Keenan Pili is expected to miss the remainder of the season with an ACL injury, Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel announced Monday.
Pili went down with 10:23 remaining in the first quarter against Florida, and ESPN reported him out for the game soon after. He walked off the field with assistance from Tennessee’s trainers and was seen later with a large brace on his legs and using crutches.
Pili has suffered three season-ending injuries in seven seasons of college football.
“Keenan had an injury, ACL, will be done for the season,” Heupel said. “I said it after the game, there is nobody (who) represents Tennessee better than him. He’s a great leader and will continue to be that inside our building.
“Heartbroken for him and his family. A guy (who) does absolutely everything right. Special player, but special person too. He’s got a great future.”
Pili is a redshirt senior who missed most of last season after suffering a tricep injury in the opener against Virginia. He applied, and was granted, a seventh collegiate season due to the injury.
The middle linebacker began his career at BYU before transferring to Tennessee ahead of the 2023 season. He slotted in instantly as a leader for the defensive side of the ball and one of the few older players in a very young linebacker room.
Through the first six games of the season, Pili was tied with Will Brooks with a team-leading 29 total tackles. He also had 1.5 tackles for loss.
His best game of the season came against Arkansas in the loss to the Razorbacks. Pili posted 10 total tackles in Fayetteville.
Heupel, when asked about Pili’s injury after the win on Saturday, took the time to pay tribute to what Pili has brought to the program.
“I’m not sure there’s a better representative of what a Volunteer is than Keenan Pili,” Heupel said Saturday night. “You talk about a selfless guy (who) cares about the people around him way more than he cares about himself. That’s an elite competitor, great leader, tough as nails, athletic, explosive, everything that you want. Just he’s a dude, man. Special dude.”
Who will Tennessee use at linebacker?
With the new in-helmet communication, Heupel said it will likely be Arion Carter or Jeremiah Telander taking over the duties.
Tennessee has several young linebackers who can slot in the middle of the defense with Pili’s absence.
Keenan Pili (11) directs his team during a game against Florida at Neyland Stadium. Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.
Carter has lined up the most next to Pili, utilizing his speed and athleticism on the far side of the field.
“Having a brother down like that, a great leader on our team who plays a great role on our team, having him go down — next man up mentality as coach Inge always says,” Carter said Saturday. “We just have to play, go out there and play for him. I said that I wanted to go out there, and as a unit and as a defense we had to go out there and play for Keenan Pili because that’s our brother and we got to go fight.
“So, obviously having a great leader and a great teammate like that go down, praying he’s healthy and he comes back stronger than ever for the next game.”
Telander filled in for Pili in his absence against Florida. He finished the game with five tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Expect the sophomore to fill in the most at the middle linebacker position.
Kalib Perry and Jalen Smith both can play the position as well, but they have had up-and-down performances when stepping in. Tennessee’s defense will rotate heavily, but there will need to be a lot of growth from the position group.
Keenan Pili (11) warming up before a game against Florida at Neyland Stadium. Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024
