Linebacker Keenan Pili doing what he can to help
Later today, Tennessee linebacker Keenan Pili will be roaming the sidelines in Gainesville watching the Vols take on the Gators.
And he will be doing a little coaching trying to help starter Elijah Herring along with freshmen Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander. It’s not the role the 25 year old transferred envisioned when he arrived on Rocky Top from BYU.
But it’s the hand he’s been dealt after injuring his tricep in the week one win over Virginia where Pili played just 29 snaps.
Despite not being able to play Pili has been hands on in trying to help his teammates.
“He was gone for, I don’t know, a day.,” head coach Josh Heupel said. “And then right back in the building. So he’s approached it like he’s playing. He has been really good with it. His teammates, really kind of approaching like a coach would and he’s got a great impact on our football team.”
Pili’s impact has been felt basically from day one. The veteran was quickly added to Tennessee’s leadership council and he’s been a bold, big, experienced voice along with Aaron Beasley in an otherwise young linebacker room.
“ One of the things that he always brought to the table was that leadership aspect,” linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary said. “Once he was clear to come back, he’s been in every meeting. Obviously he’s gonna travel with us down to Gainesville. He’s an integral part of what we do. It wasn’t just the physical ability, it was mental capacity to help everybody in the room because of his experience. And that’s just carrying over and probably holds a little bit more weight in the room now because he’s seeing it from the sideline. So most of those guys when they’re in the room they’ll gravitate to him. And even now, during practice, he’s on the sideline. When the guys that are not in, they’re down there talking to him and Pack Garland. Those guys are like second coaches on the field now.”
It’s not a role that Pili wanted, but it’s a role he’s currently embracing for a couple of reasons. One that’s his personality and two it’s how things are done in the program.
“One of the cool things that I really didn’t know while being recruited was just how great the culture is here,” Pili said.
“To actually get here and to be a part of it, that’s been one of the coolest parts of this whole experience for me.”
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