When Jim Knowles was hired from Penn State as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator this offseason, one of the big moves that came shortly after was the retention of linebackers coach William Inge on Knowles’ new defensive staff. And for good reason, too. Inge has been a key member of Tennessee’s coaching staff and has built a strong unit heading into the 2026 season. He’s also been a successful recruiter for the Vols.
Saying that Inge has a loaded room to work with is an understatement. The Vols return their core three linebackers from last season with Arion Carter, Edwin Spillman, and Jeremiah Telander, and also added Penn State linebacker Amare Campbell through the transfer portal. Tennessee also has some up-and-comers like Jadon Perlotte and Jaedon Harmon, with some talented freshmen such as TJ White and Brayden Rouse in the background.
It’s undoubtedly Tennessee’s most stacked group on defense, and perhaps even the team as a whole. The Vols have the right combination of experience, leadership, and talent in that room to make a difference on the field next year.
In conference linebacker rankings from Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan via Mike Bratton on X, Tennessee has the fourth-best group in the SEC. The Vols only trail Georgia, LSU, and Oklahoma on the list. Tennessee’s position puts them ahead of every team on their upcoming SEC schedule except for one, the LSU Tigers.
SEC Linebacker Rankings by @AthlonSteven
#1 Georgia: “This is an easy call for me… they are loaded at this position.”
#2 LSU: “This is one of the top groups in the country.”
#3 Oklahoma: “The frontline talent is very, very good.” pic.twitter.com/nIpOvOB0Za
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) June 24, 2026
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Tennessee’s group almost didn’t shape up the way it did over the offseason. Prior to the Vols’ Music City Bowl game against Illinois last season, Carter announced his intentions to enter the NFL Draft. However, a short time later, he decided to rescind his name from draft conversations and return to college football through the transfer portal.
With Tennessee already taking Campbell as a skilled veteran through the portal, there was a bit of mystery as to whether Carter could, or would, come back to Tennessee. As we know now, that’s exactly what happened.
Carter’s return and Campbell’s arrival, combined with a solid core that stayed through the offseason, create a good problem to have when it comes to figuring out how to capitalize on the talent when only so many players can be on the field at the same time. But it’s a challenge that Inge and his players are taking seriously.
“The one thing we’re always trying to do is we’re trying to find what we call ‘healthy solutions’. So, we have to, as a staff and obviously myself as the leader of the group, make sure we find the best tight-knit unit,” Inge said during spring camp. “Who can do what from a practice standpoint, but also what combinations of guys, who can play well together, how do they play together and who can play what respective positions? So yes, it’s a very good problem, but that’s our challenge in coaching and for everyone in the room. Our responsibility is to get Tennessee football to where we can be in position to play for and win a championship and I’m just one of the pawns doing our job.”
Tennessee’s new-look defense still has its question marks going into the season with the introduction of a new defensive scheme, new coaches, and new players. It was one of the worst in the SEC last year, after all. But if there’s any route to Tennessee’s defense returning to the form that it saw in 2024, it leads through the Vols’ linebacker room every time.
It’s a critical position during a critical year for the Volunteers.
