Battles at the line of scrimmage have refined a Tennessee defense that faced plenty of questions entering preseason camp.
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles wanted to see where the pass rush would come from, while a defensive front replacing nearly all of its starters faced questions about how quickly it could come together.
With Tennessee’s season opener against Furman approaching Saturday, the answers are beginning to take shape.
Xavier Gilliam has seen it against the run.
The Penn State transfer said Tennessee’s defensive line has consistently brought the physicality position coach Rodney Garner demands.
“I can’t really say that it’s been a time where I was probably disappointed or felt some type of way about my D-line,” Gilliam said. “I feel like every day they bring a good amount of violence, good effort, and that’s all you ask for.”
Jesse Perry has experienced it from the other side.
The junior offensive lineman called the Vols’ interior defensive line “stout in the run game” and praised the pass-rushing ability on the edge.
“They’re going to get a tenacious D-line, and they’re going to get after it every day,” Perry said.
Those daily battles have helped both sides.
Gilliam and Perry’s lockers sit across from each other, allowing their competition to continue after practice. They’ll discuss a set Perry gave him or what Gilliam saw from the other side.
“I feel like we’ve both been able to better each other’s game through that feedback,” Gilliam said.
There is confidence behind the defensive line, too.
Linebacker Edwin Spillman believes he has become more athletic since last season, whether playing in space, rushing the passer, or handling the expanded responsibilities of Knowles’ defense.
He believes the ceiling for the entire unit is high.
“I think we can be elite,” Spillman said. “I think we can be something really special. I know we can, and it’s just taking it day by day and working.”
Knowles has seen reasons for confidence, particularly in an area he questioned entering camp.
The Vols experimented with different ways to generate pressure throughout the preseason. Knowles liked the results against Tennessee’s offense.
“I was impressed with what we could generate against our offense, which is a really good offense,” Knowles said.
Gilliam also believes the defensive line has responded to Garner’s push for greater consistency.
“I feel like that was just a challenge for us to step it up a notch as we get closer to the season,” Gilliam said. “I feel like we’ve answered that challenge.”
The encouraging reviews have all come from preseason practices and scrimmages. Saturday provides the first opportunity to see how they translate when Tennessee lines up against someone else.
Knowles isn’t declaring every question answered yet.
“Game time will tell,” he said.
