Everything From Tennessee TE Ethan Davis In His Media Availability Session

Tennessee Veteran TE Ethan Davis talked to the media ahead of the 2025 season about his growth, his friendship with Miles Kitselman, the young but impressive freshman, and what he is excited to showcase this year for the Volunteers. Here is everything he had to say.

On the competition of the tight end room…

“It's amazing, man. I mean, especially when you have those guys in there that are so competitive and highly talented, it kind of feeds off of each other. So, you know, Miles helps me get better, DaSaahn helps Miles get better, Jack helps me get better. We all kind of piece together with one another.”

On his confidence and role within the offense this upcoming season..

“Yeah, I'm extremely confident in my role this year. I kind of know what what it's going to be this year, what it's going to look like, and you just kind of approach it a different way. I mean, we all have human nature, so when you know one thing for certain, you always just approach it a different kind of way. It's not a question mark.”

On if he was banking on that because Tennessee didn’t go into the portal…

“Yeah, I mean absolutely. I knew after the season ended they weren't going into the portal and I knew it was ultimately going to come down to I mean if Miles ended up leaving then it would

have just been me and Holden Staes. But that was a conversation that we had had as soon as the season ended and you know Miles ended up coming back. Holden ended up leaving. This is my home. This is this is where I want to play football at. I would never even transfer from Tennessee regardless of the circumstances.”

On how much reassurance was important to him and being a catalyst for the offseason he had…

“It was good to know, but obviously I know that you always have to go out there and earn it regardless of, what you're being told and what's being said. If I don't go out there and produce on the field, like none of that's going to matter because I'm not going to be playing if I'm not producing on the field during practice, during workouts, during routes on air and stuff like that.”

On when he knew they would be counting on him more, if it was a relief or a motivator…

“Oh, motivator for sure. I mean, that's basically saying like, "Okay, Ethan, you got the job. Now I'm just going to take a step back and relax." Like, nah, like I still have so much to prove out there. I'm still unknown. A lot of question marks by my name, but I will answer those question marks for sure. Like I'm 100% positive in that.”

On his reaction to Miles Kitselman receiving an extra year of eligibility…

“Oh, I was ecstatic, of course. I mean, Miles is my best friend. It's my brother on and off the field outside the facility. I mean, I was excited to play with him one more year and get that extra year with him.”

On Miles getting extra year helping elevate the tight end room…

“Absolutely. I mean, Coach Abeln said it best. I mean, it's hard to replace a guy like that, especially on the field, but I mean, even off the field, just his football IQ, his personality. I mean, he's the same guy every single day. His consistency. I mean, he’s a true role model on this football team.”

On what he has seen from QB Joey Aguilar….

“I mean, his approach, I mean, he came in, you know, he wasn't, you know, all rah rah, this is my program now. Like, he did it the right way, the correct way. You know, he paid his dues. He came in, he worked, he showed the work, and I mean, ultimately, he produced on the field, which led to him winning that spot.”

On where he is in the journey of getting bigger and his confidence as a blocker….

“Yeah, I'm super confident. Like I said about two minutes ago, the world will see and I'm confident in that.”

On how much he has gained since he’s gotten to Tennesssee with Xs and Os…

“A lot. I mean, I definitely dove into football IQ, learning defenses, learning fronts and stuff like that and just taking a leap into into that area of my game as well because that ultimately helps me when I'm playing football in the core in the box. I mean, knowing what what front you're looking at, who you're supposed to be working up to makes a complete difference and you can play with a different type of confidence.”

On the biggest difference he is going in with this season compared to last year….

“Football IQ for sure. Football IQ, size, strength, I mean everything overall. Just because I had a great off season. Put on a lot of speed, put on a lot of muscle mass, and then like I just said, diving into football like as a as a whole, learning fronts, defenses, and stuff like that. It's a game changer on the field because once you know your job like the back of your hand, you're able to play with a different type of confidence.”

On seeing Miles expand his voice and take a leadership role…

“He's been that guy, you know, since he first stepped into the building. I mean, he slowly started getting his voice out to, you know, the whole team rather than just the tight end room. But, I mean, ultimately, when he stepped foot in in the tight end room, we already looked at him as a leader. You know, he came in, put his head down, and worked his ass off every single day to ultimately get win the starting spot last year. So, I mean, the respect was already, you know, given based off of what he showed.”

On how Joey built trust coming in late….

“I mean he put effort in, you know, getting to know everybody. Me, Miles, and Joey had dinner numerous times. Me and Joey had dinner with the with the pastor at Heart and Soul Church um, a few weeks ago. Just doing the extra stuff, the little things that I mean, he really doesn't have to do, but he's going out of his way to do that. You know let me get to know my teammates outside of football, outside the facility and stuff like that.”

On if it was easy to tell if Joey was sincere…

“100% I mean, just the people he hangs around, how he carries himself, his maturity level, how he speaks. I mean, it's easy to tell like he's a genuine person and I mean, everybody on this team knows that.”

On if there is more in the offense for the tight ends compared to the first four years…

“We'll see. We'll see game one. That's all I really got to say about that.”

On what Jack Van Dorselaer and Dasaahn Brame has impressed him with in camp…

“Oh, their size for sure. I mean, just how they, you know, line up, assignment sound. I mean, those guys, I tell them all the time, they are miles ahead of where I was when I stepped in as a freshman. I mean, I came in 215, lean body basketball player like I mean those boys came in ready to play football, like size-wise day one. So I'm just trying to basically kind of help them just know, like, hey, like man, that next play, that next play, like you have the size, you have it, like you just have to get everything else put together. I mean, those boys can be they can be helpful for us this year as well.

On if this has been the most eager he has been to get on the field…

“100%. I mean, like I said, it's different. So, I'm just ready to go out there and play ball.

On what he felt like he learned about himself over the past few years…

“I mean, on that journey to gain the weight and make the size and get the strength. I mean, you learn so much about your game that you didn't even know you really had to improve on. Like my game and the route has gotten better, like and I've put on more weight. I've gotten faster and I'm heavier. You know what I'm saying? So, it all kind of goes hand in hand with each other.”