Tennessee linebacker Keenan Pili revealed on social media on Friday afternoon that he will be returning to Rocky Top for a second season in 2024 after receiving an extension of eligibility waiver from the NCAA.
According to a Tennessee official, the waiver was granted early on Friday, giving Pili the chance to play college football for a seventh season.
Pili sent a statement on a graphic he posted on social media with the caption, “Vol Nation, thank you for welcoming me into the Knoxville family.” Let’s rerun it in 2024.
In Tennessee’s season-opening victory over Virginia on September 2, Pili sustained an upper-body injury that would ultimately cost him the rest of the campaign. With his leadership and experience, as well as his ability to play as a run defender in the box and in space with his range and coverage skills, Pili was a valuable addition to the middle of the defence when the Vols acquired him from BYU through the transfer window in December.
Pili captained the Cougars’ squad twice as captain and finished with 190 tackles in 36 games during his tenure. At BYU, he started 24 times.
Pili was a three-star recruit coming out of Timpview High School in Provo. The 6-foot-3, 237-pound linebacker was considered the No. 909 overall player in the 247Sports composite, as well as the No. 57 overall outside linebacker and No. 14 player in the state of Utah. He redshirted as a freshman and was a member on the scout team in 2016 before serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Orlando, Florida from 2017-19.
After graduating from Timpview High School in Provo, Pili was a three-star recruit. In the 247Sports composite, the 6-foot-3, 237-pound linebacker was ranked as the 909th overall player, the 57th overall outside linebacker, and the 14th player in the state of Utah. Prior to serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Orlando, Florida from 2017 to 2019, he redshirted as a freshman and was a member of the scout team in 2016.
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