Matthew Butler interview

GARNER, N.C. — Tennessee freshman defensive lineman Matthew Butler is a serious-minded young man.

Almost too serious, though his focus and intensity have impressed one of the most respected figures in the Vols’ football program, strength coach Rock Gullickson.

“Matthew is really dialed in and he asks a lot of questions, high level questions,” said Gullickson, who has had three weeks to work with Butler since he arrived on campus with the 2018 signing class.

“He has been thrown in with the upperclassmen and he realizes where he’s at in the real world, but he’s very determined and so serious,” Gullickson said. “This means the world to him, and he’s trying to do everything right — almost too right — you kind of want him to relax a little bit.

Click to expand...

The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Butler is doing it because he wants to be the best. At everything.

Talk is cheap, but Butler’s 4.3 GPA in high school and five AP classes at Garner High School say much about his discipline.

So does the 24 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press and 325-pound power clean he could put up even before entering Gullickson’s celebrated weight program.

“If he misses a rep, he comes back and gets it, or if he misses a run time, he comes back and does an extra one,” said Gullickson, who prior to his January arrival at Tennessee was a 17-year veteran of the NFL strength coach ranks. “He’s physically gifted, and he’s going to be one of our very best in the weight room over time.”

Click to expand...

“I want to earn my academic patch by the end of summer, the Vol Scholar patch, I plan to get A’s in all my classes,” Butler said. “I want to be a freshman All-American, I want to make the All-SEC team my freshmen year, and I want to get some sacks. I think 8 is realistic, 10 is what I’m going for.”

“I tell Derek [Barnett] every day ‘you set the standard in the D-line room and I’m living up to that standard,’” Butler said. “He knows I’m different than the next guy, and that’s what I’m trying to prove.”

Butler said he wants to win a starting job at Tennessee, which is a bit far-fetched considering the Vols have Darrell Taylor and Jonathon Kongbo projected at defensive end, and Kahlil McKenzie and Kendal Vickers at defensive tackle.

Winning time in the playing rotation, however, is likely provided Butler can continue to persevere.

“He has a competitive mindset,” Tennessee defensive coordinator Bob Shoop said. “He has a desire to play this year.”

Click to expand...

“I want to beat Alabama, I want to go undefeated in the SEC, I want to make it to the SEC championship,” Butler said. “To do that we have to listen to our coaches, we have to stay in the weight room, we have to stay disciplined, we have to take care of our grades so it’s not in the back of our heads, we’ve got to eat right, all kinds of stuff.

“But hey, why can’t we do it?”

Click to expand...

allvol123 said:

Setting goals as a freshman. You want all of this kind that you can get.

He will be a major contributor here if he stays healthy.

Click to expand...

Shades said:

https://www.seccountry.com/tennesse...ntryVols&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social

With this attitude, I think we are going to see a lot of good things from this impressive young man.

Click to expand...

savannahfan said:

I like that he says "I want to", not "we will". (he knows he cannot speak for everyone) That "want to" is a realistic way of explaining goals. Saying "will" sounds like uneducated bragging. I noticed that at the end, he says to reach his goals, he says "we" must do things. He knows he is going to do the things needed to reach those goals.

Click to expand...

Volunteer Boy said:

He may be our next Reggie White . Just needs to add another 15-20 pounds .

Click to expand...

LA vol7 said:

wow! with determination like that he will do very well, on the field and in life! Glad he's a vol!!!

Click to expand...