FEATURE: 'Be Where Your Two Feet Are'
How Andre Turrentine is using brotherhood, family to stay grounded in his final year at Tennessee
by Sarah Portanka
Be where your two feet are.
These are six powerful words that senior safety Andre Turrentine holds close to his heart.
It’s a phrase preached by his coaches in practice and film rooms. It’s echoed on Thursday nights as the defensive room gathers in Turrentine’s living room. It’s been spoken by his mother, Jajuan Turrentine, for as long as he can remember.
For Turrentine, these six words are a reminder to enjoy every moment and attack each day as he stands at the precipice of his final year as a Tennessee Vol.
One way Turrentine is enjoying the moment is through the brotherhood forged with his teammates.
Every Thursday night, the defensive room files into Turrentine’s house for a night of brotherhood. The weekly tradition began with Turrentine’s former teammate and current Los Angeles Rams safety, Jaylen “Tank” McCollough. After McCollough left Tennessee, Turrentine took it upon himself to keep the tradition alive.
Whether you’re a veteran starter or a second-string freshman, all are welcome.
“You don’t have to present yourself in a certain way; you can just be yourself,” Turrentine said.
Inviting his teammates into his home creates a safe space and level of trust that no practice or game can emulate.
Knowing exactly what these guys know, what they struggle with — they're more open to telling me what they're struggling with, and just areas that I can help them that the coaches may not be able to.Andre Turrentine
Things that I've seen as a player and experienced, that I can relate to and help them understand as a new player, or maybe someone who hasn't experienced it.
Building relationships with younger players and becoming a mentor is something that Turrentine has learned to value.
“Knowing that they look up to me, knowing that they're asking me about experiences that I've had before they've gotten here or even experienced, my perspective. … It's a blessing to be able to lead guys like this, guys that will be successful long after I'm gone,” Turrentine said.
Turrentine recalled older teammates taking him under their wing when he first arrived on campus. Four years later, Turrentine has carried that with him to take freshman safety Dylan Lewis under his own wing.
“He’ll be a starting safety here when I'm gone, so I want him to be able to represent the safety room in a wonderful way, and when his time comes, to know that he's ready.”
As teammate bonds and relationships strengthen off the field, success bleeds into Tennessee’s defensive capabilities.
“From emotional stability outside the building to inside the building, we're depending on each other,” Turrentine said. “We depend on each other to make plays for each other. If the D-line is doing great, the linebackers are doing great, then that's going to help the secondary do great. Being close to each other and feeding off each other is the most important thing.”
This closeness is the very thing that makes Tennessee’s defense unlike any other.
“We take pride in how close we are,” Turrentine said. “We've been through a lot of ups and downs, so just knowing now that we've all had those experiences shared, that's going to help us be more successful.”
One teammate Turrentine has become especially close with through these ups and downs is fellow safety Jourdan Thomas. Turrentine recalled the duo earning their first collegiate starts together against Georgia in November of 2023.
“He’s my best friend on this team,” Turrentine said. “Starting that game together and seeing what he's gone through … I've been here for some of it, but I've definitely not seen everything that he's been through.”
While his teammates have become his family throughout his time at Tennessee, nothing can take away from the presence and support of Turrentine’s immediate family.
His mom has been a part of Turrentine’s football journey for as long as he can remember. From traveling across the country with him throughout his recruiting journey to making the three-hour journey from Nashville nearly every other weekend, Jajuan Turrentine has been there for her son through it all.
“My mom says a lot, a lot all the time,” Turrentine said. “Most of this year, she's helped me with being where my feet are and being happy in the moment. Knowing that this is my last year, knowing that every moment matters, it's very huge for me. She's helping me to stay grounded and root in the fact that family is the most important. If I play through with my family, and I use that as motivation and use that as my support system, then I'll be fine.”
Turrentine described the feeling of looking into the crowd to his family’s faces as one of the greatest in the world. When Tennessee defeated Alabama in 2024, Turrentine recalled looking into the stands to see his older brother, Antonio, with a smile across his face.
“That was an everlasting memory I'm going to have of my brother,” Turrentine said. “Being able to experience something like that, and us having two completely different perspectives, but also sharing the same moment as well.”
If there’s one thing Turrentine has learned from his time at Tennessee, it’s that it takes a village to make an impact. Through the support of his teammates, coaches, friends and family, Turrentine hopes to leave a tangible legacy on the program.
“I want to be able to come back here and to be happy about what I've left behind. I want my name to be on these walls and be able to pinpoint the moments that I've had, and for them to be shared with a lot of people … spending more time with my teammates and being able to carry those relationships throughout my entire life.”