Photo via Ryan Sylvia | RTI

One of the most consequential moves of Tennessee football’s offseason came back in December when Josh Heupel terminated Tim Banks’ contract and hired veteran coordinator Jim Knowles to replace him. That move could pay dividends on the recruiting trail, at least with one 2027 target.

Four-star linebacker Kenneth Simon is the son of former Tennessee All-SEC linebacker Kevin Simon and a top target for the Vols in the 2027 cycle. Kevin Simon joined The Eric Ainge Show Thursday to discuss Tennessee football, and offered some notable remarks about the change.

“I can say it like this— my son was not going to play for Tim Banks,” Simon said. “He just wasn’t. (There was) No identity, and he wasn’t gonna play for him. I love that Jim Knowles is here. And Tennessee is definitely back in the mix now (for Kenneth Simon) with Jim Knowles’ presence. So I’m really excited about where the defense is going.”

Tennessee’s defense progressively got better during Banks’ first four seasons as defensive coordinator, peaking with a top 15 defense that led the Vols to the College Football Playoffs in 2024. But the Vols’ defense collapse in 2025, ranking 92nd in scoring defense a season ago leading Heupel to make a change.

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Simon criticized the lack of identity of Banks’ units and thinks there will be a change with Knowles. He also expressed his pleasure that Rodney Garner remains Tennessee’s defensive line coach.

“Giving the defense an identity, a personality,” Simon said. “And I know things have gone well, but we haven’t necessarily had that, defensively. It’s been led by Rodney Garner, when it’s been at its best, just because he’s the best coach. I mean, I think he’s the best coach on the staff period. He had those guys on the defensive line going.”

Kenneth Simon is a four-star recruit who attends Brentwood Academy in Middle Tennessee. He released a top four late last month that included Tennessee, Alabama, Ole Miss and Texas A&M.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound linebacker ranks as a four-star recruit and the No. 252 player in the 2027 recruiting class according to the 247sports composite rankings. Simon also ranks as the No. 15 linebacker and No. 11 player in the state of Tennessee.

Kevin Simon played at Tennessee from 2001-05 and twice earned All-SEC honors before the Washington Redskins selected him in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft.