KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee donned the pads on day three of training camp as the Vols continued their runup to kickoff of the 2024 season.

First-year linebackers coach William Inge met with the media after Saturday’s practice at Haslam Field and took questions on what he looks for in linebackers, has learned about his position group and how versatile the group has been through three practices of preseason camp.

“We do have different types of personalities and styles,” Inge said. “But the biggest thing you have to do is you have to be fast. You have to be fast, you have to be athletic, and you have to be big.

“Probably one of the biggest things is that they love to work. Their element of preparation I would say is beyond their years right now. To see the things that they do when no one is watching or when you’re not around. They are what you would call your junkies in the building.”

A deep position room with a mix of veteran players and talented underclassmen, Inge stressed the importance of adaptability as the group progresses through the season.

“The thing you do is you have to be able to play or understand what both positions do, just because offenses can motion or shift to trade and get you in some jams if you don’t understand the concepts. We’d like to have someone who is a true Mike linebacker and someone who is a Will linebacker, but they have to know both elements just because offenses can get you pigeonholed.”

Full comments from Inge’s Saturday press conference can be viewed below, along with select quotes from linebackers Arion Carter, Kalib Perry, Jalen Smith and Edwin Spillman.

Tennessee Football Press Conference | Aug. 3, 2024

Linebackers Coach William Inge

On what he’s seen out of Keenan Pili and Arion Carter in fall camp…
“We’ve been seeing some really good growth from them to where we say the injuries and things like that are kind of in the rearview mirror now. From a growth standpoint, just seeing them continue to take the next step to being able to be better, to being able to be elite and to be what we call the trendsetters of linebacker play on our team, our organization and in the country.”

On what Arion Carter can show now since he was limited in the spring due to injury…
“In the spring, you couldn’t see the elements of contact, because he was limited to that. There were some times in the spring that I didn’t know there was a problem, seeing him move and do things like that. He just couldn’t have any contact. I knew from the element of him being able to move, run and change direction that we were going to get something that was going to be elite or on the top end of everything from a linebacker play standpoint. Now, you put together some of the physicality, him being able to make the plays at the point of attack from a contact standpoint.”

On how he manages Keenan Pili through the next month…
“Probably the best thing about the management that you can do is the growth with the young men in the rest of the room. We know we can take care of him. He’s already been there and done that. The one thing you must do is walk the line of knowing he has to be able to strain to be able to accomplish some things, but also in some of the physical elements we can be able to gear him back and put someone else in. That gives us the ability to be able to see if this young player, let’s say someone like Jalen Smith, can do what he’s supposed to do. Can Kalib Perry do what he’s supposed to do? Can (Jeremiah Telander) do what he’s supposed to do? That allows us to be able to give those guys some extra reps and some extra eyes on them for their growth and development.”

On what about Arion Carter’s game is mature for his age…
“The element that he has, that is something that you can’t coach, is his speed and quickness. He is elusive when he’s on the football field, almost like a cheetah. It’s great to have a linebacker who can move like that but has the body that he has from a physical nature. He’s someone we are going to be able to really utilize in the days, years and games to come.”

On Edwin Spillman’s growth…
“You will know who number 13 is when he’s on the field. It was 47 in the spring, and it’s 13 now. Everyone knows who he is. You all will know for sure. From a physicality standpoint, he is exactly what you want. To see him growing and developing each day, as a coach, is so gratifying and satisfying. Probably one of the things that’s unique is we have some examples in our room of what the gold standard of linebacker play is. When you think about that with the history and tradition of this place, you think about Al Wilson. To have Al Wilson at practice today, I think that really brought some elements to the guys in the room. Edwin was one of them, because he is walking in the footsteps of someone like that for sure.”

On if he wants guys to be interchangeable between the two linebacker spots…
“The thing you do is you have to be able to play or understand what both positions do, just because offenses can motion or shift to trade and get you in some jams if you don’t understand the concepts. We’d like to have someone who is a true Mike linebacker and someone who is a Will linebacker, but they have to know both elements just because offenses can get you pigeonholed. That’s what you do not want to do. The things that we tell our guys is you have to be able to run fast and hit hard. If you can do that and play in space, you’re going to be able to be on the football field.”

On his preferred personality type in a linebacker…
“We do have different types of personalities and styles, but the biggest thing you have to do is you have to be fast. You have to be fast, you have to be athletic, and you have to be big. The biggest thing we have to be able to do from an offensive perspective, the first thing they try to do is get you out in space and try to highlight you. If you don’t have the speed and quickness to play out in space, then you’re going to be a very average to below-average linebacker. Then, the other thing you have to be able to do is you have to have the physical elements to be able to play inside the jungle when the big uglies up front come to block you. You have to have what we call a healthy compromise of all the characters and traits from a linebacker standpoint. You have to be fast enough to play out in space, physical enough to be able to play in the core, and a lot of that is going to be with your mindset.”

On dividing up playing time…
“The one thing we try to do—and this is also where recruiting comes into play—we tell guys if you’re prepared and you’re ready, you’re going to play. That’s what I want to be able to do. I want to be able to play five or six guys, because if we can give everyone a role and be fresh at the end of a football game … I just experienced that at my previous place, and that’s why we were in a position to play in the national championship game, because our guys were not worn out at the end of the season. If your goal is like you want it to in your room, you can be fresh at the end of the season if you’re playing enough guys. That’s something we want to look forward to doing on defense, is being able to have a good healthy rotation so our guys won’t get over-repped, but also know that your stars are going to get the money plays.”

On what he knows about the group now that he didn’t know in the spring…
“Probably one of the biggest things is that they love to work. Their element of preparation I would say is beyond their years right now. To see the things that they do when no one is watching or when you’re not around. They are what you would call your junkies in the building. Sometimes when you leave the parking lot, you know how you say, ‘Gosh, there’s a car sitting over there. I wonder if his car’s broken.’ So, I’d send a text message saying, ‘Hey, (Arion Carter), are you okay? Is your car good?’ He would say, ‘No coach, I’m just here in the linebacker room watching some film,’ and it’s 10:30 or 11:00 at night. To me, that’s what it’s all about, to see those guys from a preparation standpoint. They know they’re really taking football preparedness to new heights and to a new level. That’s what we want, and that’s how you become elite at this position.”

On how Arion Carter has grown in his weaknesses…
“Last year as a freshman, he was very youthful. He was trying to put things together, but sometimes may not have understood the whole concept of something. I think that’s what my mission was coming in, was to show him not just his job, but what the people around him were doing. That’s something that he’s kind of really been intentional about learning. Knowing what the guys around him are doing has really helped him understand his job on those given plays.”

On how Edwin Spillman has learned from older brother Nate Spillman…
“It’s great, because the one thing Edwin had coming here was he knew half of the stuff already. He knew half of the people, he understood everyone, he was able to put names to faces. Unfortunately, he knew more about the program than I did, just because we literally got here one week apart. So, there were some things that he was telling me and I was telling myself, ‘How do you know this?’ He was like, ‘Yeah coach, I came down here to visit my brother and I saw him.’ But he has some great perspective when you have someone who’s been here, who’s already been there, done that, and that was his roommate when he first got here. So, it really helped him get his feet planted so he could build a great foundation moving forward.”

On how having to adapt to quick strike offenses in the past helps him at Tennessee…
“That’s something you always have to do when it comes to a quick strike. As we were talking about earlier, making sure you have enough depth at your position and enough growth at your position. Now you have the ability to play just as many players, so when you get to the end of the game, you’re not worn out and your player can be a step faster than he was earlier in the game, or the player that’s in can be a step faster than they were earlier in the game. There’s nothing worse than putting your player in a position to be successful, but the fatigue or tiredness really sets in because he’s been out there, he’s worn out and he can’t make the play. There’s nothing more frustrating than that as a coach, so from our standpoint, we have to really put them through what we call the strainer, where you have to strain and you have to go through all the physical things right now during training camp so you can be ready when the bullets begin to fly.” 

Sophomore LB Arion Carter

On what it was like to have a season-ending injury during his freshman season…
“Obviously, it was a bummer. Minor setback for a major comeback. I was so grateful for having a great support staff, team and teammates. A great athletic training staff to get me back to where I am now. If not back to where I am, I feel like I am even better than what I was. Big kudos to them, I appreciate them so much. I appreciate my teammates and my family for supporting me not only physically but mentally throughout the entire process.”

On how coach William Inge has prepared the linebacker group to be very mature…
“I think it starts with him (William Inge) holding us accountable. He is a great coach. He wants to see us be the best every single day, day in and day out. I took that to heart as far as being accountable, holding other guys accountable and then holding us accountable as a team and as a group. You know we have to drive the bus on defense and the team in general. I feel like just us doing (that), our IQ has skyrocketed from last year to this year. I feel like we are just taking different steps along the way. The only way from here is up.”

On what it was like to have Al Wilson at practice today…
“It was great. I could not wait to talk to him. He actually came up to us and I was kind of starstruck. I see this guy during the ’98 season who is a dog, countless and fearless. He is just somebody you want to emulate and be better than. You aspire to be better than or be just at that standard that he brought to Tennessee. It was just great being able to pick his brain and really just be around greatness like that.”

Junior LB Kalib Perry

On how he would describe this linebacker room…
“Something special. Everybody puts in so much time and extra work outside of just what is required as a program. It’s awesome to see just how unified we have become. From the three years I have been here, how much we have grown close together and gelled so well. Just awesome to see us go out, work and show what we can do. Like all of our abilities, everyone is pushing each other, finding our weaknesses and coaching up each other. It’s not leave one man out for himself. We are all doing it together trying to see who we can turn around and bring along with us. It’s been awesome.”

On what has led to a high amount of dedication and preparation in the linebacker room…
” I mean think of the greats. We saw Al Wilson today. Film study, you want to learn about your opponents and it helps you become prepared. Like yes, you can rise to the occasion, but at the end of the day, when stress hits us we have to fall back on our habits. When we fall back on our film study and that preparation we take outside of just our regular positioning and what not, it has led to us being able to make plays and be able to show our athleticism and our abilities. Just being able to have film study has been contagious. You see other guys sit in and do it, and it’s just like, well, we’re going to do it too. It’s just been something we have been able to build on. It has helped us progress and learn a lot more about the game.”

On what the next step for him is…
“Next step for me is just playing confident and having confidence while I’m playing. Just trust in my ability. I know what I’m doing. I take the time outside of football to watch film. Just trust my ability to go make a play regardless if I mess up. Being in every play and being across the field. Just be an athlete and show my athleticism. At the end of the day, it’s going to work out for you whether you just want to push yourself and give that 110 (percent) on the field.”

RS-Freshman LB Jalen Smith

On how it has been to have William Inge as the new linebacker coach..
“It has been really cool. He is more of a laid back guy. I feel like everybody is more confident in what their abilities are. He is straightforward. He loves on you but there is also tough love. At the same time he builds everybody up the same way.”

On being interchangeable with MIKE and WILL…
“Right now, coach (William Inge) expects everybody to be dual. That’s something he has challenged us to be and be able to do this season. Make sure we are able to be dual and learn both positions.”

On what having a year under his belt in this program has done for him…
“I feel more comfortable with my role playing MIKE and WILL. Just learning day in and day out. Coach Inge is also helping me a lot with that. Just making sure I’m in my playbook and living up to the standards of our LB room.”

Freshman LB Edwin Spillman 

On the difference between where he was in the spring to now…
“From the spring, all the way to right now in fall camp, I feel like I have got way more in depth with the playbook and knowing what everyone else is doing around me and what the MIKE and WILL are both doing. I feel like my knowledge of the game has become a whole lot better just from being in the linebacker room with coach (William Inge) and all of the older guys from about three months or so.” 

On which positions he’s been asked to work at…
“We have a couple of dual guys that play both MIKE and WILL. I’m one of those guys that are playing both, but in our linebacker room we don’t really like to put a specific name on anybody. We just make sure anybody can be interchangeable.”

On whether he got to catch his breath after coming on campus in the spring…
“Yes sir, I would say it pretty much did for me when we did summer workouts, summer walkthroughs, OTAs and all of that. That was probably a great time for me to just chill and learn the playbook and then just pick up on the little things the older guys were reviewing. Just get ahead of the game that way, so this summer time was definitely a helpful time for me. It helped me a lot.