For Vols' young linebackers, Citrus Bowl presents opportunity for growth

After the veteran transfer linebacker suffered a season-ending injury just one game into his first year at Tennessee, he watched the younger players behind him grow up quickly on the Vols' defense.

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Their quick growth not only made up for Pili's absence, it also played a factor in his decision to return for another season earlier this month.

"I've seen a lot. I've said it before, but I feel like they dind't look like young guys out there, what people would expect," Pili said. "They look 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."

That group has one more game to develop themselves before next season.

Tennessee will play Iowa in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando in a week on Jan. 1, 2024 (1 p.m. ET, ABC), another opportunity for Elijah Herring who took over the starting role at MIKE linebacker as a true sophomore following Pili's injury.

Herring, who played mainly on special teams and as a reserve linebacker as a freshman last season, started 11 games and finishing the regular season with 76 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.

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"It was definitely a big jump from last year," Herring said. "Last year, I feel like I kept myself a little bit prepared, still watching film, still studying, still taking good notes. I feel like that, it carried on to this season, so it wasn't as hard to actually game prep, study a guy like 24/7. It wasn't that big of a jump."

Herring's role will undoubtedly grow next season, too, especially with WILL linebacker Aaron Beasley out of eligibility after the bowl game.

The same could be said for Jeremiah Telander and Arion Carter. The two freshmen saw the field more than previously expected.

Carter, one of the top signees in the Vols' 2023 recruiting class, played 126 defensive snaps, totaling 17 tackles and one tackle for loss before a shoulder injury against Missouri sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

Telander, who split time between special teams and linebacker, was on the field for 165 snap, which was fourth most among Tennessee linebackers. He had 30 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.

Like Herring, Kalib Perry will be a junior next season after increasing his workload as a sophomore. He 178 snaps and recorded 20 tackles.

Of the players that were key contributors this season and will return next season, only Herring, Telander and Perry will be available vs. Iowa as both Carter and Pili work back to full health. But it will provide at least a glimpse of the position's outlook for 2024.

"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, me, 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."

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