Big Orange Report June 25, 2026

 

Meet the Vols 2026

LEOs, Edge, Outside Linebackers

Coaches-- William Inge, Andrew Jackson

All Star Candidates-- Arion Carter, Amare Campbell

Arion Carter-- Senior (6-1, 240) from Smyrna, Tennessee-- The staff and the program got a bonus when Carter elected to return to the team after entering the transfer portal. He also toyed with the idea declaring for the NFL draft while away. He battled a lingering turf toe condition but still finished third on the squad last year with 76 total tackles, six stops for minus yardage, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. After the season he was named second team All-SEC in voting by the coaches. Carter is an athletic,  nimble defender that is stout against the run, can drop into the short zones and defend the pass and he can also line up on the edge and blitz the passer. He was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week after recording 17 tackles against Mississippi State. He led the Vols in tackles in 2024 with 68 stops. Carter is not only a quality defender but he should also provide veteran leadership for the revamped defense under coordinator Jim Knowles.

Kedric Goldston-- (Freshman (6-3, 245) from Leesburg, Virginia-- An early enrollee at UT, Goldston participated in spring drills and may have served notice that he will be an impact defender sooner rather than later for the Big Orange. He is expected to challenge for the starting job at LEO, but he also could line up as the inside defensive end if needed. His father was a decorated defensive tackle at Georgia that played in the NFL for 10 years. Goldston demonstrated a quick twitch and first step with the ability to shed blockers and get into the backfield during his final two seasons at Stone Bridge High School. Coach Jackson will be devoting time and energy getting this player ready to compete from the opening bell. He had 27 D1 offers after completing his prep career.

Hezekiah Harris-- Freshman (6-6, 250) from Huntsville, Alabama-- Another youngster that has a chance to blossom early in his career this fall for the Vols. A lanky and athletic edge that was a first team All Stater in Alabama, Harris has long arms and a nice explosion at the line of scrimmage. ESPN rated Harris a four-star recruit and the No. 17 defensive end prospect in the nation in the Class of 2026. He was also an early enrollee and earned the praise of Coach Heupel during spring drills.

Amare Campbell-- Senior (6-0,235) from Manassas, Virginia (Transfer from Penn State)-- Campbell made the move along with his defensive coordinator, Knowles, from Penn State after leading the Nittany Lions in tackles last season with 103 stops. He also booked 10 tackles for lost yardage, three sacks and had a fumble recovery. His best game was a 15-tackle performance against the Oregon Ducks after which he was recognized as the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week. He had transferred to Penn State after two seasons at North Carolina where he led the team in tackles his sophomore year. The bottom line here is that Campbell is a veteran defender that is well versed on Knowles defensive schemes and in-game adjustments.

Jadon Perlotte-- Sophomore (6-4, 220) from Buford, Georgia-- Perlotte was a mainstay on special teams last season as a true freshman and actually started two games as he was coming on strong in the second half of the season. He was a starter in the bowl game vs. Illinois and posted his best numbers of the year with six tackles, one stop for minus yardage and a sack. Coming out of the prep powerhouse program in Buford High in Georgia, Perlotte had over 35 D1 offers and was invited to a pair of high school all star games. This is a player to keep an eye on because he might be poised for a breakout season this autumn. Perlotte is quick, fast and has a very high football IQ.

Position Summary

There will be some mixing and matching when practice gets underway in August. The younger LEOs get their shot but the staff can also use one of the talented outside linebackers at that position if necessary. This set of defenders has the potential be be an elite force for the Vol defense this season. Tennessee now has the defensive staff that can coach them "up" and have them ready to go to battle.

Inside Defensive Line

Position Coach- Rodney Garner

All Star Candidates--Xavier Gilliam, Daevin Hobbs

Xavier Gilliam--- Red shirt sophomore (6-2, 310) Flex defensive lineman, from Montgomery Village, Maryland (Transfer from Penn State)-- Gilliam's part-time performances at Penn State will not jump off the page, but word from the coaches in Knoxville is that he blew up and showed out during spring drills this year after moving South with defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. He was ranked as the No. 6 defensive lineman in the transfer portal after playing in 18 games that included 464 defensive snaps for the Nittany Lions. He did start two games last season when PSU faced Clemson and Michigan State. He finished the schedule with 15 total tackles. Vol coaches like his quick "twitch" off the ball and his ability to separate from blockers. The projections indicate that Gilliam could line up at a tackle or at the inside defensive end on pass rushing downs. He is obviously a very crucial addition to a position room that is loaded with younger players.

Daevin Hobbs-- Senior (6-4, 295) Inside defensive end from Concord, North Carolina-- Injuries have short circuited Hobbs to become a marquee defender even though he has all the tools to be an all-star for this football team. When healthy, he is strong against the run and has the power and quickness to mount a pass rush. He flashed his promise last season after missing the first five games with a lower body injury. In the final eight contests he registered 50 tackles (11th on the team for the season), 3.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 2 pass breakups and a forced fumble. Coach Garner is looking to Hobbs for both production and leadership this year as a veteran, four-year player in the program.

Isaih Campbell-- Sophomore (6-4, 295) from Durham, North Carolina-- Rated the No. 2 prospect in North Carolina, the No. 3 defensive tackle and No. 38 overall prospect in the nation by ESPN, Campbell was an early enrollee at Tennessee and immediately notched a slot in the rotation at defensive tackle for eight games during the season. He had two tackles in the Music City Bowl vs. Illinois and his experience from last year gives him a leg up on competing for a starting job in August. Coming out of high school, Campbell had 35 D1 scholarship offers and was invited to play in two All American games. He is versatile with some quickness and raw strength and can play tackle or at the inside defensive end.

Nathan Robinson-- Red Shirt Junior (6-6, 305) from Greenbrier, Tennessee-- Following his red shirt year and duty on special teams, Robinson's role expanded significantly last fall and he appeared in all 13 games, registering 15 tackles, 2.5 stops for minus yards and two sacks. He had a strip sack and forced fumble that was scooped up by Colton Hood and returned for a touchdown. He has been nicked up a couple of times which slowed his development but Garner and Knowles are expecting him to be a big roadblock in the defensive front this year.

Tyree Weathersby-- Red Shirt Junior (6-5, 280) from Douglasville, Georgia-- Another highly rated, top 100 prospect coming out of high school in talent-rich Georgia, Weathersby is a player that is benefitting from working with new strength and conditioning coach, Derek Owings and his staff. Like some of his teammates, an injury slowed him down but he showed signs of becoming a serious contributor last year when he recorded 24 tackles, 2.5 stops for minus yardage for the season and had a sack in the Oklahoma game. Weathersby's potential as a pass rusher is promising and he can also line up at a tackle or end in obvious passing situations.

Maryion Dye-- Sophomore (6-5, 280) from Elkhart, Indiana-- Dye is yet another defensive lineman that is versatile enough to work at multiple positions in the trenches. He got into seven games as a true freshman in 2025 and recorded eight total stops and one sack. Another top 100 prospect coming out of high school, two services called him the No. 1 overall prospect in Indiana. He is definitely penciled in to be in the rotation up front and it will be interesting to see if Owings put some addition weight and muscle on him when the roster is released in late August.

Names to Watch For in August

There is a hand full of younger linemen that will be determined to challenge for playing time during pre-season practice sessions. Remember these names: Ethan Utley-- Sophomore  (6-4, 290) from Nashville, Isaiah Inge-- Red shirt sophomore (6-1, 285) from Fresno, California (Son of Vol linebacker coach, William Inge), Charles House-- Red shirt freshman (6-3, 300) from Charlotte, North Carolina, and Carson Gentile-- Red Shirt Sophomore (6-3, 275) from Chattanooga.

Position Summary

Besides quarterback, the defensive line presents the most questions heading into the 2026 campaign. How the coaches will mix and match the front and which younger guys will blossom into productive players are the two paramount questions with this group. One thing is for sure, Coach Garner is very accomplished at molding and shaping top defensive tackles and inside ends. Garner also likes a rotation of seven or eight guys in order to keep the down linemen fresh during games.

Kicking Game

Position Coach-- Evan Crabtree

All Star Candidate-- Jackson Ross

Josh Turbyville-- Red Shirt Senior (6-2, 195) from Knoxville-- Turbyville has been the primary kickoff specialist for the past three seasons and will handle that role again this fall. He has been one of, if not the best, kickoff men in the conference because of a strong leg and the ability to kick to different locations. He averages touchbacks on over 85 percent of his kickoffs and has earned second team All SEC honors twice during his years on the squad. This season he might be called upon to attempt field goals over 55 yards and he is also the primary backup punter for the Vols.

Jackson Ross-- Red Shirt Senior (6-4, 205) from Melbourne, Australia-- Ross has been UT's regular punter and holder for field goal attempts since 2023 after redshirting in 2022. For his career, he has punted 147 times while averaging almost 44 yards per kick. He has recorded 22 punts of over 50 yards, 59 resulting in fair catches and 63 kicks landing inside the opponent's 20-yard line. He was a first team selection to the league's All Freshman team after the 2023 season. He has the unique ability to kick with his right or left foot after playing Australia Rules football in his home country before coming to Knoxville. Last year he was a semi-finals for the Ray Guy Award, presented annually to the nation's premiere punter. Ross also has the ability to run or pass if the situation is ripe for a trick play. He has covered 40 yards in about 4.55 in sprint drills. He has displayed "soft" hands as a holder and always gets the ball in the proper position for the field goal attempts.

Cooper Ranvier-- Red Shirt Sophomore (6-2, 195) from Lexington, Kentucky (Transfer from Louisville)-- The regular kicker for Louisville in 2025, Ranvier set a new school record by converting 21 of 25 three pointers on the season. Counting his PATs, Ranvier finished fourth in scoring in the ACC with 102 points. He connected on six of seven kicks from 40 to 49 yards and was two of five on tries over 50 yards. He helped lead his high school to a state title in 2022 and he was also a standout soccer player at Douglass High in Lexington.

During the spring game on Rocky Top, Ranvier was a perfect three for three on field goal attempts. He should also be Turbyville's backup as the kickoff specialist this season.

Grady Dangerfield-- Red Shirt Freshman (6-0, 215) from Charleston, South Carolina-- Another kicker with a very strong leg, Dangerfield made cameo appearances last season. He kicked off four times and put the football in the endzone on each kick. He is being groomed to replace Turbyville and should see additional time on the field this season. He was a five star kicking prospect coming out of high school and a first team all state selection his senior year.

Blake Howard-- Red Shirt Junior, Long Snapper (6-2, 225) from Cincinnati, Ohio-- Howard transferred to Tennessee from Eastern Kentucky where he spent two seasons as the No. 1 long snapper and reserve linebacker. He will be involved in a two-man battle for the starting nod as the team's primary long snapper when August practices get underway.

Bennett Brady-- Red shirt Senior, Long Snapper (6-1, 210) from Memphis-- Brady joined the UT program following a decorated career at Evangelica Christian School. Kohl's Kicking website ranked him the No. 3 long snapper prospect in the nation. He had a scholarship offer from Memphis but elected to walk on in Knoxville. He became the regular deep snapper for the Vols in 2025 and delivered a near flawless performance. It is also worth noting that on punts he is often one of the first players down the field to cover the kick.

Position Summary

The Big Orange kicking game is populated by experienced, proven veterans that make this group one of the more impressive position rooms on the roster. From kickoffs, to punting, to field goal and extra-point kicks, the track record here is solid and should produce positive results for this football team.

Vol Notes

Baseball coach Josh Elander began his promised changes within the program last week when he replaced his pitching coach. Austin Knight was hired away from the staff at East Carolina and his track record is impressive. Knight's staffs have achieved lofty national rankings in ERA, strikeouts and wins. He has seen five of his pitchers named to All American checklists and nine of his hurlers have been drafted by major league organizations.

The Tennessee softball staff was named the Mid Atlantic Coaching Staff of the Year by the ATEC/NFCA. It was the second time in the last three years that Karen Weekly and her coaches have received this recognition and honor.

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