Tim Banks' tune hasn't changed in the last month.
On the eve of his fourth season as Tennessee's defensive coordinator, Banks touted the Vols' depth like a proud father at the beginning of fall camp and that tone remained Friday, just over a week from the start of the season.
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There's plenty of reason to be optimistic. Tennessee boasts one of the deepest defensive lines in college football. The linebacker room is in better shape than it was a year ago and the new-look secondary, where questions still remain, is teeming with potential.
"I think the reality of it is you are never satisfied," Banks said. "I think there are a lot of things that we can continue to improve on. I think the one thing I am excited about is just our overall depth. I know we talked a lot about our front and all the moving parts we have there, but I feel really good about the linebacker position. I think we have a lot of guys that we can plug and play. Then with the secondary, we are young, but I think we are talented.
"I just think the overall depth we have, we can get a lot of guys in and give guys opportunities to showcase their skillset."
Those opportunities will come, including next Saturday against Chattanooga (12:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network).
Some positions are surer than others. James Pearce Jr., a projected top 10 NFL Draft pick, anchors the edge at LEO after a stellar sophomore campaign in 2023, but there are other options, too.
MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Tennessee football's LEO position in good hands going forward
Joshua Josephs is likely the next in line in a run of breakout edge rushers at Tennessee over the last three years. He played in 12 games last season, accounting for 20 tackles, 45. tackles for loss and three sacks. Caleb Herring is expected to feature more into the rotation after making limited contributions as a freshman.
"I don't want to leave anybody out, but I think that whole room, all those LEOs really have a chance to be special for us," Banks said. "We have always tried to rotate those guys a ton. Even last year, even (Pearce) rotated a ton. That's when he had a chance to showcase his skillset, and he got better every single game and every single week. We expect the same type of productivity from the back-up guys that are rotated in this season as well."
The Vols' depth at linebacker was tested a year ago. Keenan Pili, a two-year captain at BYU before transferring to Tennessee in what was supposed to be his last season of eligibility, had that season derailed after an injury in the opener against Virginia.
It forced Banks to lean heavily on freshmen Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander who both took advantage of their opportunities and are now in position for more with the losses of Aaron Beasley and Elijah Herring.
Pili is back after being granted another year of eligibility because of the injury and Carter, who missed the last four games of 2023 with his own injury, has been back to full speed since the beginning of fall camp.
"We have more depth than we have had since I have been here, and I'm really excited about that group," Banks said. "I think we have done a really good job of recruiting in that room. I think the sky's the limit for those guys. We are going to play a lot more guys there than we have had in the past; that's just because they had earned it."
Tennessee's biggest question mark on defense is undoubtedly in the secondary. The Vols lost 12 defensive backs in the offseason, including nine players that were starters or featured in the rotation.
The coaching staff remedied that by adding three transfers in Jakobe Thomas (MTSU), Jermod McCoy (Oregon State) and Jalen McMurray (Temple). McCoy is a candidate for one of the starting cornerback spots while Thomas is competing for one of two safety spots opposite Andre Turrentine.
"Jakobe (Thomas) has had a really good camp, from spring and even this fall. I like where he is at, to be honest with you," Banks said. "He is a good tackler for us. He has a good physical presence in that backend and the sides we cover. I'm excited about where he is and his development. You know, I have to see it in games, but I have to see all these guys play in games.
"Practice is one thing and obviously playing in games is another thing, but if he stays true to what he has done, I think he will have a big year as well."
WATCH ON VOLREPORT: Tim Banks, Tennessee defensive players meet with media
Tennessee's fall camp wasn't completely void of surprises.
Two weeks in, Jourdan Thomas, who was expected to start at STAR suffered a season-ending injury, leaving junior Christian Harrison and freshman Boo Carter as the two main options.
Carter, a former four-star recruit and one of the headliners of the Vols' 2024 signing class, was already expected to see the field in some capacity in his first season, but now could realistically start by week 1.
"I'm excited about Boo," Banks said. "With the situation we are in, his learning curve had to speed up a little bit. He's coming along. I think at the end of the day, just like most freshmen, there are still some things he can continue to improve on, but he has been working his tail off and he's doing everything he can to get ready. We're excited about him. We think he is going to have a really good year for us."
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