A one-game career with the Tennessee Volunteers wasn’t nearly enough for Keenan Pili, so a college journey that began at Brigham Young in 2016 will continue in Knoxville in 2024.
The excitement of Pili performing for the Vols was over almost as soon as it began, as the 6-foot-3, 240-pound graduate transfer inside linebacker suffered a ruptured triceps during the 49-13 season-opening win over Virginia in Nashville on Sept. 2. Pili felt the injury in the first quarter and played through the third quarter, when he could barely move his arm.
As the weeks went by in Tennessee’s eventual 8-4 regular season, it became evident Pili would not be returning to action, but he revealed earlier this month that he would be returning next year after receiving a waiver from the NCAA.
“Obviously I didn’t want to get injured this season, and I didn’t want to miss it,” Pili said Monday in a news conference. “It was kind of that feeling of wanting to finish why I came. I wasn’t planning on being here another year, but I’m excited now to be a part of that.
“Just to come back and finish what I wanted to start and to have a great year at Tennessee would be amazing.”
The Vols started practicing this past weekend for their New Year’s Day date with Iowa in the Citrus Bowl, with Monday marking the first player availability to the media since the 48-24 thumping of Vanderbilt on Nov. 25. The NCAA transfer portal opened on Dec. 4, and Tennessee has bid farewell to defensive end Tyler Baron and safety Tamarion McDonald, who both transferred to Ole Miss, and cornerback Doneiko Slaughter, who is headed to Arkansas.
Tennessee has added former Notre Dame tight end Holden Staes and former Middle Tennessee safety Jakobe Thomas through the portal as well.
“People have to take care of themselves first,” Vols sophomore inside linebacker Elijah Herring said. “Wherever they go, we’re going to support them. You might have a couple of conversations here and there about it, but it’s nothing that’s making the locker room go crazy.
“It’s their decisions, and you’re just going to be happy with what they do.”
Bowl workouts are also a time for newcomers, and half of Tennessee’s 20 commitments entering Wednesday’s early signing period are already practicing, which includes the Bradley Central tandem of athlete/defensive back prospects Boo Carter and Marcus Goree Jr. Also on campus are quarterback Jake Merklinger of Savannah, Ga., receiver Mike Matthews of Lilburn, Ga., receiver Braylon Staley of Johnston, S.C., tackle Max Anderson of Frisco, Texas, tackle Jesse Perry of Murfreesboro, interior offensive lineman William Satterwhite of Akron, Ohio, interior offensive lineman Gage Ginther of Fort Collins, Colorado, and safety Edrees Farooq of Baltimore.
Pili will not be healthy enough to play in Orlando, so he will occupy the same role he’s had since tallying four tackles against the Cavaliers.
“I’ll just do what I can, whether that’s on scout team or just coaching up some of the younger players,” he said.
Pili, who is from Las Vegas, redshirted at BYU in 2016 before serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Orlando from 2017-19. He then played for the Cougars from 2019-22, compiling 190 tackles and 11 tackles for loss and serving as a team captain on the 2021-22 teams.
When the Vols kick off their 2024 season against UTC inside Neyland Stadium on Aug. 31, the happily-married Pili will be 26 years old and in his seventh season on a college sideline.
“Just delving into Tennessee and into this program made it easy for me to say, ‘Man, I’d love to come back. Who wouldn’t want to be here for another year?'” Pili said. “That was a big part of me wanting to come back. I love the coaching staff. I love the culture that was brought here, and I love my teammates.”
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.