As No. 21 Tennessee football continues preparing for the 2024 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against Iowa, the Vols are ramping up the competitive edge and getting re-accustomed to a regular practice schedule ahead of the trip to Orlando.
After Monday's weight lifting session and position meetings, redshirt senior tight end McCallan Castles met with members of the media. Topics of discussion included the temperature of the locker room during bowl prep and the seizable opportunities available for younger players ahead of the Jan. 1 tilt versus the 2023 Big Ten West Champions.
"All the stuff that's outside the field has blown over, and now it's kind of just locking into who we are, just start practicing and getting that competitive edge going again," Castles said. "This week, we have a normal slate of practices, so we're just sort of getting back into our rhythm."
Opportunities are bountiful for Tennessee's linebacker room during the 15 allotted bowl practices, as underclassmen are taking valuable live reps to prepare for the bowl game and the year ahead. Sophomore Elijah Herring, UT's leading tackler during the 2023 regular season, spoke to the room's depth and experience accumulated over the past four months.
"We feel like we have a pretty young group as of right now, but a young group that has a bunch of experience," Herring said. "Jeremiah Telander, myself, Kalib Perry, Arion Carter coming back, we feel like we have a bunch of experience and a bunch of young guys, so it just sets the standard for next year. The sky is the limit."
Adding to the young mix of linebackers is Keenan Pili, who announced Dec. 8 that he will return for a seventh collegiate season as his NCAA extension of eligibility waiver was granted. The Las Vegas native detailed his decision in comments to media on Monday afternoon.
"These coaches, they have the player's best interest," Pili said. "A lot of the thoughts I had were pros and cons. What would it be like coming back? What would it be like if you left? How would all this work out? I think those conversations that I had with the coaches and certain people really helped me in the long run to make a well-informed decision. It's something I'm comfortable with and excited about."
Pili missed the final 11 games of the regular season due to injury, but had a front row seat as the younger LBs filled out the rotation throughout the 2023 campaign.
"I feel like they didn't look like young guys out there, what people would expect," Pili said. "They look like they've been playing the game, and I couldn't be more excited being a part of that room to see some of those young guys do that, especially fresh out of high school. To me, that's big time to have those big minutes. Guys who got probably a lot more time than they were expecting to play in these big games in the SEC. To see them succeed, to see them do what they do, I think is a great learning experience, and it's going to help us into this next year as well."
RS-Senior LB Keenan Pili
On where he is physically right now in his recovery process…
"I've been told many times that I'm really ahead of schedule for where the track says I should be. I'm just taking that day-by-day, and understanding I'm not playing the bowl game, so I'm just trying to make sure I get fully healthy as I progress along the way. Not really rushing anything, getting stronger, getting back, feeling better, so I'm excited."
On what he saw from the younger linebackers filling in for him this season and what makes him excited to work with them another year…
"I've seen a lot, I've said it before, but I feel like they didn't look like young guys out there, what people would expect. They look like they've been playing the game, and I couldn't be more excited being a part of that room to see some of those young guys do that, especially fresh out of high school. To me, that's big time to have those big minutes. Guys who got probably a lot more time than they were expecting to play in these big games in the SEC. To see them succeed, to see them do what they do, I think is a great learning experience, and it's going to help us into this next year as well."
On how much the conversations with the coaching staff and defensive players motivated him to come back for another year…
"These coaches, they have the player's best interest. A lot of the thoughts I had were pros and cons. What would it be like coming back? What would it be like if you left? How would all this work out? I think those conversations that I had with the coaches and certain people really helped me in the long run to make a well-informed decision. It's something I'm comfortable with and excited about."
RS-Senior TE McCallan Castles
On the sense in the locker room during preparations for the Citrus Bowl…
"I think it's just all the stuff that's outside the field has blown over, and now it's kind of just locking into who we are, just start practicing and getting that competitive edge going again. This week, we have a normal slate of practices, so we're just sort of getting back into our rhythm."
On how Ethan Davis has handled bowl practices…
"You can tell he's a little winded, because he's not used to having to run as much while he's gaining weight, but he looks good out there. He's definitely gotten even better into the offense; he's really embraced the run-blocking side of it, and you can tell that he's being very deliberate in every rep that he gets out there."
On what he and Jacob Warren have done for Ethan Davis to help his development…
"I think just by keeping coaching him up on every rep. Whenever he comes off, he looks at me and him and asks, 'what did you think of the rep?' I think his biggest thing is just realizing that he's going to have to do it all next year and so he needs to be mentally prepared, like there's going to be success and failures. I think that's the one thing, you can see some reps when he doesn't get it, and I can relate to this, is he gets frustrated with it if he's not doing it right. It's like, 'dude, you've got a whole calendar year to get ready, you're going to be alright. Just keep working on your steps and you'll get there.'"
