Tennessee has had plenty of superstar linebackers. The next is likely on the Vols’ roster right now.
It’s probably splitting hairs when you compare the upside of the Vols’ two most athletic linebackers: sophomore Arion Carter and freshman Edwin Spillman. Both are uber-talented as evident by their amount of playing time as underclassmen. The two have enough ability and have garnered enough trust that they’ve gotten early playing time, Carter did so last year and Spillman did so last week.
“Exactly what you want from a young player,” Tennessee linebacker coach William Inge said of Spillman. “The one thing that he does not lack, he does not lack the physicality, and that’s what you want in your linebackers…Just as young players, you’re always trying to teach them on the understanding of just the schematic things that you want. Seeing him grow and have a guy like Keenan Pili having him under his arm is awesome. He’s actually reaping some of the benefits of that.”
Pili has practically become a known commodity for the Vols despite just having played four games for the Vols as a middle linebacker. He’s a force in the tackle box and is surprisingly fast moving from sideline to sideline. However, he’s in his seventh year of college football. He’s far more physically developed, has a greater feel for college football and is closer to his upside than Carter or Spillman, who have miles to go before they truly reach their peak. Tennessee’s players already have seen that Spillman can be special.
“I couldn’t settle the guys down on the sideline because when I put Edwin in the game, I didn’t tell them,” Inge said. “We were coming off the field and I’m like, ‘Hey, you’re going in the game.’ I did not give him one second to think about it.
“All the guys on the sideline started going crazy. Every person was looking directly at him…I think we knew physically he could go apply and do all of his jobs. We just wanted to make sure that he could settle down and that’s kind of what coaching is on our end, just making sure he can be calm and everything can be slowed down for him.
“That’s exactly what you want as a young player, getting the exposure that he got at that period of time. We thought it would kind of be a 15 to 20 snap scenario for him, so he’s on course to growing with respect to what we want from him.”
Chatter began amongst the Vols about Spillman in preseason practice. He was “flashing” as the kids like to say, but that didn’t mean he would play extensively this season. After all, the Vols only play two linebackers and those positions were held down by Carter and Pili, who play outside and middle linebacker, respectively. The backup middle linebacker seems sewn up with sophomore Jeremiah Telander, so the Vols, always craving depth, needed one other player to step up behind Carter.
As for Carter and Pili as the Vols’ starting duo at linebacker, Inge said, “In my opinion, it’s definitely for sure one of the best combinations in the country. If you look at their production per play, it would definitely speak for itself…We’re getting into SEC play. We still have to continue to take steps and rise in our performances.”
That SEC play begins this week with a trip to Oklahoma. It will be the second time that the Vols have faced a competent quarterback that has good mobility. North Carolina State quarterback Grayson McCall was the first. He picked up 14 yards on nine carries against the Vols. Now, Tennessee will take on the mobility of Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold, who has rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns on 36 carries this season. That equates to 4.4 yards per carry, which can certainly keep drives alive when the Sooners might otherwise seem stymied.
“That’s something that you really have to keep your eyes on when it comes to him being able to take off and run, but also them having some specific quarterback run games that they design,” Inge said. “They do a great job and he’s obviously very efficient at what he does. He knows kind of when to take off when it’s there for him.
“He’s really smart at being able to get what he can get and then he gets down, so we have to be very disciplined when it comes to us applying our job, doing our task. If they do happen to get something, we have to let it go (and) go on to the next play.”
That’s fine. The Vols can give up a play or two. Why? Because with Tennessee’s athleticism at linebacker, a big play in their favor could come at any moment.
