In terms of Penn State transfers who made their way to Knoxville, you're not alone if you never thought for a second that Xavier Gilliam was going to end up being the biggest and best standout for Tennessee. We all thought Chaz Coleman was going to live up to the hype, but he never suited up for the Vols this season, and he's already away from the program.
The same 100 percent can't be said about Gilliam, a stud defensive lineman for Heupel and new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Gilliam has quietly emerged not only as one of the Vols' top transfers, but also as one of the top defensive players overall.
In the Week 1 win against Furman, Gilliam announced his arrival in a huge way with three sacks. Against Texas, he was among the defensive players of the game, recording another sack. Against Auburn, Gilliam once again turned heads. This year, he's got 17 total tackles, four sacks, and one forced fumble. What else can we expect out of him moving forward?
Xavier Gilliam's emergence has been huge for Tennessee and Josh Heupel
What's made Gilliam's play extra special for the Vols this season, indeed, has been the fact that Coleman never panned out. He was the big-money transfer for Tennessee once the portal was open, with Heupel relying on the former 5-star prospect to be a crucial part of the edge for this squad.
While Gilliam plays on the interior, he has stepped up in a big way for the Vols' defense as a whole. Keep in mind that Tennessee's 23 sacks are No. 1 in the country for FBS teams, with LSU right behind UT at 22. Gilliam's four are tied for the most on the team, with him and Mariyon Dye giving opposing offensive linemen all sorts of issues. Not to be outdone, Tyree Weathersby has 3.5 sacks to his name.
Still, in terms of transfers in particular, Gilliam has blown expectations out of the water. You already know that defensive line coach Rodney Garner has been quite pleased with what Gilliam has been able to get done, too, as the veteran Tennessee assistant has continuously sung his praises.
“X is doing a tremendous job," Garner said via VolQuest. "He’s a joy to coach. Any time you can have a talented young man that’s also the high character that he is, that wants to receive coaching. Even though he’s been in our program only for six months, this guy is totally bought in. He is definitely going to be a tremendous VFL. Like I tell everybody, he’s one of the best ones I’ve ever had, not just from a talent standpoint, but just from an overall character and everything that he brings to the table. He’s a joy to coach along with the entire room."
When Garner speaks so highly of a player like this, you know they're doing something right. With the passion that Gilliam is playing with, it only makes him even easier to root for among the Tennessee faithful. It didn't take long for him to win over Vols supporters, but goodness, he sure has done so in an eye-opening way. Let's see if he'll keep the good vibes going against Arkansas, and then for the rest of the campaign.
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