Kalib Perry was leaving Neyland Stadium after a game last fall and walking back toward the Anderson Training Center when he was pulled aside in a parking lot on campus. Al Wilson wanted to talk.
“He was just talking to me about the game and what not,” Perry said on Saturday, “certain things that he sees.”
Few see it or saw it better than Wilson, arguably the greatest Tennessee linebacker in program history who was back on campus watching the Vols practice on Saturday during their third workout of fall camp.
“Al is an amazing dude,” Perry said. “Obviously a legendary player. You always hear stories about Al Wilson and how he led the team.”
Wilson finished his four-year Tennessee career with 272 tackles and 27 tackles for loss, capping his time at Tennessee off with an undefeated season and the 1998 BCS National Championship.
He played eight years in the NFL with the Denver Broncos — he was All-Pro in 2005 and wen to five Pro Bowls between 2001 and 2006 — after being picked in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft.
Wilson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021 after a Tennessee career that included First Team All-American honors in 1998 and First Team All-SEC honors in both 1997 and 1998.
Accolades aside, Tennessee’s current players know him more for what he’s done since his playing career ended.
“He puts a lot of dedication (into Tennessee),” Perry said. “I know he had his time here, but the amount of time he takes to come back and give back just to our program and Tennessee itself really shows that he cares a lot.
“And he knows his words have power. His platform and what he has done here has power. He’s trying to give back to us and it just helps us grow from that.”
William Inge , hired in February after helping Washington reach the College Football Playoff national championship game, inherited a linebacker group that includes a mix of both veterans, like Keenan Pili and Perry, and young talent, like Arion Carter , Jeremiah Telander , Jalen Smith and Edwin Spillman .
‘He could definitely put some pads on and fill them out, for sure’
When Wilson is at a practice, Inge said his players can feel it.
“We have some examples in our room,” Inge said on Saturday, “what the gold standard of linebacker play is. And when you think about that, just with the history and tradition of this place, you think about Al Wilson .
“Well, to have Al Wilson at practice today, I think that really brought some elements to the guys in the room.”
Perry said he thinks Wilson could still bring it on the practice field, too.
“He’s a solid dude,” he said, “… he could definitely put some pads on and fill them out, for sure.”
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