The University of Tennessee's football team seems to be cultivating a promising talent in freshman linebacker Edwin Spillman, who is making waves with his physical prowess and football intelligence, especially with the close guidance of the Vols' new linebackers coach, William Inge. Edwin, who previously committed to Tennessee over Ohio State, has not only arrived on campus with a certain pedigree but also with an insider's perspective, thanks to his brother Nate's existing role in the program.
Inge, who joined the Vols in February after a coaching spell at Washington and was praised by head coach Josh Heupel as one of the most experienced linebackers coaches in the country, quickly noticed Spillman's potential, “The one thing that Edwin had coming here, he knew half of the stuff already. He knew half of the people. He understood everyone. He was able to put names to faces. Now unfortunately, he knew more about the program than I did just because we literally got here one week apart,” Inge said, an insight he shared with WATE. Inge's arrival at Tennessee was close to his protege's, yet Spillman's background and understanding had already impressed him; the youngster had already familiarized himself with the people and workings within the Vols well enough to teach the new coach a thing or two.
As noted by 247Sports, Spillman's improvement and commitment have only grown, with the player adding muscle and understanding since spring. "From the spring all the way to right now, fall camp, I feel like I've gotten way more in-depth with the playbook and knowing what everybody else is doing and what the Mike and Will (linebackers) are doing," Spillman conveyed. Inge underscored this development, emphasizing the athlete's understanding and physiological gains. "When I first got here, I was around, like, 215 (pounds) and now I'm sitting at, like, 230," Spillman told 247Sports.
These sentiments were echoed in the coach's media interactions as Inge discussed the contributions of his linebackers during fall camp, "We’ve been seeing some really good growth from them to where we say the injuries and things like that are kind of in the rearview mirror now. From a growth standpoint, just seeing them continue to take the next step to being able to be better, to being able to be elite and to be what we call the trendsetters of linebacker play on our team, our organization and in the country," he mentioned in a statement covered by Vols Wire. The coach expounded on managing his seasoned players and providing opportunities for newcomers like Spillman, who's been getting reps at both the Mike and Will linebacker positions in preparation for added versatility within the team's defense.
Spillman, now donning his No. 13 jersey as a testament to his growth and impact within the team, is seemingly poised to command the kind of on-field presence that the Vols' football program hopes will lead them to greater defensive achievements as Inge asserts, "You will know who No. 13 is when he's on the field."
