Tennessee Vols coach explains key ingredient necessary to develop a championship culture
New Tennessee linebackers coach William Inge knows a thing or two about competing for championships. After all, he was just doing that at the sport's highest stage just three months ago. Inge was hired by Tennessee back in February after having served as the Washington Huskies' linebackers coach in 2022-23. The Huskies defeated Texas in […]
New Tennessee linebackers coach William Inge knows a thing or two about competing for championships. After all, he was just doing that at the sport's highest stage just three months ago.
Inge was hired by Tennessee back in February after having served as the Washington Huskies' linebackers coach in 2022-23. The Huskies defeated Texas in the Sugar Bowl and CFP semifinal 37-31 before falling to Michigan 34-13 in the national championship game.
Having been around a championship-level defense, what is the key to molding one? According to Inge, it's the players taking an internal leadership responsibility.
"That is something that's probably been in me ever since my playing days. That's something that Hayden Frye really instilled in the team. Something that they always said is that player-led teams will always be in positions to play for championships because if a player can lead a player, now you have what's called peer accountability. And you get indirect leadership from a player being able to do that. So, if a player can lead, when those players become the leaders of the team, when we can sit back and make sure that the coaches run the program and the players run the team, you know your culture is where it needs to be when it comes to you being able to compete for championships."
Inge would certainly know what it's like to be around a championship environment. Washington's defense was excellent last season, and Inge's work with LB Edefuan Ulofoshio was hard to deny. Ulofoshio, who should hear his name called in the NFL Draft later this month, was named a finalist for the Dick Butkus Award given to the nation's top linebacker.
Inge also appears to have come from a tough, old-school type of atmosphere from his playing days. He played for Hayden Frye's Iowa Hawkeye teams in the mid-1990s, where he was a co-captain and honorable mention All-Big Ten his final year.
Tennessee simply wasn't good enough in the middle last year. Part of that had to do with injuries, with Keenan Pili's absence for almost the entire season being the headliner. However, a shakeup was needed. Someone who could inject a winning mentality into a group that needed a jolt.
It appears the Vols might have a new voice who can do just that.
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