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
