Tennessee’s 56-9 win over Furman gave Jim Knowles an easy call for his game-day version of “Defender of the Day.”
The Vols’ defensive coordinator has made that honor a post-practice habit, and after Saturday’s blowout he extended it into game day by singling out defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam. The Penn State transfer turned in the kind of stat line that jumps off the page: six tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks.
That production put Gilliam in some rare company. He became the first Tennessee player to notch three or more sacks in a game since 2018, when Darrell Taylor piled up four in a win over Kentucky.
The performance also fit what Tennessee had been seeing from him long before kickoff. Gilliam spent the offseason standing out in practice, and the results are now showing up when the lights come on.
“One of the strong leaders inside the room,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said after the game. “It was awesome just seeing the team’s reaction (after the game).
We talked about his performance: three sacks today. Model of consistency in how he works, prepares, competes, same dude every day.
And no surprise that he played extremely well today.”
The next test comes quickly. Tennessee now shifts its focus to Georgia Tech in Atlanta, a former SEC and current ACC opponent.
The game is set for 7 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN.
The Vols will be counting on Gilliam again, with his job description staying the same: hold up against the run and make life miserable for the quarterback.
In Other News...
Tennessee Has An Unexpected Name Entering The Heisman Conversation
Freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon has quickly become the most unexpected Tennessee name showing up in the early Heisman conversation, a reflection of how much attention can attach to a young player even before the season really settles in. Brandon is the Vols player sitting atop the betting odds board for the award, with backup quarterback George MacIntyre and running back DeSean Bishop also hanging around the contender mix as Tennessees offense continues to draw interest.
There has even been some broader recognition beyond the quarterback room, with defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam earning an honorable mention from ESPNs Bill Connelly for his work in Tennessees win over Furman. The next chance for the Vols to build on all of that comes against Georgia Tech, a matchup set for ESPN that will offer another early test of how real this buzz around Tennessee might be. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's Georgia Tech Trip Comes With A Personal Sideline Twist
Tennessees trip to Bobby Dodd Stadium brings more than just a rare nonconference meeting with Georgia Tech. It will be the Volunteers first game there in 40 years, a notable enough backdrop on its own, but it also puts wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope on one sideline and his brother, Kyle Pope, on the other.
Kyle Pope has been on Georgia Techs staff since 2024 and has built a coaching rsum that includes stops at Memphis, Liberty and Alabama. For Tennessee, it adds a personal layer to a game that already carries some history, with the Popes spending the week in opposing meeting rooms before sharing the same field in Atlanta. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Suddenly Has A Receiver Depth Problem Behind Braylon Staley
Tennessees receiving room took another hit in the opener against Furman, and the loss of Joakim Dodson only deepened the early strain on a group already trying to settle in around Braylon Staley. Dodsons right leg injury ended his season before it really started, and it arrived as the fourth season-ending injury for the Vols this early in 2026, a reminder of how quickly depth can vanish in a hurry.
That leaves freshman Tyreek King in line for a much larger backup role behind Staley than Tennessee likely imagined when the season opened. King came to Knoxville in May 2026 after committing in 2024, and the former four-star recruit now has an immediate chance to accelerate his development because the Vols do not have many easy answers at receiver. [Read more 🡒]