Preseason camp in college football is often a time for shoring up the weaknesses.
It’s also about strengthening the strengths.
When Tennessee starts preparations Aug. 5 for Josh Heupel’s sixth season, the Volunteers will do so with the experienced linebacker quartet of Amare Campbell, Arion Carter, Edwin Spillman and Jeremiah Telander. Those four players combined for a whopping 340 tackles last season, which includes Campbell’s 103 that led Penn State before he entered the NCAA transfer portal.
Spillman’s 81 tackles edged out Telander’s 80 to top the Vols, while Carter tallied 76 tackles in only 10 games due to injury and led the Southeastern Conference with 7.6 tackles per game.
“We have four vets with me, Arion, Amare and Edwin, and then we’re filled with young talent as well,” Telander said this past Monday on a Zoom call from SEC media days in Tampa. “When you match four vets who have leadership with young talent, who knows what could happen? We’re really excited about that linebacker room.”