Tennessee boasts more depth at running back and linebacker; Keenan Pili a fit in the middle

An oft repeated observation of this Tennessee football team is that the Vols have some much improved depth compared to Josh Heupel’s first two seasons. Running backs coach Jerry Mack is one assistant who is working with more options than he had in the previous two years.

Tennessee started last year with only two remotely proven guys at tailback; then junior Jabari Small and then sophomore Jaylen Wright. Those two are now established SEC tailbacks who have proven they can get it done in this league.

By the end of his freshman season in 2022, after he exploded for 131 yards on just 12 carries at Vanderbilt, Dylan Sampson had stamped himself as a third quality back who could help this team.

“Right now I love the depth. First time since I’ve been here that we’ve had multiple backs that we got a lot of trust in as an offensive staff,” Mack said of his position group.

“You see obviously Jay Wright and Jabari and those guys have kind been staples in the offense the last few years. But like you said, Dylan Sampson continues to grow, continues to show that he can be a playmaker in this offense.”

Now, in addition to his three returnees Mack has a pair of intriguing freshman prospects to work into the mix.

Cam Seldon arrived as an early enrollee and flashed some ability with the ball in his hands during spring work. An all-around athlete in high school Seldon is still learning the finer points of the position, but his talent is obvious.

Fellow freshman Kalifa Keith didn’t arrive until the summer. He’s got some catching up to do, but at 6-foot-1, 230 pounds he has shown up looking like a physical SEC tailback out of the gate.

“I’m really impressed with the guys, the Cam Seldons of the world, the Khalifa Keiths. They’ve done a really good job of coming in here you in the summertime or spring when Cam was here,” Mack said.

“(They’re) Just learning and adapted to what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to be on offense. So right now the depth is extreme. Extremely good place”

GOT TO PROTECT THE PASSER

With Wright, Small and Sampson all back and healthy there’s no pressure on Seldon or Keith to contribute soon.

Based on some buzz from the staff Seldon may get an opportunity to contribute quickly in the return game.

For both players though, Mack makes no secret of what area they’ll have to gain trust in if they’re going to be in the backfield getting meaningful snaps for this team this season.

If Tennessee’s young backs are going to play, they have to prove that they can protect the quarterback.

“I think a freshman running back, no matter what offense, to be honest with you that I’ve been involved in, it’s always gonna be about protection,” Mack said of the biggest challenge in getting a freshman back ready to play. “Just something that those guys don’t do a lot in high school. Not only from a standpoint of who you have or what your responsibility is, but also just from the standpoint of technique.

“That’s just not something that they’re doing a ton of. So just getting them incorporated to that, what that feels like, what that looks like. And then always anticipating potential pressure. We talk a lot about potential pressure on third down situations.”

LET’S ROTATE

Since Heupel’s defensive staff arrived with him on campus (and that staff remains entirely intact) Tennessee has instituted a policy of rotating players at linebacker.

The defensive staff was committed to that at a time when really finding three or our solid candidates to play linebacker in the SEC was a challenge.

That’s no longer the case with Tennessee’s improved depth. The challenge this season may not be to find three or four guys who can help, but to limit it to that number.

Linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary explained that he’s always been committed to rotating his linebackers, noting that it’s all about getting to the fourth quarter with something left in the tank.

“We want those guys to give 100 percent effort and we want them to empty their tank. I’ve always felt like if guys did not feel like they were going to get replaced and have a chance to rest, that they always kind of hold back and we want those guys to give everything they have,” Jean-Mary said.

“I feel like for us, we always want to be the fastest and freshest team going into the fourth quarter. And I think the only way you can do that is if you get those guys the rest that they need.”

The Vols have only one returning starter linebacker, Aaron Beasley, who closed last year playing at an extremely high level. But the depth is there because of the addition of BYU transfer Keenan Pili, the development of sophomores Elijah Herring and Kalib Perry along with the additions of freshmen Arion Carter, Jeremiah Telander and Jalen Smith.

Carter has gotten off to the fastest start among the freshmen and there was some pretty strong indication last week from Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks that the freshman could work himself into some early playing time based off his camp performance to this point.

“Arion is an explosive kid. Super athletic. (He) was committed to a Division I school as a running back, so you see the athleticism there,” Jean-Mary said.

“But the poise, the maturity, he’s shown all those things, which has put him in line to play early. He’ll play on Saturday, get a chance to go out there and I’m excited to see what he can do in (his) full college football game.”

PILI FEELS LIKE A FIT

Obviously the final evaluation is going to come over the next three months of football, but early indications are that Tennessee did some excellent work in the transfer portal, adding multiple starters and guys who will potentially make immediate impacts.

Those potential impact performers can be seen all over the field on both sides of the football. It’s fun to debate which of Tennessee’s portal additions may make the biggest impact this fall, but one guy who’s name is probably always going to be in that debate is linebacker Keenan Pili.

Tennessee wasn’t exactly desperate for linebacker help, but if the Vols could find a plug-and-play guy in the middle they were going to be interested. In Pili, who was transferring from BYU, the Vols appear to have found a great fit.

Pili, a former team captain and multi-year starter at BYU, arrived last spring and it didn’t take long for the coaching staff to begin to feel like they’d found a fit for their defense. They also discovered that they had added a consummate leader to the locker room.

“Keenan I think is a versatile linebacker that can fit a lot of defenses because he’s a big, strong, physical linebacker. But he’s also athletic enough that he can play out in space and he runs very, very well for someone his size,” Jean-Mary said in evaluating Pili. “Obviously the experience helps. He’s played a lot of football through his college career and he brings that element to our defense.

“And I would say that’s the poise when things could be going haywire. He’s the same guy from Play 1 to Play 20. And I think the other guys feed off of that. When you have a leader that doesn’t let the emotions of the game get to them and kind of brings everybody back down to a level where we can go execute.”

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