As soon as linebacker Amare Campbell arrived at Tennessee from Penn State in January, he faced an unavoidable dilemma.
Campbell was entrusted with teaching defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ scheme to his
new teammates. After all, he had played in it at Penn State in the previous season and followed Knowles to UT via the transfer portal.
But the more Campbell’s teammates learned the scheme, the better chance they had to supplant him in the lineup. Their growing knowledge was inversely proportional to his playing time.
Campbell knew that reality, but he accepted it for the good of the team.
“I’m just trying to get everyone better. I know these guys are pushing to come get my spot or to get whoever’s spot,” Campbell said. “But that constant competition makes me rise to that next level. And I haven’t mastered this system yet.”
Campbell helped his fellow linebackers learn Knowles’ terminology and the nuances of the complex scheme.Veterans like Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander asked countless questions. Edwin Spillman shadowed Campbell in walk-through sessions. Young linebackers listened intently. And Campbell guided them through the playbook.
How Amare Campbell helped Arion Carter, Jeremiah Telander
It’s easy to assume that Campbell would accept such a task on his new team. But football players aren’t always so generous to teammates competing for playing time.
Brett Favre famously didn’t help Aaron Rodgers prepare to replace him as Green Bay Packers quarterback. Likewise, Joe Montana didn’t accelerate Steve Young’s bid to supplant him as the San Francisco 49ers starter. And it happens in college football, as well.
Granted, those examples were quarterbacks, a position only big enough for one.
But UT’s linebacker corps was almost as crowded when Campbell arrived. Carter returned as the SEC leader averaging 7.6 tackles per game. Spillman and Telander returned as the team’s leaders in total tackles with 81 and 80, respectively.
All three were considered co-starters. And Jadon Perlotte showed enough promise as a freshman that it seemed a starting role could come sooner than later.
Thanks to Campbell, they have a better chance of starting in Knowles’ defense.
“It’s competitive. But we all love each other, and we’re working to get better every single day,” Campbell said. “One thing about football is constant growth. Regardless of ego or how someone may feel, the best players will play. And the better that we all compete, the higher it brings our team.
“The more everyone understands, the quicker everybody can play.”
Amare Campbell's guidance goes beyond Jim Knowles' playbook
During the spring, Campbell recognized mistakes by his teammates and offered to step in to correct them. Sometimes Knowles let him speak up, but other times he told Campbell to remain silent so they could work through it.
That balance paid off. UT’s returning linebackers say they’re comfortable in the scheme with the season opener against Furman on Sept. 5 (3:30 p.m., ESPN+/SEC Network+). And they credit Campbell's guidance for getting them to this point.
"Sometimes I would get so excited and just shoot downhill," Telander said. "But Amare plays with great patience and that’s one thing that I’ve learned from him, especially in this defense, that you should let things play out.
"He has great patience. And once he knows, he goes."
Now Campbell has transitioned from teaching the basics to offering advice in game-like situations. After all, knowing Knowles’ scheme and implementing it with split-second decisions are two different tasks.
Again, Campbell is here to help.
“He can be like the quiet or the silent coach. He can pull the teammate aside and tell him the perspective of someone who’s actually (played in this scheme),” linebackers coach William Inge said. “There are some things we can tell them from a technique or an execution standpoint. But Amare can give them the hands-on, ‘this is what you’re going to be able to see’ perspective.”
How Amare Campbell played at Penn State, North Carolina
Once the season starts, Campbell’s play will be more important than his tutoring.
Campbell led Penn State with 103 tackles and 769 defensive snaps in the 2025 season under Knowles, earning All-Big Ten third-team honors. He also had 9.5 tackles-for-loss, three sacks, four quarterback hurries and one forced fumble.
Campbell spent his first two seasons at North Carolina. In 2024, he had 76 tackles, including 10.5 for loss, for the Tar Heels.
Helping his teammates learn the defense might not cost Campbell much playing time. It’s a deep position group, but it’s been trimmed before the season even starts.
Carter will miss the first two games due to an NCAA suspension. Jaedon Harmon, a promising sophomore, is out for the season with a torn ACL.
Fortunately for the Vols, any linebacker who takes the field will be better equipped because of Campbell.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why Amare Campbell risked his starting position to help Tennessee football teammates
