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Head Coach Butch Jones
(Opening Statement)
“First of all, I would like to say congratulations to Peyton Manning, I spoke via text this morning with him. So again, very proud of him. I would also like to say thank you to all of Vol Nation who came out and attended Saturdaynights game. I think are many great illustrations that that points towards. First of all, it was great positive energy and excitement, environment that surrounds that building of our football program. I think it is a great illustration to our current players of the magnitude, the relevancy or however you want to phrase it, the relevance of Tennessee football and how important it is. And then to prospective student-athletes as well. Just the great momentum and energy that Vol Nation provides to us each and every week no matter if we are on the road or in Neyland Stadium. So I would like to again, thank those individuals for coming out.
Looking back at the game and then moving on to Alabama. I thought we have many, many opportunities to impact the game Saturday night and we weren’t able to do that. Again, two to three plays, four to six plays, each game is a little bit different, but we had many opportunities to really change the whole complexity of the game and we didn’t take advantage of that. That is part of, that is how you win football games. I thought we started fast defensively which we spoke about in the post game press conference. 37 yards in the first seven possessions. But we need to start taking the ball away defensively. We spend so much time on ball disruptions and working the fine details of it. That is what I spoke to our defensive players about is, how do you go from good to great? everything we do, we want to be elite, everything that we do. That is a mindset. That is a mindset of a champion. So the next stage of growth and development defensively is being able to impact the quarterback and take the ball away defensively. We have to continue to focus on the things that we can control. We spoke about it. Control the controllables. That is all we can do. That is with our ’63’ effort that we speak about. It is in our toughness. It is out overall discipline which we talk about as well each and every day. But again we have to start creating our own opportunities with everything and not waiting for things to happen. I think sometimes playing the inordinate about of young players that we are playing, sometimes maybe anxiety or I don’t know if it is nervousness or waiting for someone else to go make a play instead of you stepping up, rely on your training, you have been trained all week long, just go make a play. I told our players before the game, don’t worry about making mistakes, if you make a mistakes make it full speed. But we have to go, we have to play fast, we have to be assertive and relentless. That doesn’t mean reckless at all but you have to rely on your training. So again, we have to continue to work to get better at that.
“So I will answer any questions that you may have.”
(On injuries)
“I will know a little bit more on all three of these individuals as the week progresses. Justin [Worley] will be at practice today, he will be out there, he will practice. Marcus Jackson should be at practice today. We are waiting on whether Coleman [Thomas] will be held out practice today or not. But I anticipate all three being available on Saturday ready to go. But we will see as the week progresses.”
(On Justin Worley’s injuries)
“Justin has been through a lot and I think it is a accumulative effect, not just the sacks but the hits that he has been through, he has been gritty, he has been showing great perseverance. I think it is a accumulative effect.”
(On balancing the process)
“I guess I am going to go back, thanks for making me feel better, but I am going to go back and just going to talk you through it in terms of you have to rely on the process. We are going through a process of building a football program right now and you can’t get caught in the emotions of the ups and downs, the natural adversities that a football season brings about and the building of a football program. A lot of sleepless nights but also as the leader, you step back and are you making progress. Where are you making progress? What areas do you need to improve on? Whether it is personnel-wise, whether it is coaching, whether it is scheme, whether it is administrative, whether it is recruiting. We are all disappointed, because you play the game to win and it is a bottom line business. You are measured on wins and losses. I understand that. But again you have to go back and look where you are at and I am as optimistic and encouraged as I have ever been and I see progress every day. That is measure in so many ways. It is measured in our youthfulness and these individuals that are playing. And it is keeping everything in perspective. That is life in the SEC. Has it been a great challenge? Yes. I don’t think anyone has ever been through that. But it is going to make us better in the long run. It shows you who is with you. Everyone has a chance to prove themselves but again you have to be resilient. As the caretaker, as the leader you focus on the bullseye but also see the broad picture of where you are going. We are making great strides and we are making great progress. We just need to continue to assemble talent, recruit and develop the young men that are here.
“Completely different culture, mindset, the inordinate amount of texts I receive again, you know from individuals. They take pride in their performance. They internalize every play that they make. The big thing for a young football team is not getting caught up in the outside distractions, those are all external factors. Just focus on being a better football player each and everyday. You are responsible for what you create everyday. That is what we talk to our players about. Again, I am encouraged, disappointed, yeah, because we expect to win the football game. We expect that every week but I can’t let that detract us from where we are going. We are on the road to assembling another Top-Five, Top-10 recruiting class. You really think about it, it is incredible. Our coaches have done a great job. We will get there and I am proud of our players. Our players, again, are working exceptionally hard and they are very prideful and they take pride in their performance. We need to continue to get better. I continually say it, I love our players.”
(On how the team responded on Sunday)
“What you would expect, very disappointed, disappointed in a number of things, in performances, all those things that are associated with the outcome of the game. But also ready to get back to work. I met with our players staff and we spoke about where we are going, the journey we are on, it is a long football team, keeping these in perspective, it is an opportunity to leave your legacy in terms of leadership and where we are going. Nobody has blinked, nobody had flinched, we just keep going, that is all you can do. When you come up on the short end of things everything becomes magnified. You don’t get the bounce of a football, you get an untimely penalty, you drop a ball, you jump offsides. You do something. We are responsible for what we create. I am a firm believer, if you continue to play hard and you invest in victory, live your life the right way, that ball all of a sudden bounces into your arms, you find a way to make a play, you find a way to make a break, and that why you just have to keep grinding. Football is life just sped up a lot faster. That is what we talk about everyday. But we are going to be fine. We just have to keep grinding.”
(On how the team responded what he expected)
“That is what I expected. We are so youthful, they don’t know any better. They have no past experiences. It is kind of that unconscious incompetence. They don’t know, they don’t know. They just show up to work everyday. I have to rely on the older players. That was kind of the talk with A.J. [Johnson] and Curt [Maggitt]. That they have seen this materialize before, what makes you different? What makes you a different leader? What are you doing different to lead? How have you learned from your past experiences? Because that is what great leaders do. Just that overall stability and leadership and hunger I see everyday. So it didn’t surprise me.”
(On missed opportunities at Ole Miss)
“We thought we had great opportunities for a couple interceptions, we had the right defensive call with the right down-and-distance. You know, robbing a dig route and we are waiting for it to be thrown and it is thrown and we kind of freeze in the moment. We have a long run down the sidelines and if our receiver continues to run off in the man coverage or block his guy there is a great chance we are going to score on that play. Missed passes, missed opportunities. So again, when your opportunities present itself you have to make plays. They understand that, they will come back to work today. But again we have to create our own opportunities. Those are opportunities that we out ourselves in position to make and we didn’t make. And that is how you win football games.”
(On the game meaning more since playing against Lane Kiffin)
“The game means everything to our football program and our fans because it is the University of Alabama not because it is Lane Kiffin. Three-quarters of our team, he is a great coach but nobody knows who Lane Kiffin is. Again, that is for the fans. We have to concentrate on the game. We are playing a great, great opponent, top-five opponent. They played as inspired of a football game as I have seen in a very, very long time against Texas A&M. They are a great football team. As we all know, they are well-coached. They are a measuring stick for a lot of programs. So again, we have to focus on the task at hand and that is playing a top-five opponent. We can’t worry about the distractions and all that. That will never even be mentioned in our team, I don’t even think our team even realizes it to be honest with you. If they are, then they are worried about something that has no meeting in the outcome.”
(On if he will talk to the student section again before Saturday)
“I’ve met with the leadership of our student body. It’s not just what went on against Florida or moving forward, whether it’s Alabama or Kentucky or Missouri. They’re all home games. There’s much more to that. First of all, thanking them. Again, what they’ve done has been remarkable. They continue to support our football team. We continue to sell out our student section when most universities don’t sell out their student sections. They have provided great energy and excitement on campus. Our prospective student athletes see it. So part of it was just saying thank you and continuing to grow and build our relationship. Then talk about how we can move forward from a game day experience for our student body, what we want to do for the spring game, what we want to do in spring football, and then what we need from them in the current. So, it was more than just that. There were many topics on the agenda, but it is important that they understand what they represent. They represent a brand. They represent something that is very powerful in the University of Tennessee, and we don’t take that lightly.”
(On if he has met Lane Kiffin)
“No.”
(On how much Cam Sutton was matched up with Laquon Treadwell)
“We tried to create that matchup, so more so than ever before. We thought Cam competed and did a very good job. He was very very productive for us.”
(On the offensive line competition is the same)
“Yeah, based on injury situations and all that, yeah in moving forward.”
(On what the offense can do to help the offensive line)
“Make plays. Again, we brought up a missed block on the perimeter, a couple of dropped touchdown passes. That changed the complexion of the game. That takes a lot of pressure off. Again, what do families do in need? They help each other out. That’s a brotherhood. That’s a family. So, other individuals need to step up around them as well. Again, continuing to work the play as one. We talk about playing complimentary football, offense, defense, special teams, but we need to play complimentary football within ourselves offensively too, all eleven playing together. When you watch the video, it’s nine guys doing the right thing, ten guys doing the right thing, and everything is magnified. It’s just going back to be responsible to doing your job, not try to do anyone else’s job, and just focus on your job.”
(On how much of the protection breakdown is on Justin Worley instead of the offensive line)
“That’s a good point, and sometimes it is. A quarterback also has to have a timing mechanism in his head. There’s an internal clock. So, if it’s a three step drop, you take your drop. If the ball’s not there, throw it away, put it on the shelf, and play the next down. Sometimes Justin, trying to make a play, holds on to the ball more than he should. So, it is, it’s a combination. Everyone points towards the offensive line, but it’s backs in protection, it’s tight ends in protection. It’s our rhythm in our throw game. It’s a combination of all that together and it just becomes magnified. “
(On the difference in Alabama’s offensive line this Saturday)
“Well, they’ve played good opponents. They’re talented. They’re big, they’re physical up front, a very typical Alabama offensive line. I think they’re playing to the strengths of their players. They did a lot of quick screens, a lot of dual packages where you have the run and the pass option off of it. I think they’re doing a great job. I think Blake Simms, every week he plays he gets better and better at managing their offense. He’s making plays. He adds a whole other dynamic to their offense because he can not only make plays with his arm, but he can make plays with his legs. That was evident this past week. Again, they’re very talented out on the perimeter. They’re getting the ball in the hands of their playmakers, but they can run the football and they’re very physical. I know they still want to be a physical football team. The game that they played was very impressive.”
(On an ideal play count for players)
“Well, each game is different with the play count, but you’re exactly right. We would like to limit our plays and that’s a byproduct, that’s all relative to your depth on your football team. In a perfect world, I would say between thirty and forty-five snaps. We have individuals right now that are going eighty or seventy-five, and then the other thing; it’s not just the defensive snaps. It’s also the special teams repetitions as well. Again, we have some individuals that are playing maybe sixty snaps defensively, but fifteen or sixteen snaps with special teams. When you go through the grind of a long season, it’s an accumulative effect. That’s why the recruiting element, the development element, is very important as you continue to move a program. When you build a program, the first thing usually you have to prepare is the overall depth in competition at each position. Plus, I think when you play more guys that helps your morale. That gives everyone a role and a responsibility on their team. I think it’s very healthy in all regards. Nothing is better than having competition and basing who starts based on your week of preparation. So, it all goes hand in hand.”
(On combinations used after Marcus Jackson and Coleman Thomas went down)
“All of the individuals that played did some good things, but also have some things, obviously, that they need to work on. I thought Brett Kendrick did some very positive things in moving forward. I like a lot of the little things he did. Jacob (Gilliam), he’s a warrior. Again, here’s a fifth year player, a walk-on who gained a scholarship playing in a game against the number three ranked opponent in the country versus no ACL. His big thing is just the stamina on getting back his quickness. He’s not there yet, but he’ll get there.”
(On Josh Malone’s performance)
“Josh is one of those individuals we spoke about, about being assertive, being more assertive. Again, just playing fast, and I thought he played fast. I thought it was his best game he’s played to date. He attacked the ball in the air. He ran routes with confidence. He played with confidence and he showed a little bit of his skill set. We’re going to need more of that moving forward. Josh is an individual who has really changed his style of play, his habits; he works hard every day, great character. He’s going to continue to get better and better. That’s when we talk about what John brought up about scheduling and all of that that goes into it. You have to step back and you look at some of the things that these individuals are doing. It’s really impressive. When you look at Jalen Hurd and you look at Josh Malone, you look at Jashon Robertson, you look at Daniel Helm, you look at Ethan Wolfe, you look at what Coleman Thomas has done, you look at what Derek Barnett is doing,Rashaan Gaulden now starting to play a little bit more, Todd Kelly Jr., I could go on and on. We’ve asked a lot of these youngsters, and they don’t flinch. They keep bringing it every week.”
(On when Jacob Gilliam approached him about practicing and playing again)
“Probably the day after the injury, he said, `Coach I will be back,’ and he has kind of willed himself to being back. I said, `Let’s take it one day at a time and we’ll see.’ He was adamant with our team doctors and our trainers, and has done a great job of really following their instructions of rehabilitation and working his way back. He wanted to be around the team, still wanted to be there nights before the games, was involved in practice, involved in all the meetings, did the extra. He was determined. Knowing him, when he laid on that ground in Neyland Stadium, he was determined at that point in time to get back. It’s a great illustration that when you’re determined to do something, you put your mind to do something, you can usually accomplish it.”
(On injuries and youth at running back effecting play calling)
“It presents major challenges. You’re trying to take into consideration so many things when you’re calling a play. I think, at times, people view play calling as some magical cure. That you just dial a magical play and it just automatically works. It’s run by human beings. There’s a human element. I can get up on the grease board and draw you up every play that’s blocked to score touchdowns. There’s a human side of it that goes along with it. It’s being able to make plays. Sometimes an individual may be covered and you throw a jump ball and he goes up and makes a play and everyone says, `That was a great play call.’ When we call plays, we like to think players not plays. How can we get the hands in our playmakers? It does challenge you, because you’re trying to take into consideration many things than just trying to get the ball in the hands of the player.”
(On whether he feels teams in the SEC could win a National Championship)
“I do. I believe there is a number of SEC teams this year that have the ability and capabilities of winning a National Championship and we’re playing a lot of them. And we’re being competitive. We’ve put ourselves in positions to win those games and we’ve come up short and that’s the disappointing thing but also, it’s an encouraging thing as well. I think there is a number of teams in this league this year that will have the opportunity and has the talent to win the National Championship. It’s almost expected in this conference, as well.”
(On Cameron Sutton wanting to be on tough receivers)
“He’s playing with great confidence right now. In about the start of the fourth quarter against UT Chattanooga, I walked over to Cam and said, “Congratulations on the victory. Now, you get to cover Laquon Treadwell, a great player.” He said, “Coach, I want to play him in a man.” And Laquon Treadwell is a great player. He’s going to have a number of catches, so I don’t want to take anything away from him because he’s as talented as there is. But I love Cam, he’s very, very competitive. He wants the ball thrown at him in crucial situations and that’s when you know you have a player that’s playing with great confidence. He wants the ball in his hands on a punt return, he’s playing with an inordinate amount of confidence. But as we know, life in this conference, here comes Amari Cooper and one of the best players in the country. He’s dynamic, he’s explosive, he can do it all, he can run the deep ball, he can run the intermediate routes, he can catch in advance, he’s proven his skillset and he’s proven it over time in this league with making plays. So it’ll be another challenge in and of itself, not just for Cam but for our entire secondary. We won’t be matched up on him all the time. They do some very, very good things in terms of formationally and moving him around so that you can’t match him up.”
(On why Marquez North hasn’t seen as many snaps the last few days)
“It’s just, again, making plays when you get the opportunity to make plays. Sometimes it’s the coverage. Do they roll the coverage his way? Is he getting free access? Is he getting one-on-one opportunities? So there is a number of different elements that go into that.”
(On evaluating Marquez North and receivers against coverage)
“We’ve taken some strides and are moving forward with that. It’s just our one-on-one matchups and at the end of the day, we spoke about play calling but really football comes down to a game of one-on-one matchups. You work to dominate your opponent. It’s a game of one-on-ones and we spend a lot of time working the press release technique. Are we a finished product already? No, but we’ll continue to progress and get better. What we’re aided by is our size. We have some big-bodied wide outs who can go up and high point the football. A part of that also is getting release at the line of scrimmage and playing with a very high level of physicality as well.”
(On updates regarding Josh Smith)
“We’ve missed Josh immensely. Josh Smith means so much to our football program and our football team, not just on the field but off the field. He’s a leader and he’s still leading that way but I know it’s really bothering him not being on the field. He’s making progress and he’ll start running this week. Will he be available for Alabama? I think it’s a long shot but he will be out at practice. He will be running and we’ll see. He’s done his due diligence in the training room but he’s a playmaker for us and anytime you take a playmaker off the field, that hurts you. It also hurts your overall depth or it hurts your overall competition which we just spoke about. He’s a talented young man and we look forward to getting him back soon.”
(On whether Josh Smith will redshirt)
“He’ll play. If we go a few more weeks, which I don’t expect, maybe we’ll visit that but right now, we’re here to win football games. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about so that thought hasn’t even crossed my mind.”
(On the possibility of more freshman playing this year)
“There is a possibility and a lot of that is based on our depth. It’s also based on their continual growth and development. Like today, we’ll go out and we’ll have a short practice and then we do a developmental practice for all of those individuals who maybe have played very sparingly in a game or have not played at all. They kind of have their own practice to make sure that when their opportunity comes, they’re ready to take advantage of that.”
(On handling the on-going offensive line competition)
“What will be great competition there is just consistency during practice, consistency in performance, knowledge of the offense. You know, we talk about controlling the controllables and a part of that is your mental preparation where you can have no ME’s or mental errors. Again, our margin of error is very small so it starts with us completely understanding our responsibility in every single play, the fundamentals, the fine details of winning that play. So, all of that will go into that.”
(On the importance of deciding O-line availability this week)
“Very, very important. On the offensive line, you need repetitions throughout the course of the week during practice because of the different looks that defenses give you, particularly Alabama. They do a great job of disguising the moving of their fronts and the speed of the game. I was brought up in the profession that if an individual hasn’t practiced by Wednesday, he’s not going to play in the game because he won’t be game ready. Every time we’ve played an individual who hasn’t practiced all week, he didn’t particularly have a good performance. You play the way you practice and that’s why practice is extremely critical moving forward.”
JUNIOR LINEBACKER CURT MAGGITT(On enjoying playing teams like Alabama) (On managing locker room when one side of the ball is struggling) (On if the 2012 defensive struggles help in being a leader on this team) (On playing downhill teams such as Alabama) (On how often he sees powerful RBs such as Derrick Henry coming off the bench) (On awareness of importance of Alabama game for Tennessee fans) (On knowledge of Lane Kiffin) (On whether Lane Kiffin recruited him) “Yeah, a little bit.” SOPHOMORE CORNERBACK CAMERON SUTTON(On playing talented receivers back-to-back weeks) (On noticing matchups versus two top talented receivers) (On willingness to go against talented receivers) (On Alabama’s WR Amari Cooper) (On not settling on one receiver vs. Alabama) (On whether former teammates or VFLs have spoken to them about Kiffin) (On his familiarity with Lane Kiffin) (On whether Alabama’s game last week changed their mindset) (On how much time he spends watching film) SOPHOMORE DEFENSIVE END COREY VEREEN(On impressions of Alabama’s offensive line) (On Saturday’s game vs. Ole Miss) (On overthinking in previous games) (On whether or not it was his best game) (On why only statistically) (On playing downhill teams such as Alabama) (On if Lane Kiffin’s return impacts team) (On what the line needs to do against Alabama) |
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