By: Dallas Bowlin
Senior Staff Writer/Editor/Host
The All Vol Call In Show
A walk-on is never guaranteed to see the field, especially in the heat of a prime-time, top-25 matchup. Every snap is precious, and the next one is never promised. So when redshirt senior walk-on Will Brooks got his opportunity Saturday night against the NC State Wolfpack, he made it count. To truly appreciate how sweet it was for Brooks to not only intercept Wolfpack quarterback Grayson McCall but return it 85 yards for a pick-six, you have to understand what he endured to reach this moment.
Brooks enrolled at Tennessee as a walk-on cornerback on August 20, 2020, under then-head coach Jeremy Pruitt, coming straight from Vestavia Hills High School in Birmingham, Alabama. He didn’t see any action his freshman year, which led to him being redshirted.
In 2021, under newly hired head coach Josh Heupel, Brooks appeared in all 13 games for the Vols, making his first in-game defensive snaps at cornerback against South Alabama. However, he did not record any defensive stats during the season.
In 2022, Brooks played in all 13 games, significantly impacting special teams. He recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff against 25th-ranked LSU, setting the tone for the Volunteers' dominant win over the Tigers. Brooks also recorded five total tackles on special teams throughout the season.
In 2023, Brooks played in ten games, including one start, logging a substantial 189 snaps on defense at the STAR position and safety. In his first career start against Vanderbilt, Brooks led the team with a career-high eight tackles, including one for a loss. He also played a career-high 70 defensive snaps at STAR against top-ranked Georgia, contributing six total tackles.
All of that led to what we saw on Saturday night against the Wolfpack. With Jourdan Thomas out for the season, Brooks has been relied on early this season for the Big Orange. In the season-opener against Chattanooga, Brooks led the team in tackles. Then on Saturday night against NC State, Brooks came up big for his squad.
Tennessee led 10-3 with 6:33 remaining in the second half as the Wolfpack began driving into Volunteer territory, looking to tie the game. On second-and-six, Grayson McCall dropped back to pass, but defensive end Joshua Josephs immediately applied pressure. McCall tried to loft a pass over Josephs, who had leaped into the air, but the ball sailed high, landing right in the chest of Brooks. Seizing the moment, Brooks took the interception 85 yards to the end zone, sealing the Volunteers' momentum in the game.
Brooks’ journey from a walk-on to a potential game-changing defensive asset underscores the essence of college football—the passion, and the unpredictability. As the final whistle blew, Brooks wasn’t just a player who made a significant impact; he was a testament to the culture Josh Heupel has built at Tennessee. For him, Saturday night wasn’t just another game; it was the moment he proved that even against all odds, greatness can be achieved with heart and determination.
Photo | Knoxville News Sentinel
Comments