The Tennessee Vols spoiled Steven Pearl’s return to Knoxville on Saturday night.

Pearl, who was named the head coach of the Auburn Tigers ahead of the 2025-26 season, played college basketball at Tennessee under his dad, Bruce Pearl.

Saturday night’s matchup at Thompson-Boling Arena between Tennessee and Auburn — a game that was won by the Vols — was Pearl’s first time back in Knoxville as a head coach.

Auburn played tough — they actually outscored the Vols in the second half — but Tennessee was simply too physical for the Tigers.

“They beat us at our own game,” said Pearl after the game. “They pushed us around, punked us. They got to the foul line 11 more times than we did, did a really good job with attacking the paint….They just out-physicaled us and kind of had their way. They did a lot of the things that disrupted us. Credit to them.”

Steven Pearl compares two Tennessee basketball players to SEC defensive ends

While speaking with reporters after the game, Pearl suggested that two of Tennessee’s players — Jaylen Carey and DeWayne Brown — look like SEC defensive ends.

“They look like two SEC defensive ends out there that were just ducking in, and we just weren’t able to get around [them],” said Pearl. “And they draw fouls. In the moment, when they draw a foul, you don’t think it’s a big deal. But then they get into the bonus quickly.”

Carey, a Vanderbilt transfer who is a junior, is listed at 6-foot-8/267 pounds.

Brown, a true freshman, is listed at 6-foot-8/251 pounds.

Carey’s dad, Vernon, is a former NFL offensive lineman who played college football with the Miami Hurricanes.

Brown, meanwhile, has an elite wingspan (7-foot plus) that’s ideal for an EDGE.

No college football team can ever have enough defensive ends. And we’ve seen some defensive ends and tight ends in the NFL that played college basketball (Hall of Fame defensive end Julius Peppers and Hall of Fame tight end Antonio Gates, for example). I’m not saying Carey and Brown absolutely have a future in football, but maybe Vols head coach Josh Heupel should go over to the basketball facility and see if either guy has interest in getting on the football field.

I’m mostly joking, of course, but at the same time, you never know. We’ve seen unique stories like this before, and while it’s a longshot, I also don’t think it’s a bad idea to at least gauge interest. Both players are athletic enough to play SEC basketball, and they have the size, so it’s not that crazy of a proposition.

Additionally, neither player is necessarily viewed as a can’t-miss NBA prospect. Reaching the NFL as a defensive end could actually be a viable path to being a pro athlete for either player.

There’s nothing wrong with thinking outside of the box. In fact, that’s where some of the best stories often come from.

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