One of the big selling points with Tennessee’s recruitment of former Penn State players in the transfer portal is the amount of familiarity they’ll have on Rocky Top. The Vols went out and hired former Penn State DC Jim Knowles as their defensive coordinator moving forward, and he brought along his co-DC and defensive backs coach, Anthony Poindexter, with him from Happy Valley.
Tennessee also has a commitment from former Penn State defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam, who is actively encouraging his former Nittany Lion teammates to join him in Knoxville. After pledging to the Vols on Thursday night, Gilliam immediately sent out social media posts tagging and getting the attention of Penn State EDGE rusher Chaz Coleman, Penn State safety Dejaun Lane, and Penn State linebacker Amare Campbell.
Campbell had the Tennessee fanbase fired up on social media when he responded to Gilliam’s tweet, telling Rocky Top that he’ll see him on Friday for a visit. Campbell also tagged Jim Knowles and Anthony Poindexter in the post.
Rocky Top See Yall Tmr 🍊 @CoachJimKnowles @Coachpoindexter https://t.co/8vL7h3bfep
— Amare🐐 (@amareGcampbell) January 9, 2026
More From RTI: Tennessee Football Lands Commitment of New Kicker Through Transfer Portal
“You know the move,” one user on X responded.
“You know where home is brother!” another poster said.
“You’re going to love it here,” one user said.
Several commenters posted pictures and videos of legendary Tennessee linebacker Al Wilson:
Let’s go! pic.twitter.com/LMfpjhCc42
— Ericvol2096 (@EricQuiz2096) January 9, 2026
Tennessee has been working hard at bringing some of Knowles’ former players to Knoxville, and Gilliam could be the beginning of the dominoes falling. Nothing is guaranteed, but it could be a good omen for the future. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Knowles is obviously a big piece to this. He’s a respected veteran defensive coordinator, and while he only spent one season with the Nittany Lions, he clearly made some strong relationships. The underrated piece to the puzzle is Coach Poindexter. A former Super Bowl champion and three-time First Team All-ACC selection, Poindexter knows what it takes to compete on the field and succeed at the highest level. It’s also clear that he has strong relationships with his players, both on and off the field.
When Poindexter announced his departure from Penn State, current Nittany Lions linebacker Tony Rojas shared his thoughts on the situation.
“This one hurt,” Rojas wrote on social media, reacting to Poindexter’s departure news. “One of the rarest coaches I’ve seen actually care for us and build a genuine relationship with every player. Appreciate you and love you coach.”
Campbell, a six-foot linebacker from Virginia, was also with Penn State for just one season. He spent his first two years at North Carolina before heading over to Happy Valley. Campbell notched a career-high 103 tackles last season, adding a team-high three sacks and one pass deflection.
For more on Amare Campbell’s Friday visit to Rocky Top, click here.
