KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – As No. 14/14 Tennessee enters the second half of its 2026 campaign, the Volunteers are focused on finding another level of consistency on both sides of the ball.
Tennessee improved to 5-1 and 2-1 in SEC play with a 24-17 road victory at Arkansas last Saturday, closing out its first win in Fayetteville since 2001. With No. 6/7 Alabama next on the schedule, tight ends coach Alec Abeln and co-defensive coordinator Anthony Poindexter emphasized the importance of continued development during Tuesday’s media availability.
For Abeln, that growth includes sophomore tight end DaSaahn Brame, who delivered a breakthrough performance against the Razorbacks with three receptions for a game-high 87 yards along with a one-yard rushing score.
“It was awesome for him to finally have kind of a breakthrough game,” Abeln said. “Certainly has taken a lot of steps that I think are kind of behind the scenes, you notice, and for it to show up on the stat sheet is always good. Looking forward to seeing more of it.”
Abeln also discussed the continued emergence of freshman tight end Luca Wolf, whose work during the week has earned him increased opportunities on Saturdays. Building trust through practice, Abeln said, will remain essential as the group looks to contribute in Tennessee’s offense.
While the tight ends have made strides, Abeln believes the entire unit still has room to improve, particularly in its physicality and execution.
“We’ve been solid in a lot of aspects, but I don’t know if we’ve been dominant in any,” Abeln said. “The continuing challenge to impose your will physically on people, there’s another level to this thing that we’re still chasing.”
Defensively, Poindexter pointed to defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam as an example of that continued progress. Gilliam recorded a strip sack, recovered a fumble and added 1.5 tackles for loss against Arkansas, continuing a strong season after transferring from Penn State. One of the nation’s elite defensive players this season, Gilliam leads the team and ranks among the SEC and national leaders in TFLs (10.0), sacks (5.0) and pressures (22).
“You can see the maturity, the growth, and the strength,” Poindexter said. “He understands football, he understands this system. He is playing phenomenal right now.”
Poindexter also praised the communication and effort of Tennessee’s safeties while stressing the need to improve tackling as the season progresses. Against Arkansas, the Vols pitched a first-half shutout but surrendered 17 points after halftime before regrouping in the fourth quarter.
“When you play against good teams, and Arkansas was a good team, you can’t have lows in the game like that for a quarter and expect to win the game,” Poindexter said. “But kudos to the kids, they bounced back in the fourth quarter, made the plays when we had to make them, and we came out with a win.”
As Tennessee prepares for the remainder of its schedule, both coaches stressed that improvement must remain a daily priority.
“You never peak,” Poindexter said. “We haven’t peaked yet as a team. We have a lot of room to get better and grow, so you have to come to practice each week and each day, ready to get better.”
Full comments from Abeln and Poindexter’s Tuesday availability can be viewed below.
Tennessee Football Press Conference | Oct. 13, 2026
Tight Ends Coach Alec Abeln
On DaSaahn Brame’s big game against Arkansas…
“I think it was awesome for him to finally have kind of a breakthrough game. Certainly, has taken a lot of steps that I think kind of behind the scenes you notice, and for it to show up on the stat sheet is always good. Looking forward to seeing more of it.”
On his reaction to DaSaahn Brame’s 68-yard catch and run…
“What’s the next play? Does he need a breather? Obviously, you’re excited and there’s an adrenaline kick anytime any of our guys make a big play, not just the tight ends, but truly at that point, until you’re in the end zone, you’re not really thinking about ‘man that’s a great play for him’. It’s really, ‘does he need a tap? What’s the next round we’re getting to?’ Truly, the next play until you’re sending out the field goal unit.”
On utilizing the tight ends in creative ways in the red zone…
“A little bit of luck of the draw, who’s at what spot on what packages. It was great to see him (DaSaahn Brame) finish the drive by getting in. Would like to see him squeeze it a little bit better at the end there, for sure. It really is just kind of what their role is on each unit and what plays we’ve got in that week, not necessarily trying to feed it to the one guy or the other, but just where they fall in that personnel grouping.”
On planning for big opportunities for players like DaSaahn Brame early in the week…
“It never just happens. Usually, the opposite is true. I found that when you think you’re getting something and you’ve got something in for that specific thing and you don’t get it all game, you’re waiting for it, and you’re waiting for it. Said it a couple of weeks ago, you chase the production side of it, it becomes harder to find, I think. There’s always stuff in the plan for our guys that have a chance to be big plays. There’s certain plays that guys see on the game plan and get excited about for sure. Just like every week, he’s got opportunities to make big plays and when they come, you better make them.”
On his thoughts about Luca Wolf’s performance…
“Just earning trust during the week in practice and have talked about. One of my faults as a coach is sometimes when it is a close game, it is a one-score game, and there’s a guy that’s earned the right to play, you’re nervous necessarily to trust it and understanding that he’s done a really good job of earning trust throughout the week. He absolutely can help us win, and the more he plays, the more comfortable he’s going to get. I think, one for me, play him, he’s ready. Two, him continuing to earn that.”
On defenses preparing for Tennessee’s use of 12 personnel…
“You’ve got to be ready to adjust. It’s one of the things I love about this offensive staff is that over the last couple of years you get used to playing things that weren’t on tape. Game days can be stressful but also really exciting because you’re problem solving in real time. I think, certainly over the last five, six years here, we’ve seen pretty much every defense. Now, I think there is no perfect defense. Obviously, if they’re going to do what they did on Saturday, that creates opportunities for other things. Finally, we’re able to take advantage of what they were allowing us to do, but it all starts with our ability to run the football, our ability to make people play that type of defense creates a lot of advantages for us as well.”
On what he tells new players who have never played in the Tennessee-Alabama rivalry…
“I get freaking goosebumps thinking about this game. Heup (Josh Heupel) said it a couple years back, but it’s games, moments, players, memories that will last forever. Certainly, one that if you can’t get up for this one, you’re probably in the wrong building. I don’t think they need to be explained too much. I think they understand what this one is.”
On his assessment of the season thus far for the tight ends…
“We’ve been solid in a lot of aspects, but I don’t know that we’ve been dominant in any. The continuing challenge to impose your will physically on people, there’s another level to this thing that we’re still chasing. Some of it’s technique and fundamentals, some of it’s mindset, being where you need to be mentally every play. I think there’s more opportunity in the pass game. Details of those things that you do your job, it’ll find you more. Not just being good, not just doing our job, but being dominant in what we’re being asked to do.”
On his assessment of the tight ends in pass protection…
“Well, we got George (MacIntyre) smoked on one Saturday, so that obviously is not very good. It is a detail thing. It’s an assignment thing, first and foremost. Again, different structure, different personnel grouping, nothing that you really worked on but have to be able to handle adjustments. If we can’t trust you in (pass) pro, it’s hard to play. I’ve said that before and have also said it’s never really quite good enough. There’s always going to be a technique thing that you can change and knowing that with all the different hats that we wear, your indy time is limited, so when you get pass pro opportunities, man they’ve got to count and you’ve to grow from them.”
Co-Defensive Coordinator/Secondary Coach Anthony Poindexter
On assessing the play of the safeties…
“I think they are playing together well, they are communicating well, and they are taking the game plans well. Obviously, each week, you know, I think we have to continue to constantly talk about wrapping in our tackles. We are leaky a little bit on some tackles, but they are playing hard, they are showing up every week trying to win the game and executing the game plan. So, we just have to keep getting better each week.”
On Keelon Russell’s ability to run and how that will affect the coverage unit…
“Yeah, you are going to have to cover. Obviously, they have elite wide receivers, and the quarterback is elite. He can extend plays, but when you watch the tape, he can extend plays and throw accurate balls on the run, so he is going to be a challenge. He is a very talented player, and we are going to have to have our A game.”
On the growth of Xavier Gilliam this season…
“Well, probably just, he’s been on the grass. He played two years for us at Penn State, and now he is in his third year, and you can see the maturity, the growth, and the strength. He understands football, he understands this system. He is playing phenomenal right now.”
On his recruitment and what he knew about the Tennessee-Alabama rivalry…
“Well, I actually took an official visit here, to Tennessee, my senior year of high school, but I really didn’t know much about the rivalry, but what I’m finding out this week is that this is the real rivalry. It’s one of the biggest rivalries in all of the country, and you know, playing for the cigar.”
On Qua Moss returning from injury…
“It’s great, I mean, Tevis (Metcalf) came in and did a phenomenal job two weeks ago. But having a player like Qua back, he’s a talented player, and having him back last week, he made some impactful plays in the game, and he helped us win.”
On the third quarter against Arkansas and cleaning up for the fourth quarter…
“You know, on the road you have to bring your own energy, you play the first half like we did and give up no points. We came out flat, and kudos to the kids, they regrouped, played much better in the fourth quarter. But when you play against good teams, and Arkansas was a good team, you can’t have lows in the game like that for a quarter and expect to win the game. But kudos to the kids, they bounced back in the fourth quarter, made the plays when we had to make them, and we came out with a win.”
On Xavier Gilliam and Dejuan Lane playing so well and continuing to develop…
“They just have to keep getting better, man. Each week, we watch the tape, and we fine-tooth comb it. There is a lot of stuff on tape that Xavier (Gilliam) and Dejuan (Lane) can do better, our whole team, you know, offense, defense, special teams. So, it’s always a growing process throughout the season, and trying to get better. You know, you never peak, we haven’t peaked yet as a team. So, we have a lot of room to get better and grow, so you have to come to practice each week and each day, ready to get better.”
