KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 20/18 Tennessee football continued preparations Tuesday for its 2026 season opener against Furman, with defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and running backs coach De’Rail Sims meeting with the media ahead of Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Neyland Stadium.
Knowles said the Vols have made steady progress throughout preseason camp as they continue to build familiarity within his defensive system.
“I’ve found the players to pick things up, to be really diligent in their learning, and very receptive,” Knowles said. “I think there is a good culture here of learning and I’ve been impressed with what they’ve picked up.”
Knowles also emphasized the importance of establishing the right standard of preparation in the season opener.
“I want to teach how we prepare for an opponent and how serious practice really is,” Knowles said. “We’re really just trying to establish the tempo of preparation for an opponent. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing.”
On the offensive side of the ball, Sims said the running backs have made strides in both ball security and pass protection during preseason camp.
“I thought we took a step in the right direction,” Sims said. “We were consistent every day, so from that standpoint, in terms of taking in the football, running with it, playing without the ball in our hands and pass protection.”
Sims is particularly eager to see his group transition from practice to game action on Saturday.
“Seeing our guys go out and execute, eliminating mistakes,” Sims said. “Seeing us be able to go out here and play clean football. And, also the guys being able to go out here and have fun because they’re tired of hitting each other, and now they finally get a chance to go against another team.”
The Vols and Paladins kick off Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network+ inside a sold-out Neyland Stadium.
Full comments from Knowles and Sims’ media availabilities can be viewed below.
Tennessee Football Press Conference | Sept. 1, 2026
Defensive Coordinator Jim Knowles
On how game situations reveal players’ skill sets and strengths…
“Absolutely, you see a lot of things in practice and then when you go to game plan an opponent you want to take advantage of what your players do best. Of course, you never truly know until the game, but I think we learned a lot during preseason.”
On Edrees Farooq’s absence and the emergence of other players…
“Yeah, we’ll definitely miss Edrees. He was one of the guys that I was most impressed with from the time I arrived here. That’s a big blow to the defense and you know it’s a cliche but everybody says next man up, so you know what we’ve had to do is just rotate some guys around at different positions to prepare for those situations when we might need a guy. So, we just had to make more guys interchangeable, including Qua Moss, who also I think is very talented. So, we’re cross training him at the high safety positions, not only the nickel position, because we have enough good linebackers to be able to play a big nickel, SAM type of position and if we need Qua in the backend we can do that. We’re just cross training. Then the backups with (Sidney Walton) and (Dylan Lewis) and DJ Burks, so we’re just trying to really cross train everywhere because of the fact that we’re a little thin there.”
On continued progress with the installation…
“Yeah, I’m really pleased. I’ve found the players to pick things up, to be really diligent in their learning, and very receptive. We brought in some guys that we know and the coaches who know me, that certainly helps, but I think there is a good culture here of learning and I’ve been impressed with what they’ve picked up.”
On what he has learned about the pass rush in camp…
“I thought we did well in the preseason. We’re creating some things through various schemes. Not going to get into game planning but we did some things in fall camp that were effective. I was impressed with what we could generate against our offense, which is a really good offense. Like anything, game time will tell. Game time will tell.”
On what he has learned about the entirety of the defense during camp…
“(Jeremiah Telander), he’s certainly like the heart and soul of our defense, which I knew, but I found that he has some particular skills that we can really use to put him in great positions to make plays, and he’s really tough, so I think Telander showed a lot of versatility. Kayin Lee has grown. I’ve seen his development in terms of the seriousness about which he takes the preparation for the corner position. I’m hopeful that a lightbulb has really gone on for him. And up front, Xavier Gillian, who I knew and brought here with us, he’s really taken the next step. I think he can be a great one. Those are three guys that I saw a lot things during camp that were impressive.”
On the gains that the defense has made with tackling…
“We’ve seen gains. That’s a good thing, right? We’ve tracked percentages from the spring, and it’s definitely gone up at all positions. I don’t think it ever goes up to the point I want it until it’s 100 percent, which you’re never going to be in tackling. But I have seen and tracked analytical gains in our tackling from the spring. Guys are going to miss tackles, but there’s a right way and a wrong way to miss tackles, so we’re teaching them that too. If you miss but you’re on the right angle and you miss, you’ll have a teammate or a sideline there to help you. Aside from making the tackle, if you do miss, there’s a right way to miss it.”
On what has impressed him about what he’s seen from QB Faizon Brandon…
“From what I’ve seen, and I don’t study it, but he is cool and calm, has a lot of poise for a young guy, and he certainly can make plays with his feet. Which I know all too well is very dangerous for a defense. I’ve just been impressed with his maturity for a true freshman.”
On why Jerimiah Telander is described as the leader of the defense…
“Well, he’s Mr. Tennessee. He bleeds orange. He’s got a lot of energy, he’s got toughness, he never makes excuses. He always wants to get better. He’s a throwback kind of player. I think as coaches, I guess I should say older coaches like me, you like to see those guys who are just tough and gritty, who don’t make excuses. You’re not going to get any excuses out of him, if he makes a mistake, he’s going to fix it and take accountability for it, which is what you want out of all your players.”
On what he wants to accomplish in the first game and how it may influence future game plans…
“I don’t want to give up any yards. I want to get a shutout. I don’t want to give up any first downs. Every game you go into, it’s a process, but mostly I want to teach how we prepare for an opponent and how serious practice really is. I went over with the guys, practice does not make perfect; that’s a myth. Practice makes permanent, so therefore, perfect practice makes perfect. We have to instill that mentality in game week that we got to do it on the grass in practice to expect to do it in the game. And if you make a mistake in practice, I’m going to find out why and I’m going to challenge you. Because, like I’ve said, when it comes to the game and if you make a mistake in the game, that’s my fault because I didn’t get you ready. We’re really just trying to establish the tempo of preparation for an opponent. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing, how do we do it, how intense it is? The responsibilities that the players have for the game plan and the details of the game plan, how we practice, how we execute the game plan.”
On what he wants to see from his backup safeties in the upcoming weeks…
“I want to see them make more plays at practice. Exactly what I talked about. I want to see them make more plays in practice, do the right things, make fast decisions, stay on top when they’re supposed to stay on top. Dropping into the box, can they see the play and react to it? When you face a lot of RPO, that’s where the safeties get into that bind where the quarterback is reading you, so I want to see them do it in practice. If you put a guy in the game and he hasn’t done it in practice, you can’t expect him to do it in the game. They’re making progress, but we need more out of them in practice. They need to be productive.”
On his reaction to Arion Carter’s suspension reduction and how beneficial it will be for him to play in Week 2…
“My reaction was hooray. Still feel bad for him that he has to miss a game. You don’t want to see a leader of your team and a great player sit out any game. So, I’m just grateful for him and for our defense.”
Running Backs Coach De’Rail Sims
On what he has seen from his group in the last weeks of preseason before the season begins…
“The preparation piece has been really good, like mock game week was really good for them getting the flow, especially having JG (Javin Gordon) in here, this is his first time actually going through a game with us, so the other guys in the room kind of show him the ropes and how we go about a week. So that piece has been good. Then the film studies piece in terms of getting ready for Furman has been really good.”
On how he thinks his group did during the preseason in regards to ball and pass protection…
“I thought we took a step in the right direction. We were consistent every day, so from that standpoint, in terms of taking in the football, running with it, playing without the ball in our hands and pass protection. Understanding that we have to keep our quarterbacks upright, holding time, not allowing the pocket to get pushed on. So, I thought we did a really good job of taking that next step, holistically, in terms of taking care of the ball, that is included in running with them as well.”
On how to balance when a player has had enough work and not overworking them…
“Usually, you manage that out in terms of throughout practice. Especially in the live periods when we are running the football, they will get their reps but not overworking them. It is kind of being more of a pass pro mindset with those two guys (Gordon and Bishop), especially those live team periods. You cannot get enough in terms of live pressure looks. So, we did a really good job managing at that standpoint, and then giving our other guys in the room the opportunity to go run the football in those live situations, to where they are getting tackled and getting contact.”
On his impressions of Faizon Brandon and how he has handled everything so far…
“I think he has done a really good job for sure. He is always in the building, and he is always in the quarterback room in terms of watching tape and learning. I have been impressed with him in terms of the way he carries himself, seeing him come in in January to where he is now, it is night and day. So, I am excited to be able to go out there and watch him on Saturday.”
On what the camaraderie is like between the running backs and the offensive line…
“It is really good. You see those guys always talking and communicating between plays during practice, making sure that they are all on the same page. Then when we are off the field, they do a really good job of being round each other and hanging out. So, it is really good. They understand that we need each other. So, that has been really good from that standpoint. I am really excited about our front, being able to run behind those guys every single game, they have done a really good job every single practice in terms of taking the next step in the positive direction. So, excited about that group up front.”
On the chemistry in the running back room…
“From the very beginning of January when we all got back together, we kind of had our moments in terms of being vulnerable with each other, sharing our life stories, things we had to go through, hard times, so that they understand that if the game is on the line, they understand what the guy next to him has been through in his life. I think that has brought them closer together. They do a really good in terms of being off the field, connecting with each other, hanging out. That room is tight, probably the tightest room I have had in my time of being here. There is no ego in terms of they don’t want to help each other. They all are willing to help each other. Will Rajecki came in as a young guy in the summer, they have done a really good job in terms of being able to help him. You have Hunter Barnes in the room. That is an older guy that has been here pretty much as long as anybody in the room and has done a good job of helping everybody. So that room is tight, and they are close together. So, it hasn’t deterred anything from a competition standpoint. I think it only enhances because everybody wants to see each other do well, so that’s been a good piece.”
On how Justin Baker grew over the offseason…
“Yeah, Baker’s done a really good job of growing this offseason in terms of he understands his body control and how to use his body as a weapon. Understanding from a pass protection standpoint, the leverage angles. He’s always been a go hard guy. Last year, I think that his feet got a little bit faster than his eyes did at times. This year he’s done a really good job of putting it together. And you look at that room from top to bottom, like, all of those guys, you can count on them to be able to go in there and give us plays and he is right there. You know what I’m saying? In terms of he’s a guy that we can count on, we don’t have a hesitation whatsoever in terms of throwing him in the game because he knows it inside and out. He’s a really smart football player. I kind of call him the philosopher a little bit because he knows a lot. He does a really good job from that standpoint, but Baker’s come a long way in a fast amount of time. So, he’s doing a good job. Plus, you know, he came from a really good high school program that he was coached really well. So, when he hit campus, he already had a good foundation. So, he’s done a good job this fall camp in terms of getting better.”
On if he facilitated the guys in the locker room being more vulnerable…
“Honestly, it’s something that I would like to do every year. You kind of always start with a fresh slate because you will have new guys that enter the room. Everybody has to get to know each other, and at the same time, it’s one of those moments to where it’s a trust factor. So, I always lead it off and kind of give it my background, same situation like I do in recruiting as well, but letting them know, here’s a tough situation that I had to go through. Okay? Here’s how I responded to it. Here’s something that I didn’t handle really well when I was your age in college. So that way everybody understands, I’m not perfect and they’re not perfect. We’re going to continue to grow together. So that’s something that we always continue to do.”
On what he’s most excited for regarding week one…
“Seeing our guys go out and execute, eliminating mistakes. Like, you watch college football this past weekend, you saw a lot of week one mistakes, balls on the ground, that type deal. Seeing us be able to go out here and play clean football. And, also the guys being able to go out here and have fun and because they’re tired of hitting each other, now they finally get a chance to go against another team. So, excited about that.”
On how DeSean Bishop grew over the offseason…
“To be honest with you, I think he is a self-driven person that did a really good job of understanding what his goals were. And at the same time, there were certain things that was brought to his attention as well that kind of helped him continue to have a chip on his shoulder. So, I think he has a lot that he wants to prove. I think he has a lot of goals that he wants to go after. And when you got a mindset like DeSean does, not a lot of things are going to hold you back and stop you. So that’s only has fueled him in a lot of really good ways. So he’s done a really good job in understanding the things that he needs to get better at than we talked about last year towards the end of the season, kind of some of the warts that showed up. He went about it this offseason, spring practice, fall camp, and attack those and done a really good job.”
On what can DeSean Bishop do better than he did last year…
“I think, understanding last year, I think he was still finding his role in terms of being a leader in the room. That was a little bit different when you lose a void in terms of Dylan Sampson leaving. Everybody kind of looked at him as being the leader in the room. And I think now he understands that he’s the leader of the room and the room is going to go as he goes. So, I think he’s done a really good job from that standpoint. And then just overall, like the goals that he has set for himself, that he’s never going to really talk about, you know, he’s going to keep that internally. And I think that’s his driving force now too. And he wants to be the best I think that’s another deal too. You look at a local kid that came here that started out as a walk on, that has earned every single thing that he’s gotten, that drives him. That’s one of those deals like he never takes a back seat in that, you know, he’s always doing a really good job of continuing to push forward. So, I’m excited to go see him later, so he can see when he can get done.”
