#VolReport: Worley’s Confidence Brimming

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — After two strong performances to start the season, senior quarterback Justin Worley says his confidence and familiarity with the offense is at an all-time high heading into Saturday’s game at Oklahoma.

“Starting off 2-0, having the success we did as an offense, scoring 30+ points against two quality opponents really helps my confidence,” he said.

“It helps our offense’s confidence as a whole. You can draw a lot of things from that game we did well, but also there’s some things that weren’t quite up to par, so there’s still a lot of learning opportunities. Hopefully this week, week 3, is our best week so far.”

The man snapping the ball to him is also confident in the signal caller’s poise.

“(Justin) gives the younger players confidence that he’s going to make the right plays,” center Mack Crowder said. “Overall, for the whole team he’s a great leader. He bring a good mentality every day. He says this our time to step up and win some games.”

The veteran quarterback says his past experiences in hostile road environments, specifically Oregon last year, have helped him and the team prepare for what they will face Saturday in Norman.

“I feel a lot more ready, comfortable in this type of situation,” he said. “I got caught up in the road atmosphere [last year], being in Eugene and everything.

“It was difficult to find a rhythm and you couldn’t draw (energy) from a crowd. So, learning from that, it’s made me a little more comfortable this week. “

Worley also says he is more comfortable running Coach Bajakian’s “zone-read” offense this season, having a much stronger grasp on when to hand the ball off, and when to keep it himself.

“There’s been more opportunities for me to run. I feel more comfortable pulling it down,” he said.

“Fumbling that ball late in the game doesn’t help with your confidence, but the guys out wide are doing a great job blocking for the running backs and myself.

“(Coach Bajakian) came to me after that last game and said, `There might have been only one or two other times you could have pulled the ball.’ So, I’m doing about as much as he wants me to do, and as much as the defense is giving me. “

DEPTH CHART GAP COVERAGE

Tuesday’s practice brought good news in terms of updates, as freshman tight end Ethan Wolf was announced as day-to-day while junior wide receiver Von Pearson is only expected to miss this week with a high ankle sprain. In the meantime, a highly-anticipated trip Norman, Oklahoma is quickly approaching and will provide an abundance of opportunities for more young Vols to perform in key roles.

With Pearson out at wide receiver, freshman Josh Malone has seen an increased number of reps this week and feels confident that his time spent with quarterback Justin Worley this summer will only help the transition.

“It’s more of an opportunity because somebody has to step up and fill the hole,” Malone said. “Von is a play maker and he makes plays. Justin [Worley] really knows our body language coming out of our routes. We did a lot of routes and got a lot of throwing in.”

Among the young offensive unit, freshman Daniel Helm has also witnessed more field time at tight end in lieu of Wolf. Although Wolf’s absence does create opportunity for Helm, the tight end group remains a unit and is pulling for Wolf to make an appearance in Oklahoma.

“All of us expect to get more just because we don’t know where he is right now,” Helm said. “We hope he can play. I definitely hope he can play, but I’m not going to prepare any differently. I have prepared to play a lot every week because we were rotating a lot. It’s just a little more intense this week.”

While experience may be short, Coach Jones and his staff have without a doubt made up for those lacking areas with preparation. Whether it is coach-to-player or player-to-player instruction, Malone and Helm feel they’ve been put in the best-possible physical and mental condition to succeed for Team 118.

“I feel like we’re a very mature group,” Malone said. “It really doesn’t bother me that we have a young group of guys going into our first road game in a hostile environment. I feel like the coaches have come up with a good game plan to put us in the best situation.”

READY FOR THE CHALLENGE

Saturday will be Team 118’s biggest challenge this season when they come face-to-face with the #4/3 team in the nation. Led by quarterback Trevor Knight, the Vols will have to control both a mobile quarterback and balanced offense, which has piled up 1,016 yards of total offense in two games.

“They challenge you,” head coach Butch Jones said. “They challenge you schematically and they challenge you talent wise. They do a great job. It all starts with their quarterback, dual threat, can make all the throws, can run, different personal groupings.

“They can play physical and run the football, which that is what they want to do, but also they can make it a perimeter game as well. It is very challenging in and of itself and then you add tempo to it, getting lined up and playing fast. Very explosive offense.”

As the team prepares for the difficulties of a fast team, freshman defensive back Todd Kelly Jr. understands the challenge that the defense will face with Knight.

“He’s a ball player,” Kelly Jr. said. “He can make some plays. Some guys are going to have to step up and make plays for us. He’s a scrambler. He’s speedy, and he can throw the ball, so he’s a dual threat quarterback. That’s hard to stop, so we’re going to do our best.”

Defensive lineman Danny O’Brien is expecting nothing less than a quick team with size up front.

“Their tempo is good,” O’Brien said. “After first downs usually they’re running to the line and getting the ball set. You can see it on film, a lot of these defenses get caught off guard by that but with the offense that we run here, we’re used to that. In practice we see that all the time. We’re in great condition.”

However, dealing with a mobile quarterback isn’t something they haven’t seen already. In the first two games of the season, Tennessee met with two quick quarterbacks from both Utah State and Arkansas State.

“The last two quarterbacks gave us a challenge,” linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin said. “We’ll game plan this week and take care of it.

“They’re really big up front. They do a lot of things with their personnel. They have some guys that are very versatile so they can be in one personnel group but they can act like they’re in another personnel group.”

The one thing that all three defenders agree on to be successful in Saturday night’s showdown is adjusting to the personnel groups. Reeves-Maybin emphasizes getting to the ball for turnovers and using the Vols increased speed to pressure a mobile quarterback.

“Going up against a team like this you have to be prepared mentally and physically,” O’Brien said.

HURD READY TO BUILD ON SEC HONOR

Running back Jalen Hurd enters the Oklahoma game as the reigning SEC Freshman of the Week after an 83-yard performance that included the first rushing touchdown of his career against Arkansas State.

The improvement in his game from week one to week two was noticeable, but he said the credit was not all his.

“I think I did different things to where I did better in the game,” Hurd said. “The offensive line and the receivers did great blocking and we had a great scheme.”

Hurd was the first tailback from Tennessee to be named SEC Freshman Of The Week since Arian Foster in 2005 and the first overall freshman award weekly winner since Curt Maggitt in 2011.

Hurd said he saw things on film that helped him develop from game to game and now recognizes even more areas for improvement as he looks back on his award-winning performance. He also recognizes the opportunity that awaits with an opponent of Oklahoma’s stature on the horizon.

“There were times where I have to make somebody miss and have to earn my scholarship,” Hurd said with a laugh. “But we’re working hard for Oklahoma.”

SOUND BITES

Here are sound bites from #Team118:

HEAD COACH BUTCH JONES

»(On Curt Maggitt)

“I think Curt needs to continue to develop his overall technique and fundamentals. You can still see the time that he spent off, from his stance, his start. From understanding that it is split seconds that you are gaining a step here, a step to the left, a step to the right. Not replacing the hand with the foot. Those are inches and those mean the difference between winning the play and impacting the play and not impacting the play. I see he brings another level of toughness, the ability to get to the football. But again, it is improving his overall technique, his stamina of playing play in and play out. But again, he will continue to get better and better with the amount of game repetitions as well.”

»(On Todd Kelly Jr. )

“TK has had a level of maturity ever since he arrived. He is going through the experiences of playing collegiate football for the first time. So yeah, there is a lot of growing pains but he has been very, very mature. He has been one of this true freshmen, he has been a little bit different in the way he handles himself, he is extremely cerebral, he is very bright, he has great football intelligence, great instincts. I think that really helps him.”

FRESHMAN RUNNING BACK JALEN HURD

»(On playing a night game on national television)

“I’m definitely looking forward to it. You know, a nationally televised game like this on ABC, it’s what I’m dreaming of. Our team is working hard every day and I’m looking forward to this game.”

»(On his improvements with pass protection)

“I think my pass protection has improved a lot, along with the whole running back group. I think we’re doing well on that but there is always room for us to improve and we’re working on it every day.”

FRESHMAN WIDE RECEIVER JOSH MALONE

»(On making the adjustment to in-season college football)

“It started to slow down a lot during the summer and during fall camp and I’m just getting more comfortable with the playbook, working on being a big timer and just being in the film room. I’m taking care of my body more, putting the right stuff in my body. It’s just one of those transitions that I’m going through.”

» (On his expectations leading into the Oklahoma game)

“”Honestly, it’s probably going to feel uncomfortable at first. Norman, Oklahoma has a very hostile environment in their stadium so I’m looking forward to the opportunity to go out there and get better, play a good game, go to war with my teammates and win.”

FRESHMAN DEFENSIVE BACK TODD KELLY JR.

»(On when he knew he would start in the Arkansas game)

“They let me know about four or five days before the game to make sure that I had my mind right. Once I knew, I had to get my mind right and make sure I was doing what I was supposed to do, locked in, knowing all the checks, all the schemes, stuff like that so I wouldn’t be the guy that busts a coverage.”

»(On what is the next step in his development)

I’m focused on winning ball games. That’s what it’s all about in football. I’m focused on the team. Coach Jones emphasizes one, so we focus on one game, one practice. So today my main focus was to do the best I can in practice for myself and for my team.”

SENIOR QUARTERBACK JUSTIN WORLEY

»(On the team’s goal for Saturday)

“You’ve got to start fast. That’s one of our main goals this week, go in there and execute early. You can’t get caught up in the crowd, or the stadium and all the lights and everything. It’s just another week for us, it just happens to be on the road.”

» (On trying to start 3-0 for the first time in 10 years)

“Being 3-0 now would be incredible, going on the road to Norman, playing the #4 team in the nation. Getting that third win would be huge to us and huge to kind of set this program back on the right track.”

SOPHOMORE LINEBACKER JALEN REEVES-MAYBIN

»(On what the newcomers are feeling about the road trip)

“The young guys, we trust them. Like I said, we put those guys through the test this summer. We don’t even look at them as young guys anymore. They’re two games in. They know what we expect.”

» (On if he likes road games)

“It’s always fun to be in someone’s house and try to ruin their day. It’s definitely good to be on the road sometimes.”

JUNIOR OFFENSIVE LINEMAN MACK CROWDER

»(On Worley’s experience)

“It’s a big positive, mainly because it gives some of the younger guys some confidence that he’s going to make the right plays and things like that. Overall, for the whole team, he’s a great leader and every day he brings a good mentality to say, ‘This is our time to step up and start winning some games.”

»(On advice he’s giving young players)

“It’s just another game, except for the crowd noise will probably be on their side. But whenever you’re out there, you can’t really pay attention to the crowd, anyway, whether you’re at home or away. The crowd obviously does give a little bit of an advantage when it comes to communication and things like that, but hopefully whenever the younger guys are out there, they’re not overwhelmed with the big stage.”

JUNIOR OFFENSIVE LINEMAN KYLER KERBYSON

»(On the last time he played left tackle)

“It’s been about a year-and-a-half. I got some left tackle in one of our springs. I worked there predominately, but it’s been a while. It’s not much change, just plays are going the opposite way.”

»(On his ability to play all line positions)

“I love to be that. I like that the team can get on my shoulders, and I can help them out. I take pride in that. I’ve been getting left (tackle) snaps this week, and I’ve really taken pride in working on my technique and making sure I’m ready to go for the game in case they need me.”

FRESHMAN TIGHT END DANIEL HELM

»(On applying his improved physicality against Oklahoma)

“”I got better because I had to. I had to adjust to it and I had to get better, otherwise I wouldn’t see the field. I don’t quite know what it’s going to take this week, with it being our first came against a high, major conference team but I know they’re good. We respect them and I’m just going to give it my all.”

»(On his biggest eye-opener moment at practice)

“I don’t know if anybody ever showed you practice clips, but there was one play where I came around and got tattooed by Curt Maggitt. That kind of woke me up. But it was a good wake-up call and now, every time I get hit I’m like, `Oh yeah. It’s not high school anymore.’ It’s good. I’m always able to pop back up and go after it again.”

SOPHOMORE DEFENSIVE LINEMAN DANNY O’BRIEN

»(On what he tells the newcomers about the first big road trip)

“You have to enjoy going to other stadiums. This is a life experience for us. You get to go to other stadiums and play. Obviously, we’d rather be in our backyard, but it’s fun to go to places especially like Oklahoma.”c

»(On what the defensive line has done the best in the first two games)

“I’d have to say effort. Coach Strip talks about it all the time. That’s one of our main goals is to play with great effort all year, all game, all practice. On film we’re really showing that.”