Aaron Beasley Continues Elevating His Play

Tennessee Volunteers inside linebacker Aaron Beasley has stood out through two games. The senior leader is setting the tone for the entire team thus far.

Tennessee recently drafted the Austin Peay Governors 30-13 to begin the 2023-24 season 2-0. It was a game that started shaky for the defense. However, if there was one thing the Vols did, it was keep their defense going at an elite level. The one catalytic player that stirred the defensive pot was Aaron Beasley. 

There was little to no secret that he would have to be a leader on defense. But, he has taken the role by storm through the first two weeks. In the win against Austin Peay, he was Tennessee's leading tackler with nine total tackles on the day, with five TFLs and two sacks. Beasley looked agile and quick in the season opener against Virginia, but a notch was turned up in his game against the Governors. He quieted APU drives while the offense struggled to get anything going in the first half. Head coach Josh Heupel had lots of good things to say postgame on Beasley, "I thought he tackled extremely well. He was violent; you saw his speed and athleticism. He had lots of pressures and sacked the quarterback. He played really well."

The high praises from Heupel leave a lot for the senior out of Franklin, Georgia, to be proud of. He is becoming much more involved as a player with a multi-dimensional presence in the passing game, which was also on display against the Cavs in week on. He is a threat to anybody on offense that is playing against Tennessee. The Vols' next game will be against the Florida Gators in Gainesville. To help quiet the crowd, Beasley may need to show his aggression in the linebacker spot again to help lead the Volunteers to a rivalry game win. 

Tennessee Volunteers ILB Aaron Beasley during the win over Austin Peay on September 9th, 2023, in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Randy Sartin of USA Today Sports)

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