- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,257,373
- Reaction score
- 59
Defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam is participating in his first fall training camp at Tennessee. The 6-foot-2, 305-pound junior transferred to the Vols from Penn State in January.
Gilliam discussed entering his first season at Tennessee during local media day with Vols Wire on Tuesday.
"We had a good offseason, everybody's bodies changed for the better, in my opinion," Gilliam said. "Really just excited. Coach (Jim) Knowles is putting his new scheme in. I'm excited to see how everybody adjusts to it."
Knowles is also in his first season with the Vols as defensive coordinator. He served in the same capacity at Penn State in 2025. Senior linebacker Amare Campbell and junior defensive back Dejuan Lane also played for Knowles at Penn State and transferred to Tennessee alongside Gilliam.
"Year two in the system, I have high expectations for myself," Gilliam said. "It is good to see familiar faces. Having a guy at each position group, I feel like that really has been able to help with some of the young guys.
"I know what coach Knowles wants it to look like, so just having that knowledge and being able to share that with my young guys, and even some of my older guys that are on the team. I feel like it's a good resource to have."
More: Jim Knowles compares defensive install to other first-year assignments
More: Jim Knowles' defenses by the numbers at Ohio State, Penn State
Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Xavier Gilliam discusses second year in Jim Knowles' defense
Continue reading...
Gilliam discussed entering his first season at Tennessee during local media day with Vols Wire on Tuesday.
"We had a good offseason, everybody's bodies changed for the better, in my opinion," Gilliam said. "Really just excited. Coach (Jim) Knowles is putting his new scheme in. I'm excited to see how everybody adjusts to it."
Knowles is also in his first season with the Vols as defensive coordinator. He served in the same capacity at Penn State in 2025. Senior linebacker Amare Campbell and junior defensive back Dejuan Lane also played for Knowles at Penn State and transferred to Tennessee alongside Gilliam.
"Year two in the system, I have high expectations for myself," Gilliam said. "It is good to see familiar faces. Having a guy at each position group, I feel like that really has been able to help with some of the young guys.
"I know what coach Knowles wants it to look like, so just having that knowledge and being able to share that with my young guys, and even some of my older guys that are on the team. I feel like it's a good resource to have."
More: Jim Knowles compares defensive install to other first-year assignments
More: Jim Knowles' defenses by the numbers at Ohio State, Penn State
Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Xavier Gilliam discusses second year in Jim Knowles' defense
Continue reading...
