Sophomore defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. recorded three tackles, two sacks and two tackles for a loss in Tennessee’s season-opening win versus Virginia in Week 1.
Third-year defensive coordinator Tim Banks met with media on Tuesday and discussed Pearce Jr.’s performance.
“Obviously, we’re very confident in James,” Banks said. “His growth has been great for us. We saw it last year, him starting to make some strides and make some even better strides through the spring. We’re not surprised with the display he put on this weekend. Just like I told him, I tell you the same, nobody cares after the first game. You got to continue to put it on tape week in and week out.
“It’s not just him, but everybody on the defense. We’re excited about him, that’s why we recruited him. He’s a great kid who’s only going to get better and I think he’ll be the first one to tell you that.”
The 6-foot-5, 242-pound defensive lineman recorded five tackles, two sacks and two tackles for a loss in 13 games as a freshman in 2022.
PHOTOS: Tennessee football defeats Virginia in Nashville to open 2023 season