Amare Campbell likes what Tennessee is building on defense, but he’s not pretending the job is anywhere close to finished.
The Volunteers linebacker said the unit has the pieces to be dangerous - talent, leadership and a clear edge - yet the real test is turning that into steady execution every snap. After Tennessee’s latest outing, Campbell pointed to the defense’s effort and its ability to create takeaways, while stressing that the standard inside the room is still higher.
“I feel like we’re never satisfied,” Campbell said. “We’re always trying to build a better product, build a better defense. There’s always room for improvement.”
One of the biggest boosts for Campbell has been lining up next to Arion Carter. Campbell said Carter’s energy and presence have already lifted the defense, and he sounded genuinely energized by the chance to share the field with another player who brings that same level.
“It was great,” Campbell said. “His energy is great. He’s a natural leader, but it feels good to have another high-level player out there with you.”
Carter’s impact starts before the first snap. He gathers Tennessee’s linebackers in a pregame huddle and sets the tone with the kind of intensity that carries into kickoff. Campbell said that message lands even harder because the group has seen the work Carter puts in during the offseason and every day in practice.
“When he speaks to us as a group and he has that intensity, it touches us before the game for sure,” Campbell said.
Carter’s return also gives defensive coordinator Jim Knowles more options with how he uses his personnel. Tennessee has even rolled out a four-linebacker package at times, a look Campbell described as almost surreal. The setup puts several experienced communicators on the field together and could give Knowles more flexibility depending on what the offense shows.
“It kind of feels surreal playing with four linebackers on the field,” Campbell said. “It feels great because we all know the defense, so we’re all communicating at a high level.”
That kind of communication figures to matter even more as Tennessee heads into SEC play, where the pace, physicality and detail level all get cranked up.
Campbell has built a reputation as a productive tackler, but he said his ability to find the ball isn’t tied strictly to where he lines up. In his view, it comes from instinct and a relentless chase.
“I feel like I have a natural knack for the ball,” Campbell said. “Just trying to get people down and just relentless effort, really.”
That same edge showed up in how he talked about Tennessee’s overall defensive performance. He liked the speed, the energy and the intensity, along with the critical defensive touchdown the Volunteers produced. At the same time, he made it clear that splash plays can’t be the only thing holding the defense together.
Campbell’s next step for Tennessee is simple enough to say and harder to pull off: cut down on penalties, get the coverage right and execute every assignment with clean technique. He said those details are emphasized in practice, but bringing them into a game takes real discipline.
“We’ve just got to make practice reps seem as game-like as possible,” Campbell said. “When it gets to the game, just knowing our rules and knowing our techniques from practice to trust ourselves in the game.”
Tennessee’s linebacker room has already shown it has depth, with multiple players earning snaps and making plays. Campbell sees that competition as a strength, not a problem. Everybody wants to produce, but the larger goal stays the same: help Tennessee win.
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Tennessee already has commitments at running back, but the bigger question still hanging over the class is what happens with one of its top remaining targets. He has taken trips elsewhere, and the Volunteers have yet to get him on campus, which leaves a notable gap as the staff keeps pushing to close out the position. For a program trying to turn recruiting momentum into roster depth, that next visit still matters. [Read more 🡒]