After years of being the big fish in a small pond, Carson Gentle is now a small fish in a big pond.
More specifically, a 6-foot-3, 258-pound freshman on a deep and veteran Tennessee football roster.
Gentle, who began June by earning the Chattanooga Times Free Press Best of Preps Male Athlete of the Year, ended July by going through his first practice with the Volunteers. The former McCallie School standout is working at strongside defensive end under longtime Southeastern Conference defensive line coach Rodney Garner.
“It was a long time coming,” Gentle said in a news conference following Wednesday’s opening workout. “I was committed here for a long time, and I was so excited to get up here this summer. I’ve definitely been preparing for it.
“The offense is really fast-paced, and I realized that today, but it was a great time.”
When asked about practicing under Garner’s guidance, Gentle said, “It was what I expected. He’s definitely tough, but it all comes from love.”
Tennessee’s 2024 signing class contained 21 high school players, with 12 of them enrolling early to go through spring. That contingent included quarterback Jake Merklinger, receiver Mike Matthews, and the Bradley Central defensive back tandem of Boo Carter and Marcus Goree Jr.
Gentle and Birmingham five-star edge rusher Jordan Ross were among the nine who arrived earlier this summer.
“You’ve got to learn it, earn it and go take it,” coach Josh Heupel said when asked about the newcomers. “It’s each player’s responsibility to prove that he can play at a championship level play in and play out and day in and day out. Young guys have to have an opportunity to grow and make mistakes, but don’t make the same mistake twice. It’s important that they learn from the guys within their room as well.
“You’ve got to accelerate their curve. They’re going to have to handle their installs that we go through with our vets as well, and based on how they’re able to take in that information and be able to go execute it kind of tells you what their role will be in the early parts of the season.”
Gentle made TSSAA history as a McCallie senior by becoming the first athlete to win team championships in football, wrestling and track & field during the same school year while also winning an individual title in wrestling. He gave it a go in track as well, finishing third in the Division II-AA shot put at the Spring Fling with an effort of 55 feet, four inches.
Being a prominent part of the Blue Tornado’s wrestling and track titles would not have been possible had he enrolled early in Knoxville.
“There are pros and cons to both sides of it, but I’m definitely glad I got to spend time with those guys,” Gentle said. “I was at McCallie for seven years and grew up with them, so it was definitely worth it to stay and compete.”
The adjustment to Tennessee and to college football, according to Gentle, has been made easier by the veteran Vols, including preseason All-America candidate James Pearce Jr.
Gentle started the final five games as a freshman on McCallie’s 2020 state championship team and never looked back, racking up 38 tackles and nine tackles for loss as a sophomore, 58 tackles and 15 TFLs as a junior, and 73 tackles and 12 TFLs last year. He hails from a football family, with his father, TJ, having played at Middle Tennessee State, and with his older twin brothers, Austin and Jack, curently competing at Harvard.
His younger brother, Cooper, is a McCallie junior running back, linebacker and defensive lineman.
“For a time, I thought I might go to Stanford or might try to go to Harvard,” Gentle said, “but I thought if I wanted to go on the football route that Tennessee would be the perfect spot. Every time I came here, it felt like the perfect place for me.”
Back on the field
Bru McCoy, the sixth-year senior receiver who began his college career at Southern California and is entering his third season with the Vols, was a welcome addition to Wednesday’s practice.
McCoy never made it out of September last season, suffering a dislocation and a fracture of his right ankle during the fifth game against South Carolina.
“For Bru, you can just tell that walking out on the football field for practice was a big day for him,” Heupel said. “Everything that’s gone into it, from the injury to the rehab to getting back mentally to where you’re ready to go compete — we’re going to control his volume and build things as we go through training camp, but today was a big moment for him.
“I’m really proud of what he’s done and how he’s grown. He’s a tremendous leader inside of our locker room, and I’m really excited that he’s back with us.”
New communication
Wednesday’s start to preseason camp meant a resumption of the new in-helmet communication that is being allowed this season by the NCAA.
A player on each side of the ball — most likely a quarterback and an inside linebacker — will be able to use the technology to talk to coaches between plays.
“Quarterbacks are getting tired of hearing us in the headsets,” Heupel said with a laugh. “It’s unique, and you’ve got to plan for it. You’ve got to be ready if it goes out, too. At times, there are issues that occur with headsets, so it’s an opportunity and a tool to use, and we’re trying to be intentional how we handle it on both sides of the ball.
“At the same time, you’ve got to be ready to operate without it.”
Heupel said that redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava could expect to hear from both him and offensive coordinator Joey Halzle during games, while seventh-year senior linebacker Keenan Pili would be conversing with defensive coordinator Tim Banks.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.
Carson Gentle