George's coaching career, the Tigers have dealt with rumors and departures. For example, after years of recruitment, George finally landed North Dakota State offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl to serve in the same position in Nashville. Soon after the university announced the hiring, Roehl left to become the assistant head coach at Iowa State.

In his stead, Tennessee State brought UT Martin quarterbacks coach Travis Partridge. Partridge, a former quarterback for Missouri Western, bounced around in his professional career from the Canadian Football League to the FXFL, the National Gridiron League, and lastly the Indoor Football League. He spent the last two seasons as the quarterbacks coach at UT Martin, and he will assume the position along with his offensive coordinator duties at Tennessee State.