There are notable questions about what Tennessee football will look like this upcoming season from a depth chart standpoint, most notably at quarterback. However, there’s other spots on the roster that are full of proven pieces who will be battling for snaps.
There is no deeper position group on the team than linebacker. That’s not just me saying that, either. Josh Heupel was asked if the team is as deep as it has been since he’s taken the job. While he didn’t want to go that far just yet, he did praise that linebacker room while meeting with the local media at SEC Media Days.
“I think it’s hard for me to say that globally here as I try to reflect back over the previous four or five years,” Heupel said. “Certainly, the linebacker position is probably the deepest that we’ve been at any one position since we’ve been here.”
More From RTI: Josh Heupel Speaks Out on Departure of Chaz Coleman, Where Tennessee Football Turns
It’s the mixture of star power and depth that is turning heads at the position. The projected starters in the room are returner Arion Carter and Penn State transfer Amare Campbell. Don’t count out returners Edwin Spillman, Jeremiah Telander and Jadon Perlotte from stealing a good amount of snaps, either. Mix in returners Jaedon Harmon and Jordan Burns and incoming freshmen Brayden Rouse and TJ White, and you can see why it’s being praised.
“Great room, just in who they are, how they compete, how they push each other,” Heupel said. “Great leadership inside of that room. You have some players that have played a lot of football at a really high level. You have some young guys that are extremely talented that have continued to grow throughout the course of the off-season. Gives us some flexibility to do some different things with them. But as much as anything, you have great competition inside of that room to go earn snaps.”
Tennessee returns for fall camp on August 5 to get ready for the 2026 season. Then, it’s a season-opener at home against Furman scheduled for September 5 in Neyland Stadium.
