Tennessee Defense Ready for Season | Tennessee Volunteers Football News

Tennessee’s defense is heating up ahead of the season, with coordinator Jim Knowles raving about standout players like Jeremiah Telander, Kaleb Beasley, and Xavier Gilliam—each bringing versatility, grit, and readiness to the fold. With key departures forcing adaptability, players are cross-trained across positions, making the unit more flexible and resilient. Knowles is thrilled by their hunger to learn, calling the team’s culture of growth “strong,” and even praised their ability to generate real plays against their own offense. Telander’s leadership and toughness earn him “heart and soul” status, while Beasley and Gilliam show major strides. Though tackling stats have improved dramatically since spring, Knowles knows perfection is elusive—and the real test? Game day. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/d2071a86c8204dc8