Tennessee assistant answers question about LB Keenan Pili's injury status
The Tennessee Vols made one of the best transfer portal additions of the offseason by landing BYU transfer linebacker Keenan Pili. Pili, who is a redshirt senior, is a mature linebacker with a load of experience and NFL talent. The former BYU defender showed that talent in the Vols' season-opening win against the Virginia Cavaliers. […]
The Tennessee Vols made one of the best transfer portal additions of the offseason by landing BYU transfer linebacker Keenan Pili.
Pili, who is a redshirt senior, is a mature linebacker with a load of experience and NFL talent.
The former BYU defender showed that talent in the Vols' season-opening win against the Virginia Cavaliers. Pili showed great instincts as he was seemingly always in the right place. He also showed elite tackling abilities (something the Vols missed against Florida) and good coverage skills.
Unfortunately for Tennessee, Pili suffered an injury against Virginia that's expected to keep him sidelined for a good chunk of the season.
Earlier this week, Vols linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary spoke at the Knoxville Quarterback Club and he was asked about Pili's injury status.
“We’re still waiting on him," said Jean-Mary. "We knew it was gonna be a couple of weeks for him to return. Hoping we get him back. He’s still in every meeting, he’s still at practice trying to rehab to get back. Obviously it’s a big loss, but you know, like we said, this is the SEC. You’re gonna have guys that go down and that’s why you recruit, why you build depth. And not everyone has to be ready to play every play because you never know, you know, who’s gonna be the next man up."
"But we’re hoping to get him back sometime before the end of the season," added Jean-Mary. "Don’t know when that’s gonna be.”
Jean-Mary's injury update for Pili doesn't exactly sound encouraging.
Tennessee hasn't publicly confirmed the specific injury that Pili suffered, nor have they given an official timeline for his return (though Heupel ominously said after the Virginia game that the injury isn't expected to be season-ending).
The Vols should probably plan on not having Pili the rest of the season. If he returns in November, then that's great for Tennessee. But they shouldn't count on it. At this point, UT is being so vague with injuries that no one truly knows when a player will or won't return.
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Featured image via Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
