Entering his second season with the program, Tennessee football linebacker coach William Inge is already showing off his recruiting chops.
In the 2026 cycle, the Vols have landed the No. 4 and No. 5 linebackers in the class in Brayden Rouse and TJ White, according to 247. Inge also adds three-star Braylon Outlaw to the group.
In his first year, Inge brought in four-stars Jaedon Harmon and Jadon Perlotte along with three-star Brendan Anes. He’s also retained a bulk of the talent he inherited with the likes of Arion Carter, Jeremiah Telander, Edwin Spillman and Jordan Burns still on the roster.
So, what’s been the secret to Inge’s success on the trail?
I think you can look back at what he said when he was hired to get a glimpse of what has worked so well.
“One thing all of us have to be about on our end as coaches, mentors, teachers and leaders, we have to be about relationships,” Inge said. “So, on our end, every day we start off [with] something that you want to improve on, something that you’re doing for your family or something you’re doing to help someone else, just to see how others-centered everyone can be. And we always have a one-on-one meeting where we are just learning about each other: ‘Hey, tell me about your family. Tell me a little bit about you,’ and I’ll tell them about myself. That’s kind of how our bond has gotten really strong over the last four weeks.”
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It’s this familiarity with recruits and players that’s yielding him so much success. Being personable and trustworthy for parents to send their kid to can go a long way, and Inge seemingly checks all of those boxes.
Paired with his knowledge of the game and previous success, such as a Washington team that made the playoffs, it’s easy to see why Josh Heupel hired Inge to replace the departing Brian Jean-Mary.
Now, Inge is beating out Jean-Mary on the trail with Michigan also a finalist for Rouse.
“William is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable linebacker coaches in the country,” Heupel said when Inge was hired. “He has a proven resume of success and understands what it takes to compete for championships on the defensive side of the ball. William is also a great family man, and I know our players and coaches will enjoy working with him. We are excited to welcome his family to Rocky Top.”
This will likely be it as far as adding linebackers in the 2026 class, but Inge and the team are already looking ahead to 2027 and beyond. With Carter and Telander returning, the on-the-field play this season has the chance to be as good as anyone across the country at the position, as well.
