Vols Add Quality Preferred Walk-On Transfer DL Austin Lewis

Tennessee added a quality depth piece to the defensive line earlier this afternoon, when ETSU transfer Austin Lewis announced his decision to commit to the Vols as a preferred walk-on.

Lewis did not suit up at ETSU last fall as he had transferred from Liberty and was not eligible. However, he will be eligible at Tennessee.

Lewis made two starts over 12 games as a freshman at Liberty in 2018.He followed that up with 33 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks as a sophomore in 2019. Lewis played in 12 of 13 games during the season and garnered five starts. He started twice in 11 games for the Flames as a junior in 2020, recording 10 tackles, before transferring to ETSU ahead of their 2021 season.

The 6'6", 270lbs defensive end is originally from Jonesborough (Tenn.) starred at Davey Crockett high school before signing with Liberty. He was the school record holder in career tackles (246) and tackles for loss (37), while adding 12 sacks.

Lewis will finish out his career on Rocky Top looking to crack Tennessee's rotation under the tutelage of veteran defensive line coach, Rodney Garner, who always looks to maximize his players games. The Vols are in need of veteran bodies on the defensive line, as they lost Matthew Butler and Jay Blakely last season.

"You know I want to make sure I am clear on this; all the guys are working hard," Garner said during Tennessee's spring practice. "We have to grow, and we have to get better and that is what is expected. Time waits for no one. So, we have to go out there every day and our goal is that when we hit that field, we want to be better today than we were yesterday. We then need to go look at the film to see if we met that standard that day, or did we not. I do know this; we are too talented not to get better every day because our opponents are getting better. We are not going to stay the same. So, we have to get better, and we have to strain and get comfortable being uncomfortable so we can be comfortable later. And that is the standard, that is the expectation. I am not saying that guys are not working at it, but this is going to be the ongoing case and I don't think there will ever be satisfaction."