While Tennessee does have a pair of veteran playmakers ready to lead the defense in Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander, don’t count out redshirt freshman linebacker Edwin Spillman being an impact player in that room this fall.
His 6-foot-1, 230-pound frame isn’t necessarily the 8-foot-5, 1,200-pound build of The Incredible Hulk, but linebackers coach William Inge sees the same tenacity and power from Spillman’s game that the comic book icon brings to the silver screen.
“His ability to attack, and that’s what — he’s the combination of both Arion with his speed and physicality, and Telander with his ability to run through a wall,” Inge said of Spillman on Saturday. “Like if you had a brick wall up, he’s like the Incredible Hulk because he is going through the wall. And that’s literally exactly what we love about Edwin. And I think that’s where he’s going to continue to keep on rising. He’s like yeast. Every day, he gets better, he gets taller, he gets bigger. Everything that you want out of a player. It is a blessing to have him on our football team.”
Spillman grinned and laughed when the media told him of Inge’s comparison later in the day.
“I like that,” Spillman said. “I like that comparison. I just go out there and play with violence. That’s just who I am. That’s just the type of player I am.”
More From RTI: Three Thoughts on Tennessee Football’s Offense From the Opening Four Practices
Spillman might not be in a starting position, but he’ll serve the Vols’ defense in a big role this season. He’s been hard at work this offseason leading into his second season with the team.
“Obviously, through the offseason, just working on my craft and my techniques,” Spillman said about his work blitzing the quarterback. “Trying to get better whichever way I can.”
His hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed by Inge, who sees it regularly through his work in the room.
“Edwin would be what you would call the monster of the room because he doesn’t have to speak a lot because you have Arion and Telander there,” Inge said on Saturday. “But when he does speak, he is very active, and he is someone who is literally biting the heels off of those guys when it comes to his performance, his actions, his leadership and his trust level. So, he is someone that we have a high regard for when it comes to putting him on the football field.”
Expectations are rising for the redshirt freshman, but so has his understanding of the game. Despite just being in his second year, he already looks at himself and carries himself as one of the older guys in the room for the freshman newcomers.
“It’s surpassed from where I was a year ago to now,” Spillman said about his level of understanding of the game. “It’s night and day. But the main focus is not getting too comfortable and settled, and just continue improving because that’s the goal at hand.”
Check out Edwin Spillman’s full press conference from Saturday below:
