KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — With Practice No. 6 in the books and Tennessee football’s first scrimmage of the fall set for Thursday morning, the Big Orange wide receivers are generating plenty of buzz and excitement in preseason training camp.
 
After the departures of Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman to the NFL, current veterans Bru McCoy and Ramel Keyton have stood out to second-year wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope as leaders of the room. The senior duo was productive last fall, combining for 83 catches, 1,229 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. McCoy was key in Tennessee’s final drive against Alabama with a 27-yard reception to set up the game-winning field goal, while Keyton’s 43-yard diving grab against Florida late in the first half will be remembered as one of most spectacular catches in program history.

In his Wednesday post-practice media session, Pope discussed McCoy’s natural transition into a leadership role over the course of the offseason. The California native enters his second year at Tennessee this fall and has received preseason All-SEC recognition from multiple media outlets.
 
“The special thing about Bru is he’s always carried himself that way, right?” Pope said. “When you had Cedric (Tillman), Jalin (Hyatt) and those guys in that room, Bru still carried himself that way … The guys in the room have always respected him. When guys leave, and they go to the next level, it’s an easy transition for a kid like that.
 
“He’s a great leader. He’s truly an alpha. He is going to come to work every single day, and when he’s not going, he’s the biggest cheerleader on the sideline. He’s everything you want in that group, but him and some of those older guys that are leading, they do a great job of helping our young guys come along and learn how we do things.”
 
Entering his fifth year with the program, Keyton has intentionally worked to develop his leadership skills over the past six months with a team-first mindset. Since head coach Josh Heupel‘s arrival in 2021, the Vols’ receiver room has built its reputation on work ethic, and Keyton is doing his part to maintain that standard.
 
“At some point guys start to make it about the group,” Pope said. “You see Ramel, and he’s naturally a quiet kid, but you see him going to coach other guys on the side, even when he’s tired. He just came off the field, but he wants to go coach other guys when they come off to the sideline. He’s willing to stay after with the younger guys and help them get transitioned and things like that with the playbook. You just see selfless acts like that. You see him serve others. I think for a while now he’s come on for us. Again, I think that started off the field and I think that translated to Saturdays. Now, you guys see what you see out of him.”
 
After six practices on Haslam Field and inside the Anderson Training Center, the Vols will head to Neyland Stadium for the first scrimmage of fall camp Thursday morning. The scrimmage is closed to the public and to media, with head coach Josh Heupel‘s press conference scheduled for approximately 11 a.m.
 
Full comments from Pope’s Wednesday media session and select quotes from redshirt senior tight end McCallan Castles, Keyton and junior wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. can be found below.

Tennessee Football Press Conference | Aug. 9, 2023
 
Wide Receivers Coach Kelsey Pope

On if Dont’e Thornton is specifically working in the slot or on the outside too and where he has improved since the spring…
“Yeah, we are working him in different spots. We are doing a good job of trying to use his skill set to put him in some different situations. Just his growth the most was getting in here and learning what we do, learning how we operate on the field and in the building. There is a work ethic. I think that has been brought on by the players. It is expected here now. So, with him learning to play ball, with him getting in here and creating habits, he’s fit right in with these guys and has done a great job so far.”
 
On if Ramel Keyton was a guy that stepped up last year when he needed him and how he has grown…
“Honestly, Ramel (Keyton), he has become a great person. He’s become a more mature kid. He’s become more accountable, and he cares about football. He’s become a way better teammate. I think that’s translated to him being able to take advantage of some opportunities on the field. He does a great job down the field just to catch it for us. This offseason, he’s done a good job of homing in on technique and more of the intermediate underneath game. He’s done a great job for us, and we look forward to him continuing to lead our group.”
 
On how Bru McCoy has stepped up with Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman gone…
“Yeah, I think that’s been a natural transition for him. The special thing about Bru (McCoy) is he’s always carried himself that way, right? When you had Cedric (Tillman), when you had Jalin (Hyatt) and those guys in that room, Bru still carried himself that way. Now those guys were on the outside, they had been here, but the guys in the room have always respected him. So, when those guys leave, and they go to the next level, it’s an easy transition for a kid like that. He’s a great leader. He’s truly an alpha. He is going to come to work every single day, and when he’s not going, he’s the biggest cheerleader on the sideline. He’s everything you want in that group, but him and some of those older guys that are leading, they do a great job of helping our young guys come along and learn how we do things.”
 
On how he would assess Chas Nimrod and Kaleb Webb…
“Those two have been very impressive, both though in their own separate ways. Kaleb (Webb) is a bigger body, big catch radius, strong, powerful kid. Chas (Nimrod) is more agile and very twitchy, but both of those guys have been exceptional. My job for those two, they haven’t seen this thing before on our level, so I have to get those guys consistent. Right now, you see flashes all over the place from both of them. Right now, it’s my job to get those guys more consistent so they are making plays consistently. You see it more on a first-second-third down basis, it is not just showing one series to the next.”
 
On Dont’e Thornton valuing family and how it has been shown in the wide receivers’ room…
“I think that’s a huge reason why we got the kid, I really do. I think when recruiting, you find things about kids that are important to them. I think you have to sell those points. One of the reasons we got him is our relatability as coaches and the players. He came here and he fit right in with the players. To me, that’s a seamless transition because when you’re working hard at a common goal, when that environment is comfortable for you to work hard in, it’s easier for me to give it everything I’ve got. When I’m worried about who’s around or I’m uncomfortable with the people around me, it’s going to be that much harder for me to really strain. So, Dont’e has come in, and he’s like gel, and he’s been a glue guy for our group. They all crack jokes and they’re on social media together. It’s like he’s been here the whole time almost.”
 
On Bru McCoy controlling his in-game emotions…
“He’s a California guy on the outside, but on the inside, he’s one of the most fierce competitors I’ve been around. I think some of that came naturally with Bru. He came here wanting to prove himself. You have to fight a fine line when you’re that type of player. There’s a duality, right? I want to be aggressive, and I want to be urgent, but I can’t press, right? When he got some of those situations last year, he’s like a bull in a china shop. I think this year he’s able to take some of that load off to still be accountable, but you see him play a lot more smoothly. He isn’t as tense because he’s seen a year in, he’s got an expectation and what we do and what this league is, and he’s been awesome for us.”
 
On becoming a dad soon and how he will balance that from a coaching perspective…
“That’s a great point. I think I’m still learning man, I could probably get some pointers from you guys, the dads in the room. For me, I treat these kids just like I would treat my own. I want to make sure I’m giving everything I can to these guys, and then when I’m at home, I’m giving everything I can to my wife and my family. The special thing about that is, these guys are just as involved with my family as I am with theirs. I had three or four guys drop off their favorite kids’ books like The Cat in the Hat and Dr. Seuss series. For me, that’s heartwarming, because it lets you know the guys that you invested in are willing to invest back in you. So that kind of gives me some pride. I take a lot of pride in that. It speaks back to that family feeling we were just talking about. When they see the time and effort that I put into them, they are that much more willing to do that with my son and my kids in the future. That gives you a good feeling. That lets you know you’re going in the right direction. You’ve got a good coach.”
 
On how much pride he has for former players he coached that are now in the NFL…
“I think it’s awesome to see but quite frankly that’s the expectation, right? You hear a lot of people say a lot about the offense and this and that and people make up what they want to in recruiting. This offense helps guys win in one-on-one matchups. That league is all about one-on-one matchups. So, the things that those guys are doing there is an expectation by everybody in this building, that they’re going to win situations like that. We look forward to seeing those guys. Texting back and forth with those guys between games and between practices is awesome. It’s also good to share with your current guys because they saw those guys, where they started. Jalin (Hyatt) and Cedric (Tillman) started their career here and where they are now, I think those experiences you can use as learning tools for the guys you got in your room. So, it’s been awesome.”
 
On how he has seen Squirrel White mature and grown in the offseason…
“Yeah, he’s awesome. He’s turned into a little bit of a comedian. He and Joe Milton were a new duo this summer. That was new to me but seeing him open up and be more talkative and his personality come out, that’s only better for the rest of the room. Squirrel (White) is a vibrant light on and off the field. When he’s around the guys, everybody lights up. When he’s on the field, it’s contagious. Everybody’s willing to play hard. Seeing that personality, (him) showing the room has been awesome, man really good.”
 
On receivers building a relationship off the field with Joe Milton…
“I think that’s always a good thing, when wide receivers and quarterbacks are clicked up like that. I think that helps them build camaraderie off the field. Obviously, when you’re in my foxhole, and I know who you are, I know what you’ve been through, that just makes us in the fourth quarter a lot more deadly, because guys are willing to go to battle for those that they know. They’re right next to him. It’s been cool to see. It’s been cool to see Joe’s (Milton) maturation. When he got here and where he is now, it’s like two completely different people. He’s matured a ton. It’s fun to see him on the practice field. Outside of the physical gifts, you see him interacting with guys in between drives, coaching them up, talking about what they see. He’s not always talking, he’s listening too, which to me shows us a good leader. He’s willing to listen and apply on his end as well. So, seeing all those guys mature has been phenomenal for us and we look forward to continuing to take the jump this training camp.”
 
On how much he battles misconceptions of the offense preparing guys for the NFL…
“A hundred percent. I think what people don’t understand, they try to just kind of make up, but it’s my job as a coach to answer questions in the recruiting process. Our offense puts guys in situations to win one-on-one matchups. Defenses are supposed to stop guys and those one-on-one situations. It doesn’t matter at the end of the day what the scheme is, what the play call is. I’m given a technique to beat a defensive player. He’s given a technique to beat me. If I’m beating him 10 out of 10 times, I can translate that on any level and that’s what it comes down to. Now guys have different skill sets. You show those in recruiting. Guys are put in different spots, you show those in recruiting. At the end of the day, you got to win your matchup, and that’s what it is. That’s what those guys have learned to do and that’s what they showed on Saturday. That’s why they’re successful in the league. It’s no rhyme or reason to why they’re doing it besides a transition from what they did in college.”
 
On Ramel Keyton changing his number to No. 9…
“Yeah, it probably happened the first couple of days. I think sometimes guys need new numbers. I’m all about looking good, feeling good, but at the end of the day, we got to get results. If you are wearing 99, and you’re the best player in the country, you’re probably going to be 99. So, Ramel (Keyton) has been awesome with that transition. He hadn’t missed a beat. He looks just like the old number 80 there. He’s improved in some areas. So, I look forward to seeing more from nine on the field.”
 
On what point he realized the type of player Ramel Keyton could be…
“I think it was last spring. I think we had a guy go down and Ramel kind of transitioned into more of a starter’s role last spring. I think it was at that point when you started to see him play and show what he can really do. The funny thing about that is that life comes full circle, we get to the season, and the exact same thing happened, the guy in front of him went down. He was a reserve. He came in and made a bunch of plays for us in critical situations. I think that’s why it’s so important in practice to push these guys to their limit. When guys go down, or you have a guy out for a day or two, you have to treat the next guy like he is a starter. That way during the season when those things happen, you don’t skip a beat, guys don’t flinch. They just continue to go and roll. We can truly create a unit that way. I think we’re getting to that point to where our unit is becoming more holistic, where we can plug and play guys wherever.”
 
On what he has seen from Nate Spillman and Nathan Leacock…
“Both of those guys have been great in the classroom. Both of those guys still have some work to do on the field, but they both have traits. They’re both physically gifted. They’re both determined and want to be good and that’s really all you need. We’ve seen a lot of guys in our room get developed. If guys are competitive and determined, we can develop you and you can be as good as you want to be. They have shown every tool in the world to be successful in what we do and in this league.”
 
On when he realized Ramel Keyton was more out of his shell and a better person in the locker room…
“You see their interactions, right? At some point guys start to make it about the group. You see Ramel and he’s naturally a quiet kid, but you see him going to coach other guys on the side, even when he’s tired. He just came off the field, but he wants to go coach other guys when they come off to the sideline. He’s willing to stay after with the younger guys and help them get transitioned and things like that with the playbook. You just see selfless acts like that. You see him serve others. I think for a while now he’s come on for us. Again, I think that started off the field and I think that translated to Saturdays. Now, you guys see what you see out of him.”
 
On some examples where Dont’e Thornton has shown his potential as a wide receiver in this offense…
“So, from Donte, what you get is you get a big, big, targeted receiver. A guy that can run, a guy that can bend that is agile. We had a couple of days early in camp, where it’s just helmets and shorts, and he’s coming across the middle and it’s a big target for the quarterback coming across the middle field with speed. He’s able to catch that thing and continue to run. For me, having guys like that with that ability with that length, being able to run the way he can, is awesome to see. It is a completely different product than what we had last year in Jalin (Hyatt) and sometimes Cedric (Tillman). He’s kind of a mixture of both of those guys in some ways. There have been a bunch of times this camp where you see him and your eyes get big. Maybe I look at coach Heupel and he looks at me. He’s a good addition to us. Him and all of the other guys have been awesome this camp. We just look forward to those guys continuing to push the envelope, continuing to work. Hopefully that process is where it needs to be when we start.”

RS-Senior TE McCallan Castles

On how complicated the offense is given the pace they play at…
“Honestly, the offense itself, once you get it down, is not super hard to do. It’s that pace that you have to be able to look at the sideline to know what you have to do right then and there. Once it clicks, it’s definitely a lot easier. You see Jacob (Warren), he’s been doing it for years. He’s locked in, ready to go. You see the young guys that are kind of still thinking about it. Ethan, you can tell, I think me and Ethan (Davis) have had almost the same transition. You’ve kind of gone through that awkward phase where you’re trying to figure out what you have to do. Now, he’s lined up and he’s ready to go, I’m lined up. You can tell on the practice field we play a lot faster and more efficient in the plays.”
 
On what excites him about this year’s offense…
“I think it’s just everybody is ready to reload. We’ve got guys at every position coming in that can play. You can just see it on the practice field, every day we’re getting better and more explosive against our own defense. Once we get against Virginia or somebody, it’s going to come to fruition. I think we’re just going to keep going one week at a time and just steamrolling through.”
 
On defensive players that have impressed him…
“I have to shout out Arion Carter. That dude fills holes fast and he is going to lace you in the hole. I’ve never seen a dude come in so ready to play from a young guy standpoint. The other guys, Aaron Beasley and Keenan Pili, that’s as veteran as you can get at linebacker. They don’t do anything wrong, they’re always there to make plays, super solid. Jaylen McCollough, he is so solid. Special teams and everything he does, super sound technique. He’s always high energy, ready to coach everybody up.”

Senior WR Ramel Keyton

On the difference of the type of balls coming from Hendon Hooker’s hands and Joe Milton’s hands…
“You have to really be sharp with your eyes, and you have to know it’s going to come with a little more pace with Joe. There’s going to be more zip to it. You’re going to see the ball, but it’s more like having stronger hands to be able to catch it. But once you catch it consistently, it’ll come natural.”
 
On the work ethic in the Wide Receiver’s room since the departure of key players from last year…
“I feel like as a group, we all have the work ethic that it takes to succeed, and we push each other to the standard that we set. It’s like organic, the whole room. It’s not just one person like me, or Bru, not just (Nathan Leacock), it’s everyone in the room. Everybody is striving to be better, everybody is trying to be great. I feel like as a room, we keep pushing each other. We’re going to be great.”
 
On if this season brings a sense of this is his time to shine and how he plans to capitalize on it…
“I wouldn’t say it is necessarily my time to shine. I feel like it’s our time to really go out there and prove what we worked on and what we did all summer, and really what we did from January to this point. Now just I feel like every time we go out to practice, we feel like we’re playing in a game and we take that approach like we’re playing Alabama, Georgia, Florida, in practice so I feel like if we keep that consistently we’ll reach the goal that we set.”

Junior WR Dont’e Thornton Jr.

On if the receiver production is a reason he came to Tennessee and how the offense is so receiver friendly…
“That is definitely a big reason for why I came here. The biggest part about this offense is that Coach Heupel wants to throw the ball. If you look back and see it, he threw the ball a lot of the time throughout his first two years. It was the most any head coach or offensive minded coach, threw the ball with success in their first two seasons. If you’re a receiver, this will be the best place for you to be.”
 
On his relationship with Kelsey Pope…
“I’d say I have a great relationship with Coach Pope. With me being away from home, he’s like that dad that you have, that can coach you on the field and also be there for you off the field. I definitely depend on Coach Pope a lot. He’s always there for me.”
 
On how he has built a relationship with Joe Milton III…
“Me and Joe have a great relationship. From the moment I got here, me and Joe have been clicking and getting together. Even on nights where I feel like I don’t understand the play, I can call Joe or go over to his house, he’ll walk me through it and then we’ll be good to go. I’d definitely say we have a great relationship.”

-UT Athletics

FORT WORTH, Texas – The Davey O’Brien foundation revealed Tuesday that redshirt senior quarterback Joe Milton III is one of 35 quarterbacks named to the Davey O’Brien Award watch list.

The award is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award and is presented to the nation’s best college quarterback each year. 

The strong-armed signal caller from Pahokee, Florida, was one of five SEC quarterbacks tabbed to the watch list. 

Milton enters his sixth collegiate season and third at Tennessee in 2023. After serving as Tennessee’s backup quarterback last fall, Milton was thrust into action as the starter in the final two games of the 2022 campaign. He engineered the Tennessee offense to a 56-0 victory at Vanderbilt to close out the regular season before capping the year with an MVP performance in the Capital One Orange Bowl as the Vols took down No. 7 Clemson, 31-14.

Milton was marvelous in Miami Gardens, firing 19-of-28 passes for 251 yards and a career-high tying three touchdowns to lead UT to its first New Year’s Six bowl victory during the College Football Playoff era (2014-present). The win punctuated Tennessee’s first 11-win season since 2001 and first win in the Orange Bowl since defeating Oklahoma in 1939.

The veteran quarterback has made 17 appearances for Tennessee with four starts over the past two seasons, and he finished the 2022 campaign completing 53-of-82 (.650) passes for 971 yards and 10 touchdowns with no interceptions. Of the 114 FBS quarterbacks to throw 10 or more touchdowns last year, Milton was the only one to have zero picks.

On Oct. 17, the official Davey O’Brien Midseason watch list will be released and will include all active quarterbacks from the preseason watch list.

The 35-man Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2023 will be announced on Tuesday, Oct. 24. Fan voting will occur through social media and will play a heavy part in the semifinalist, finalist and winner voting totals when combined with the national selection committee’s ballots. Voting will begin on Oct. 24.

The list of semifinalists selected from the QB Class will be named on Tuesday, Nov. 7. The Foundation will announce the three finalists two weeks later (Tuesday, Nov. 21). The 2023 Davey O’Brien Award winner will be unveiled live on ESPN on Thursday, Dec. 7, during The Home Depot College Football Awards.

A complete list of Tennessee’s preseason honors can be found below.

2023 Tennessee Football Preseason Honors

Sr. DE Tyler Baron

All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)

Sr. LB Aaron Beasley

All-SEC Third Team (Athlon)

Sr. OL Cooper Mays

Rimington Trophy Watch List

All-SEC Third Team (Media)

All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)

Sr. WR Bru McCoy

All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Media, Phil Steele)

Sr. QB Joe Milton III

Davey O’Brien Award Watch List

Maxwell Award Watch List

All-SEC Third Team (Media, Phil Steele)

Sr. OL Javontez Spraggins

All-SEC Third Team (Media)

R-Sr. TE Jacob Warren

Mackey Award Watch List

Wuerffel Trophy Watch List

Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Nominee

So. WR Squirrel White 

All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)

Sr. RS Dee Williams

All-American Fourth Team (Phil Steele)
All-SEC Third Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)

Jr. RB Jaylen Wright

All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)

-UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Week one of preseason camp continued to roll along on Friday morning as Tennessee had its first practice of the fall in shoulder pads after two days in just helmets.

The Vols’ linebackers were at the top of the list of position groups that were most excited for the first day in pads. With veterans Aaron Beasley and Keenan Pili, along with a group of talented young returners and freshmen, UT’s linebacker room has as much depth and potential as any on this year’s team.

Linebacker’s coach Brian Jean-Mary met with the media following Friday’s practice at Haslam Field to talk about his group’s growth from last season.

“Every coach, I think if you asked them what their number one goal is would say quality depth,” Jean-Mary said when asked about what feels different about this year’s group. “When you don’t even have the bodies to go out there and compete, it’s hard.

“I say it all the time that the best coach in the world is competition. You’re going to get the most out of guys if they know that guy behind them is nipping at their heels and is able to play at a high level. With the depth that we’re building, we are going to be able to play multiple guys. We feel like we are going to get them to play at a high level.”

Beasley enters this season as the unit’s leader after pacing the team with 76 tackles and a career-high 13 tackles for loss in 2022. The Georgia native will look to pick up where he left off after an incredible performance in the Vols’ Orange Bowl victory over No. 7 Clemson, when he led all players with 12 tackles, four TFLs and a pair of sacks.

The next step in his progression is taking on more of a leadership role, one that Jean-Mary said is coming along despite it not being the most natural trait for the soft-spoken Beasley.

“Aaron is a soft-spoken guy,” Jean-Mary said. “He’s one of those guys that always feels like he has to earn the respect from everybody before he’s going to step out and lead. We are asking him to come out of his shell a little bit. He’s done that in his own way.

“He’s never going to be the loudest guy in the room or be very boisterous, but you can see that especially the younger guys gravitate to him and really take heed to what he’s saying when he speaks.” 

After losing four seniors from last year’s linebacker group, finding another veteran player was high on the team’s priority list in the offseason, and the addition of Pili from BYU has been the perfect fit.

“It’s been valuable,” Jean-Mary said of Pili’s presence and experience. “We really only had one veteran guy coming back. We brought in a guy with a wealth of experience in Keenan Pili who has played at a high level, and a guy who is a team player … He’s been a perfect fit in the room, for the defense and for the whole team.” 

The duo of Beasley and Pili will be leaned on heavily in 2023, not only for their production on the field, but also for their mentorship to the younger players in the room like sophomores Elijah Herring and Kalib Perry, as well as talented freshmen Arion Carter, Jalen Smith and Jeremiah Telander.

“He’s been in the game for a while and he’s been doing his thing,” Perry said when talking about Beasley’s maturation. “Even Keenan Pili has had a lot of years at BYU and he adds a new versatility. He’s more of a bigger linebacker and adds a big leadership role behind him. Him and Beasley keep pushing us.”

A full transcript of Jean-Mary’s post-practice media availability along with select player quotes can be found below.

Linebackers Coach Brian Jean-Mary 

On if Aaron Beasley played the Mike or Will linebacker position last year… 
“He was a combo guy for us. He actually played a couple of games at Will. That’s why he led us in snaps. He was always our combo that we could put in at Mike or Will. He had some games where I’m not sure if he started at Will, but he played a ton at Will for us last year.” 

On if Beasley’s skillset fits the Will linebacker position the most… 
“I think it fits both. Early on last season, I thought he was playing at a high level at the Mike linebacker position before Juwan (Mitchell) came back last year, and then we slid him to where he could play either or. I think skillset and experience wise; it would be easy for him to go back and play Mike tomorrow if we asked him to.” 

On if Keenan Pili is a traditional Mike linebacker… 
“When you say traditional Mike, I want to be careful. He’s not a throwback three yards in a cloud of dust that just runs into people. He’s a bigger guy, but he’s super athletic. We don’t mind putting him in space, blitzing him or putting him into coverage. I want to be careful about saying traditional because we like to consider both of our guys versatile enough to be outside and inside linebackers.” 

On how he has seen Aaron Beasley’s leadership skills grow… 
“It’s a work in progress. Aaron is a soft-spoken guy. He’s one of those guys that always feels like he has to earn the respect from everybody before he’s going to step out and lead. We are asking him to come out of his shell a little bit. He’s done that in his own way. He’s never going to be the loudest guy in the room or be very boisterous, but you can see that especially the younger guys gravitate to him and really take heed to what he’s saying when he speaks.” 

On how different the linebacker room looks than when he first arrived here at Tennessee… 
“Every coach, I think if you asked them what their number one goal is would say quality depth. When you don’t even have the bodies to go out there and compete, it’s hard. I say it all the time that the best coach in the world is competition. You’re going to get the most out of guys if they know that guy behind them is nipping at their heels and is able to play at a high level. With the depth that we’re building, we are going to be able to play multiple guys. We feel like we are going to get them to play at a high level. I think we are getting to the point where we can be a third, fourth or even fifth team deep at linebacker. That’s going to be a blessing. Obviously, you knock on wood because you don’t want any injuries to happen. The depth aspect is going to be great.” 

On if he likes the dynamic of the young guys in the linebacker group… 
“I’m very happy with the young guys. They all are going to progress at different levels, but I think from Arion Carter, Jalen Smith, Jeremiah Telander, and I still put Kalib Perry, Elijah Herring and Ben Bolton in that same category, those are all guys whose best football is ahead of them. We are really happy with the athleticism and their attention to detail as football players.” 

On if Arion Carter is still impressive or has moments where you realize he is still a freshman… 
“It depends on the day. There’s never going to be perfection. Youth always equals mistakes, and we just want to limit the amount. The thing with Arion is that he plays so hard, fast and is a great athlete so he’s able to overcome some of those mistakes that maybe some other people can’t. We are not going to spoon-feed him. We are going to keep force-feeding him and putting him in difficult situations so he learns from them and if he does it right, he can explain why he did it right. We feel confident that if he does it wrong, we are going to be able to correct it and make sure he does it right the next time. I think he’s right where he was, and I think he’s probably a little further ahead than where he was in the spring. Obviously, we are expecting big things from him the rest of this camp.” 

On how beneficial it is to have Keenan Pili’s experience in the linebacker room… 
“It’s been valuable. We lost a bunch of guys. If you go off of seniors or guys who had their eligibility up last year, we really lost four guys last year. That’s big in the room. Even the guys who didn’t play a lot that had a presence in the room, they almost sounded like coaches. When you lose that, we really only had one veteran guy coming back. We brought in a guy with a wealth of experience in Keenan Pili who has played at a high level, and a guy who is a team player. I think when guys come out of the portal, that’s always the biggest question with them, is how they will mesh with the team. Our culture, and the way we are building it, is not for everybody. It’s not one where if you come in and have a selfish bone in your body or you’re a me guy, it doesn’t fit. He’s been a perfect fit in the room, for the defense and for the whole team.” 

On what it means to him when Jalen Smith refers to him as a second father… 
“First, I would say I probably should get a tax break because I only got two kids, Brooke and Brittany, two girls. Secondly, it’s appreciative. I don’t take the position I have for granted. I know we are in a position where we have the chance to help shape their lives. He’s got two great parents. Got a chance to get to know them during the recruiting process. He’s got two unbelievable parents. I don’t take that for granted. I appreciate the statement, I told him that doesn’t mean he’s not going to get coached hard, might mean he’s going to get coached harder. At the end of the day, coaching is not just teaching, it’s not just instructing, it’s also caring about these kids and making sure that their futures are going to be set by the experience that they had with you.” 

On what stood out about Jeremiah Telander and Jalen Smith and where they are… 
“Obviously, with what we do offensively, we have to be able to get aligned fast. I love it, because you have to be able to think on the run. I think that’s the part, the biggest wow factor for them coming out of high school. I thought the spring helped a lot. They’re getting better, but the processing has to happen a lot faster. Which is great for us, because if you have to process fast, it means you know what you’re doing. Obviously, with the physical part of the game, the speed of the game, it has to keep coming. There are still some times, if they’re a step late with their read, the ball has passed them. We have to get better there, but we’ve been happy with what they’re doing. They’ve all flashed. I’ve said I’ll put Arion (Carter) and obviously Kalib (Perry), Elijah (Herring), Ben Bolton), all of those guys, they’ve all flashed a bunch. I think, like I said, their best football is ahead of them.” 

On how much they’ve worked on the preparation to create more turnovers or make game changing plays… 
“It was the lead bulletin point for Coach (Tim) Banks. I think everybody in our individual rooms, we talked about it. For us to take the next step, we have to go and take the ball from people. Our offense does a good job of not giving it to the opponent, we have to match them as far as the rate that we take it from people. With Coach (Josh) Heupel, I should mention him too, that was one of the main bullet points that he had in his first team meeting, was we have to do a better job. Whether it be intercepting the ball, caused fumbles, strip sacks on quarterbacks, fourth-down stops, whatever we can do to get the possessions back to our offense. We know how explosive our offense is, and if we get the ball to them at a high rate, our percentage of winning is going to go through the roof.” 

On his decision to come to Tennessee a few years ago and what he has found out about Tennessee since he got here… 
“I feel like I’m about to write a book report. To answer the first part of that question, the thing that was attractive. As a kid that grew up in the northeast in the 80s and early 90s and moved down south in the mid-90s, obviously Tennessee program-wise was top tier, one of the best programs in the country. That stood out to me as a high school kid. Then getting to college, I didn’t play college football too far from here. I played at Appalachian State. There was a lot of Power-T’s in that area of North Carolina. Then getting into the coaching profession, I cut my teeth in the South and actually in this conference, and Tennessee was always a program that you admired from afar. When the opportunity came, obviously I was at a place with a lot of tradition and a really good program, but there was something in me that said that’s worth at least kicking the tires on and seeing what the opportunity would be. After talking to Coach Heupel, getting the chance to speak to Coach Banks, someone I knew and respected for a long time. Then, obviously with Coach Martinez and Coach Garner, guys that I’ve had to coach against for a long time. The respect factor was there. I knew what the situation was coming in, and it was blind faith. I really believed in the vision that Coach Heupel had when we spoke. Obviously, I had the chance to coach against him when he was at Central Florida. I saw the makings of what they were doing there, and I had a pretty good inkling that we were going to be successful here. 

 “The second part of the question, what I’ve found since I’ve been here, unbelievable place. Great university, Knoxville is an unbelievable city, great people. The passion for football is even greater than I thought it would be. Neyland Stadium, I said a couple of years ago, and I still think it’s the best football experience for a college football fan or player in the country.” 

On how possible it is for Aaron Beasley to replicate the success that he had in the Orange Bowl… 
“I would say if you asked him that and he didn’t say that he thought he could play better, I would be disappointed. I think that’s the Aaron that we expect to see in every game. I think there were some plays that he left out there on the field that definitely could have been made. You’re talking to a guy that believes in him as much as anybody else in the building. I think the kid has a unique skillset and a high playmaking ability. I still tell people all the time that I think the best is yet to come from that kid.” 
 

Sophomore LB Elijah Herring 

On what part of his game has improved… 
“Just becoming very detailed, to where if I have to tell the defensive line to watch the ball or the hard count, just recognizing the whole formation, looking to the back, looking to the field, just being very detailed on the field. Seeing everything before the ball snaps and finding little details with the linemen, wide receivers, the quarterback or the running backs.” 

On how much more comfortable he feels compared to last season… 
“It feels good. I wouldn’t say I am comfortable, but I am getting used to it. It’s a good feeling to able to be a Mike and to be able to see everything. It’s great to be confident in what you are doing out there because I mean, it’s a lot of stuff going on and there’s a lot of stuff the linebackers have to do back there. It just gives you a good feeling and a good sense of pride to be back there and be able to control the whole defense.” 

On if there has been a specific player that has impressed or excites him this season… 
“I wouldn’t say that there is one player. I would say there is one position group though. The defensive line just has a bunch of freaks on there. It’s crazy, they are freaks of nature. You got Caleb (Herring), James (Peace Jr.), Roman (Harrison), (Joshua Josephs), and Chandavian (Bradley) on there. They are just specimens out there. The whole defensive line is just so good at their craft, and they each just have their own style of play, so it’s just great to go out there and see them play.” 
 

Sophomore LB Kalib Perry 

On what is different about him from this time last season… 
“I think just getting more comfortable with it and seeing things differently as a linebacker. You are going to approach more contact as a linebacker because you are right there by the linemen. Just seeing things, recognizing formations and knowing where to be at. As a defensive back in high school, you are sitting back and seeing everything, but when you are down and depending on the linemen, that can take away from a play. So, not taking myself out of a play and being efficient with what I’m doing.”
 
On how Aaron Beasley has mentored him this offseason and adding Keenan Pili to the room… 
“Beasley has always been a great leader. He’s a little bit more quiet and sits back, but he’s always looking out, looking on the field to see what you can do a little bit better. Even in the meeting room, he will point out little things with missed reads to see where you can get in better position. He’s been in the game for a while, and he’s been doing his thing. This past season, he had a really great season. He’s kind of got his years behind him, so he’s been a huge part. Even Keenan, he’s has had a lot of years at BYU. He came here, and he adds a new versatility. He’s more of a bigger linebacker and adds a big leadership role behind him. He’s been very helpful, always looking out for the younger guys. Even with Beasley, they’re communicating with each other and pushing us.” 
 
On if he has taken any traits from being a defensive back into being a linebacker… 
“Whenever I see certain formations and seeing them as a broad perspective, but also just covering. I have kind of had a transition with covering guys in man defense with vertical hooks and stuff like that, so I think that was a big part of it. Being able to play man coverage has helped me a lot, and I am transitioning that to linebacker now.” 
 

Freshman LB Arion Carter 

On what it’s been like getting to Tennessee and how he feels like his decision went down… 
“I’m pleased, most definitely. Just getting in the system, being around all the guys, just learning the culture and seeing how I fit as a whole. I love it here, and I’m really happy with my decision.” 

On the different personalities of the coaching staff… 
“Start with Coach BJ (Brian Jean-Mary). Coach BJ is the same guy every day. A guy who comes to work, a guy who’s going to push you, a guy who wants the best for you every single day. Just knowing that makes me a better player. It makes me want to come in and work every day. Not only prove to myself but prove to coaches I am who I say I am. Coach BJ is just a great coach overall. Love him to death. Coach (Tim) Banks is a real chill guy. Sets the standard and he expects you to meet the standard. He’s not too big on mistakes, but once he coaches it up, he expects you to learn from it and move on from it. I really like that as him being a coach because it’s not that much time each practice. Even though we have a certain amount of practices, each practice is expensive reps that you have to capitalize on each day.”  

On how much of a benefit it is to have a tight knit group in the linebacker room before the grind of the season starts… 
“Going through fall camp each and every day, really starting off in spring and then summer workouts as we build a good relationship. We all hang out together. Being able to get to know and a feel for everybody as I came in. It’s just helpful, because when you’re down, a brother is able to pick you up. You’re able to lean on a brother some days, and they are able to lean on you just because of the trust. That’s been great.” 

-UT Athletics