Linebacker and team-leading tackler Keenan Pili will miss the rest of the season for No. 11 Tennessee with a torn ACL, coach Josh Heupel announced Monday.

Pili, a team captain, sustained the injury on the first defensive series in the Volunteers’ 23-17 overtime victory over Florida on Saturday. The seventh-year senior walked off under his own power but was ruled out for the rest of the game.

“I’m not sure there’s a better representative of what a Volunteer is than Keenan Pili,” Heupel said after Saturday’s win. “You talk about a selfless guy that cares about the people around him way more than he cares about himself, that’s an elite competitor, great leader, tough as nails, athletic, explosive — everything that you want. Just … he’s a dude, man. Special dude.”

Pili recorded 29 tackles in six games to lead the Volunteers (5-1, 2-1 SEC).

Pili, 26, in his second season at Tennessee after five seasons at BYU, was injured in the team’s 2023 season opener and missed the rest of the season.

Pili has 223 tackles, 15 for loss, 3.5 sacks, four deflections and two fumble recoveries with one forced fumble in 43 career games.

–Field Level Media