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Head coach Butch Jones addressed the local media Thursday at the Ray and Lucy Hand Digital Studio.
August 27, 2015
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — With only nine days remaining until the Sept. 5 season-opener against Bowling Green, Tennessee head football coach Butch Jones met with the media Thursday afternoon. Topics ranged from injuries, to position battles, to outstanding individual performances.
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(Opening statement)
“Thanks for coming out. [I] just kind of want to give an update on the team, and kind of moving forward. We’re basically in the final conclusion of being in camp mode, and really entering into game week mode. Tonight we’ll have a mock game, where it’s just about every situation, every scenario that can present itself in the course of a game, and not just through one game but throughout the entire course of the season. I think it’s very, very important, it’s one of the most important evenings that we have for our football team, just because of the youth. Again, trying to gain live game repetitions through the different situations that can present itself, right down to pregame warmups. We’ll wear our uniforms, so we show up next Saturday [and] everything fits, and everything looks great. Our players have really put in a lot of work, and they’ve invested. They’ve invested in getting one percent better, and particularly in the last two and a half weeks we’ve had some very, very good practices.
“We’re receiving very, very good leadership. I like the morale. I like the mentality of our football team. We still do need to clean some items up, and play cleaner football. It starts with the pre-snap penalties. It starts with taking care of the football. And then, vice-versa, it stems with taking the football away on defense, and having a relentless approach, and having great details at getting the ball out. That’s something that we’ll continue to strive for and work hard for, but that’s something that we need to get cleaned up in a hurry.
“I spoke about this a couple days ago, in terms of our three phases of football, again, our special teams. We invest so much in our special teams game, and I think we can see the benefits of that last year. We won a bowl game. We won a bowl championship, and it’s directly correlated to playing winning football on special teams. We’re going to need some individuals [to] step up, and really embrace their role and star in their role. We’re going to be extremely youthful on special teams, but we do have talent. So, again, our players need to understand the value of field position, and wanting to be on those special teams, and to their credit, they do. It’s just now, investing your technique, investing in your skill set, investing in the fundamentals, the fine details, and the schematics of it.
“From an injury update [standpoint], Jason Croom will have a scope done on Friday, just to kind of see how the healing process is going for him, and I’ll know a little bit more exactly where Jason is following the conclusion of the surgery on Friday. Vincent Perry has a meniscus [injury]. To the extent, of the severity of the injury, we do not know. We’ll know more. They’re going to also scope his knee on Friday, and so we’ll know a little more in moving forward Fridayafternoon. [It’s] very, very unfortunate with Vincent. It was a non-contact drill. It was on-air, and he just cut on the grass and twisted his knee and went down. I think most of you all saw that, and I appreciate the respect that you’ve had for our policy here. I really, really appreciate all that you guys are doing in respecting our policies, because it’s all about the welfare and well-being of the student athlete and their families, and protecting them first and foremost. I really appreciate all your efforts with that.
“LaDarrell McNeil, this one came kind of out of nowhere. Very, very unfortunate. I feel for him. He’s had some neck instability there, so he’s undergoing further examination, but he will be out an extended period of time. It could be a lengthy period of time, but everything is about the welfare of our student athletes and making sure that there’s life after football and everything that he’s going through. [I] feel for him, feel for his family. He’s a great representative of Tennessee football, [he] has done everything that we ask, and he’s got a special place in my heart for him, just like all of our players. I feel for him.
“Alton [Pig] Howard will be suspended for the Bowling Green game, the first game of the year, for violation of team rules. This isn’t something that just occurred, this is something that dates back many months. However, to Alton’s credit, I like the way he’s approached training camp. He’s had the best training camp he’s had since we’ve been here. I’m appreciative of his efforts, but he will miss the Bowling Green game. I will answer any questions you may have.”
(On Preston Williams’ ACT testing)
“I know he took it on the 10th, and if it all serves me today is the 27th. The update is out of our hands. We’re hoping to find something out here very, very shortly. I think it is unfortunate that this young man has had to go through this lengthy process. Again, these are young adults, and not just their career as a football, that’s secondary. Their life as a student-athlete, this young man has weathered this. It has been on his mind constantly and his family’s mind. I think in moving forward we have to have a time frame that really respects our students. With going to classes and drop/add is coming up and the stress and the pressure. I just think that is something we need to look at it because he has done anything and everything that everyone asked of him in terms of the test, showing up on time, and being there. For it to wait this long I don’t know understand how it’s come to this, but we’re hoping we have some clarity of the situation today, tomorrow, next week whenever they deem that they want to share the results.”
(On explanation of delay in results)
“No, it’s just unfortunate.”
(On who might step in for LaDarrell McNeil)
“Again, you can take situations in football and this a great illustration where going into the season the safety position is a position of depth and all of a sudden in one day your depth can go from being a strength to being something you have to address. Obviously, Brian Randolph has played a lot of football, TK (Todd Kelly Jr.) benefitted from last year, Evan Berry as well. We should haveStephen Griffin back by Monday’s practice so that will help. Max Arnold has played there as well. Again, that’s why I talked about the special teams. It takes a hit on your special teams; these are all unfortunate when you look at Rashaan Gaulden, Marcus Jackson, Austin Sanders. Now you look at Vincent Perry, you look at LaDarrell. You just don’t replace the production of some of those individuals especially on your special team, but we feel for them, we’ll support them. But also, it’s an opportunity for other individuals and we need other individuals to step up, embrace their roles and impact this football team in winning football games.”
(On status of receiving corps)
“We have taken some hits there, but I will tell you this. We’ve had probably the best week of practice as a receiving corps as we’ve had since we’ve been here. The attention to details, the efficiency, we’ve really challenged our throw game in terms of efficiency. We have to be much, much more efficient. Again it’s everything, it’s protection. When people think of throw game they think of quarterbacks and wide receivers. There’s much, much more to it. I think our receivers have taken monumental strides in moving forward. Josh Malone has had a very, very productive training camp. We all know the story of Jauan Jennings and everything that he has been doing. We should get Josh Smith back Monday, which will be a benefit. It’s a limited group, but again it’s an opportunity to step up and insert your will on this football team.”
(On clarifying offensive line depth)
We’re getting close. Everyone gets caught up in a depth chart, but a depth chart is just where you start practice, where you start the game. But like I told you before we have no time restrictions in terms. That unit has continued to get better and better and better. I’ve been really proud of them. The progress that they have made over the last 10 days; every individual in the offensive line room is doing a good job and they’re getting better. The other thing, what’s happening is because we have some competition there, every individual is raising his standard, raising his bar, raising his game and that’s been great to see. So it’s been a positive, so it’s been an extremely positive thing and if it means on game day announcing who it is, on game day we’ll announce it. But we want them to continue to grow and elevate each other’s game.”
(On how the talent of the true freshman offensive linemen affect competition)
“I think some of it, but also our older players. Our older players continue to progress and develop and they’re still relatively very, very young. So I think it’s just the whole unit, it’s not just the freshmen. They’re doing a good job, but all of the individuals in that room are doing a good job. They’ve all made marked improvement. And that’s what’s rewarding as a coach is you can see from practice to practice the small details: the pad level, the leverage, the hands, the first step, the second step, the finishing of plays. You can start to see that materialize now. So that’s been very rewarding and I know they have a lot of confidence right now because they can see it as well. They can see the progress that they’re making. And that’s a very close-knit group and they push each other each and every day, which has been great to see as well.”
(On if he knows an 8-deep rotation along the offensive line)
“Yeah, we have a core group of guys that we know, that have kind of emerged to put themselves in that category. Right now, we’ve done a preliminary travel squad and we usually travel with 10 linemen and it’s the first time since we’ve been here–we’ve had to fight and scratch to travel with eight–where we could travel with upwards of 12 to 13. That’s a byproduct of everything, Mike, that we’ve talked about, Dustin, that we’ve talked about in terms of just the overall competitive component. And competition either makes you better or it makes you worse. And the great competitors, they compete each and every day. And every great program, every great individual in life who’s accomplished something, they’ve had to go through a competitive battle. And it’s ongoing. And like I said, we have to continue to grow in development. It’s not just the offensive line. It’s the receiving corps, it’s the running backs, it’s the quarterbacks, it’s the D-line. It’s every position. It’s nine-strong. We need to continue to grow and develop and never stop growing and developing. And some individuals may not be ready right now, but who knows Game Five, Game Six? I continue to say it: two years ago Joshua Dobbs wasn’t on the travel squad when we went to the University of Florida. And now look what’s happened. And that’s a great illustration. And there’s illustrations across our roster where you can point to illustrations like that.”
(On whether he has decided on a punter)
“Still another thing. You know, it’s ongoing. And all three individuals are elevating their game and it’ll be the individual who continues to display confidence, but also continue to display the consistency that we need. But all three individuals are doing a very, very good job.”
(On whether he would play two punters vs. Bowling Green)
“You know, whatever the situation dictates.”
(On if he’d consider fining players for misconduct)
“No we would not. We have some policies in terms of academics. We have a class attendance policy, we have things like. You know, some of the motivation is through ticket allotments. We have policies and procedures in place, but never anything in terms of a monetary amount or a value there.”
(On Zach Azzanni’s development as a coach)
“You’re always learning your players and that’s the one thing about Coach Azzanni is, you know, we talk about constant, never-ending improvement and continuing to get better. I think he’s done a great job of really building relationships in that room and not just from player to coach but player to player, you know, across the board. You have some individuals who understand our standard and our expectations in that room and they understood, you know, they understood the dynamics that was in that room. And now they understand the dynamics in how far we’ve come. And it’s a standard and it’s an expectation: it’s Wide Receiver U. There’s standards that we have to uphold, but they take great pride in their performance, they push each other, they’re coaching each other. I think the addition of Jauan Jennings in that room–anytime you add an individual of that competitiveness, that competitive character that he has–I think it elevates the game. It elevates everyone’s game, it elevates a room. But I think it’s also Marquez Northhas been a very good leader of understanding. Josh Smith, even though he’s missed some time out on the practice field, he’s still leading. Alton [Pig] Howard has done a very good job at times of leading that room. Josh Malone has worked exceptionally hard. And I could go on and on and I’d be remiss if I missed somebody and that’s why I don’t like singling individuals out. But just that entire room I think is a byproduct, again, of Power of the Position and working to be nine-strong.”
(On the competition at MIKE linebacker and the status of Kenny Bynum)
“I think that’s just where we’re at going into Game One now. Bowling Green, as we all know, is going to present many, many challenges for you defensively, schematically with their skill set. They have a quarterback who I feel is an NFL quarterback. They have a veteran offensive line. They’ve been conference champions before and they understand what it is to win. Their players know how to win. They have very good running backs and they’re a very, very explosive offense. So again, right now it’s just where individuals are.
“Kenny Bynum has had a very productive camp for us. I have been very, very pleased with Kenny Bynum. It’s just that some individuals are ahead of individuals but like we spoke about, some individuals may not be ready by Game One. But they may be ready by Game Three, Game Five or Game Six. That’s why the constant growth and development of this football team and this football program is critical. When you still look at it, we’re going to play most of our freshman class. As a coach, that’s alarming at times because you have to make sure too that they continue to grow and develop in the strength and conditioning room. Obviously, there has to be academic progress and everything that goes into it. So, when you’re a young football team, you have to continue to grow and elevate yourself each and every day to make sure you’re doing the right things that are necessary. But our kids, like I said, everyone in our football program has elevated their game.”
(On Dillon Bates’ progress through fall camp)
“Dillon gets better and better. Dillon’s role right off, starting right away, is that he has to excel on special teams. And we all know what special teams has done for the Bates family. Dillon is as competitive of an individual that we have in our program. He is of the highest character and he wants to do it. His care factor is very, very high and he will do a very good job for us on special teams. He is also continuing to get better at the linebacker position. You know, here’s a young man who missed most of the year and so there is a learning curve that comes back to us. It’s strength levels, taking your reads, a high level of physicality, deciphering run-to-pass, especially with the offensive schemes that we see nowadays. It challenges your eyes, it challenges you and puts you in conflict in terms of your run-pass keys. So, there’s a lot that goes into it but I’ve been very pleased with Dillon.”
(On whether Dillon Bates will stay at the MIKE position)
“We’re going to move him around a little bit. His football intelligence allows him to do that. So, we’re also going to get him some repetitions at WILL linebacker.”
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