Tennessee football’s 56-24 win over UAB Saturday afternoon was a homecoming of sorts as a pair of Volunteer defenders faced off against Trent Dilfer— their former high school and current UAB head coach.
Spillman and Beasley played for Dilfer at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville from their freshman through their junior seasons. Dilfer left to become the UAB head coach before Spillman and Beasley’s senior seasons at Lipscomb.
Lipscomb went a combined 26-1 during Spillman and Beasley’s sophomore and junior seasons, winning the TSSAA Division II Class AA State Championship both years. Spillman and Beasley both signed with Tennessee in the 2024 recruiting class, setting up the reunion.
“I saw Kaleb before the game as we were walking, praying around the field,” Dilfer said postgame. “And then Edwin I got when teams line up back-to-back to run plays, I yelled his name and he came over and gave me a hug. At the end, we got a Lipscomb picture. Jordan Jackson who played for me at Lipscomb is a coach here, now, too. And then Joshua Reuben on our team, so we got a big picture. Those kids are great kids. They’re everything college football is all about. They’re awesome off the field, they’re awesome on the field.”
More From RTI: Why UAB Football Coach Trent Dilfer Was On His Phone Before the Tennessee Game
Spillman is Tennessee’s third inside linebacker while Beasley is Tennessee’s third safety. Both have earned a serious role in their sophomore seasons and should only have larger roles as their careers develop. Against the Blazers, Spillman totaled two tackles while Beasley made four tackles.
Beasley was a part of Tennessee’s biggest defensive play of the game when Boo Carter forced a fumble before Beasley picked it up and rank it 23 yards for a touchdown. It was Beasley’s first fumble recovery and first touchdown in his college career.
“When they were eighth graders, I said I can’t believe I’m saying this, but this is what NFL players look like as eighth graders,” Dilfer said. “I think they’ll both play in the league. Man, they’re just fantastic kids. Kaleb, shocking, he scores. He found a way to score all the time when I coached him and he scores today. I said, man, I hope you guys run the table. I’m really close to those two and I’m proud of them.”
Tennessee improved to 3-1 with the win and moves on to face Mississippi State on the road next week in its first of five straight SEC games. UAB falls to 1-3 with the loss and is off next week before hosting Army in a conference game the first Saturday of October.
