Replenished linebacker room looks to Mitchell & Banks as leaders

It’s a unit that underperformed a season ago, manned by Henry To’o To’o and several other contributors who left via the transfer portal. Adding insult to injury, the linebacking corps lacked numbers in spring due to the departures and a pair of suspensions.

One day into 2021 camp, the mid-line looks different and it’s a welcomed feeling for Heupel.

“It’s a completely different room than where ewe left it in the middle or the end of spring ball,” Heupel said of the linebackers Tuesday at Media Day. “We got a bunch of guys that have played it at a really high level and that are coming back into the fold, some that we really feel like have bright futures.

“It’s a position group that is much deeper than where we left spring ball. Like the talent, like the attitude, toughness of those guys inside of that room. Collectively, they’ve had a really strong summer and looking forward to the competition here as we get going in this training camp.”

Practices began Wednesday morning with a bunch of fresh faces taking reps as position coach Brian Jean-Mary instructed.

Jeremy Banks, who finished 2020 with 28 tackles, is back from injury-plagued spring. True freshman Aaron Willis and junior Aaron Beasley are in camp following spring suspensions and edge rushers Morven Joseph and Roman Harrison were added to be depth pieces on the inside this season.

But no addition has been greater than former Texas Longhorn Juwan Mitchell who donned the Tennessee orange for the first time Wednesday.

“We’re excited about him. When we watched him on tape, he was a ‘see ball, get ball’ type of guy,” the defensive coordinator said Tuesday. “He’s a guy that relished in contact but can also play in space. From everything we understand, he had a really good camp in terms of his level of conditioning.

“He’s a guy that’s been in the fire, and I think he’s eager to see how we do it here and is really eager to get this thing going. The linebacker room was one of the rooms that we felt like we needed more depth and he proved that. We are excited to see him have a chance to participate with our group.”

Mitchell will have more than just a ‘chance’ - he’ll likely play all he can if healthy. The former Big 12 player tallied 101 tackles in 21 career games at Texas and led the defensive unit with 62 in 2020. For a squad desperate of experienced tacklers, Mitchell solves that problem.

The new Vol linebacker could also have a positive influence on Banks, who is still learning how to play the position. To no fault of his own, Jeremy Pruitt and staff flipped-flopped the Memphis product between running back and linebacker his first two seasons – trying to find him a path to the field.

And to fault of his own, he missed extensive time as a sophomore in 2019 due to a couple of off-the-field incidences. The raw athleticism and ability are there. It’s now up to Jean-Mary, [Tim] Banks and maybe even Mitchell to see if it can clink for Banks.

“Our strength coaches, along with our medical staff, did a really good job just getting him put back together and giving him an opportunity to be in the best shape of his life,” the defensive coordinator said of [Jeremy] Banks’ missed time in spring. “I’m excited about him, I really am.

“He’s a kid who loves football – craves football – and we’re really, truly looking forward to watching him create a role in this defense. He’s been outstanding in terms of his preparation to this point. We’re looking forward to watching him take the next step as we begin camp.”

It’s not secret Tennessee’s defense will be multiple this season and Banks has a deck of cards that’s stacked against him in many ways. But with upgrades in coaching at defensive line and linebacker, and with several new players now in the fold, this linebacking corps will be charged with trying to play complimentary football for Heupel in year one.

Mitchell and [Jeremy] Banks will play key roles in doing just that.

“We want to win. We want to find a way to do our part to make sure at the end of the day UT is successful,” Banks said to close Tuesday’s defensive presser. “What that looks like week in and week out – we don’t know. We have some core fundamentals and beliefs that we have that we think are critical to us playing great defense, but ultimately, our number one goal is to win.

“That’s how we start everything and tat’s how we end everything. What do we need to do to win?”