Watch: Assistant coach Brian Jean-Mary updates progress of Tennessee linebackers

Tennessee assistant coach Brian Jean-Mary talked linebackers during his press conference after Tuesday’s practice, while previewing the season-opener against Virginia on Saturday (Noon Eastern Time, ABC) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville:

Having two veteran linebackers to lean on as starters for Tennessee’s defense

“Those are the guys that obviously coming out of camp having established themselves as the starter, really coming outta the spring. Those guys, both of them, (Aaron) Beasley and (Keenan) Pili, had really good camps. Not just the starters, but two leaders on our side of the ball, on defense. So it’s exciting to see those guys obviously prepare and hopefully go out and have a great game on Saturday.”

The challenge for Tennessee’s defense preparing for a Virginia offense that has new personnel

“I think it’s always a challenge because they’re so different than what we face on offense, in a day-to-day period. And obviously they have the new pieces, new quarterback. I thought the young man they had last year was dynamic as a thrower and a runner, the (Tony) Muskett kid that they named starter and transferred from Monmouth, when you watch his film, he has a lot of the same qualities, that he’s very athletic. Those are really nice deep ball and he seems to have that savvy and that poise of a really good quarterback. So we know we have our challenges there. And then there’s slot receiver, the (Malik) Washington kid that transferred from Northwestern. He shows some explosiveness, good ball skills. So we’ve had a chance to watch those guys on tape. They’re going to be a challenge obviously to defend.”

The process of managing the rotation of Tennessee linebackers on game day

“Our goal is for every play that those guys are out there, and I think this is defensive line, is we want those guys to give 100 percent effort and we want them to empty their tank. I’ve always felt like if guys did not feel like they were going to get replaced and have a chance to rest, that they always kind of hold back and we want those guys to give everything they have, empty their tank, play 100 miles an hour knowing that they could come back to the sideline and rest and get a chance to go back. And I feel like for us, we always want to be the fastest and freshest team going into the fourth quarter. And I think the only way you can do that is if you get those guys the rest that they need. And I shouldn’t say rest, give them the breaks because if we’re getting in the 80-play range, that’s hard for guys to do that consistently and be able to play at their highest level.”

What skillset Tennessee freshman Arion Carter has that will lead to early playing time as a freshman linebacker

”Arion is an explosive kid. Super athletic. Was committed to a Division I school as a running back, so you see the athleticism there. But the poise, the maturity, he’s shown all those things, which has put him in line to play early. He’ll play on Saturday, get a chance to go out there and I’m excited to see what he can do in (his) full college football game.”

The conversations Tennessee coaches have had with players about the new clock rules, the clock not stopping for first downs if there are more than two minutes left in the half

“Coach Heup has done an unbelievable job. One of the best head coaches I’ve been around, will present in those situations on both sides of the ball. So when we do our situational scrimmages, when we are setting up practices, he puts us in those situations so we’re prepared on both sides of the ball. And we’ve done that several times in this fall camp, so we feel like we’ll be prepared. But like I said, Coach Heup, he’s done a great job with that. Because it affects both sides of the ball, so we feel like we’ll be prepared when that situation comes up.”

How much more Elijah Herring is ready to play a bigger role for Tennessee as a sophomore this season

“I’ve seen him mature and I think that’s key phrase with him this season. He’s a big, strong kid, has some athleticism, but I think the game probably moved a little fast for him last year. I think it’s slowed down to the point now that he understands how to play linebacker as far as reading his keys and understanding formations and situations. I’ve seen him grow there. He still has a a ways to go, which everybody does, but we would feel 100 times more comfortable putting him in the game because I think he understands the task at hand in playing linebacker now.”

Why BYU transfer linebacker Keenan Pili has fit this Tennessee defense so well

“Keenan I think is a versatile linebacker that can fit a lot of defenses because he’s a big, strong, physical linebacker. But he’s also athletic enough that he can play out in space and he runs very, very well for someone his size. Obviously the experience helps. He’s played a lot of football through his college career and he brings that element to our defense. And I would say that’s the poise when things could be going haywire. He’s the same guy from Play 1 to Play 20. And I think the other guys feed off of that. When you have a leader that doesn’t let the emotions of the game get to them and kind of brings everybody back down to a level where we can go execute.”

His linebacker group contacting Tennessee’s defensive front and Tennessee’s secondary

“With the linebacker group and, you said it best, we have as much responsibility in the passing game as we have in the running game. We always say when the ball is thrown, we’re connected with the defensive backs when that ball gets downfield because of our underneath coverage or our man coverage. And then obviously with stopping the run, we are the guys that plug the holes (for) the defensive line, who has been doing a great job of getting that push up field.

“So it always starts with all 11 and we have to be the guys that tie everything together. And with us, what we’ve talked about is communication. I think that’s one thing we’ve grown as a defense with communicating across the board between the secondary, the linebackers, and the linebackers relay the call and then vice versa, communicating with the front, relaying that call to the secondary. I think we’ve grown there and I think that’s made us better as a whole unit.”

Why Tennessee freshman linebacker Jeremiah Telander seemingly had a good fall camp

“Jeremiah is a kid, his dad coached, Steve Telander coached Power 5 football and was a coach for a long time. You could see those traits in him, kind of grew up with the game as a youngster. So he has those natural skills where maybe he sees things that other young players don’t. And the other thing I’d say about him, he’s aggressive. He’s one of those see ball hit ball guys and he’s going to try to run through a wall, gonna make a tackle and that aggression shows and helps him make plays. So we’ve been thrilled with Jeremiah and his ability. He’s one of those kids that we think is gonna have a chance to play for us and help us this year.”

What BYU transfer linebacker Keenan Pili was able to do in fall camp to prove himself as a starter on this Tennessee defense

“It always comes down to production. That’s the number one thing for us. Knowing where to be and knowing the defense, obviously that’s a big part of it. But when the ball snapped, can you be in position to make plays, whether that be in the passing game or versus the run. And he’s done that on a consistent level. He’s he’s been a breath of fresh air  because he’s one of those kids that’s asks the right questions, wants to know how he can get better every day. And he’s done a whale of a job since he’s been here fitting into our system, obviously getting to know his teammates and like I said, bringing that leadership role, per se, because of his experience and the type of person that he is.”

How much high school football has changed and if it has changed enough to allow college coaches to see if prospects can play sideline to sideline

“Yeah, with the evolution of the game, the game has turned into a sideline-to-sideline game. It’s one of those things where I think the guys that were playing, safety 20 years ago, those are your outside linebackers and stacked linebackers now, and the guys that were your big linebackers now are kind of your defensive ends and more tied to the front. You still want to find the biggest, fastest, most physical guys that can execute at a high level.

“But I think that’s the biggest difference is with the offenses nowadays, they’re gonna get you in space and you’re gonna have to find guys that can make tackles and not just in a phone booth. They’re gonna have to make a tackle in the living room. They’re gonna have a lot of space where those guys can move around. So we have to be able to find guys that can execute in the passing game, obviously to defend really fast Alvin Kamara-type running backs and feel comfortable that they can stop the run when that ball’s getting run in between the tackles. So it’s a unique position to be in. I enjoy the new way to coach the game you mentioned, not play like guys played with fullbacks and tight ends and they broke a huddle after every snap. That’s dinosaur ages now. You have to be able to play out in space and really play sideline to sideline now.”