Tennessee linebackers coach William Inge was back at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, greeting players during Vol Walk before the Vols’ homecoming game against Kentucky after being hospitalized earlier this season.
Inge was on hand to welcome each player as they entered the stadium, shaking hands along the way. He looked to be in much better shape, though he was not expected to be on the sideline for the game. 6 Sports reporter Sam Rothman said Inge would watch the homecoming matchup from a suite at Neyland Stadium.
His return to the stadium comes after a difficult stretch that began in September, when Inge was hospitalized because of a personal medical issue just days before Tennessee’s Sept. 26 game against Texas. The day before that game, Inge released a statement saying he was battling an illness and looking forward to supporting the team.
Josh Heupel later offered an update on Oct. 10, telling Tennessee fans that Inge was doing very well and hoped to be released soon. Four days after that, Inge said he had left the University of Tennessee Medical Center on Oct. 13 and was “getting stronger by the day.”
While Inge was away, Tennessee players and coaches showed support by wearing shirts with “Inge Built” graphics at games.
Inge, 52, joined Tennessee as linebackers coach in 2024 after spending two years as co-Defensive Coordinator and linebackers coach at Washington. During that stretch, he helped the Huskies win the 2023 Pac-12 championship and advance to the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game.
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