#VolReport: Eyes On Catamounts

Sept. 15, 2015

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Team 119 got back to work on Tuesday night, setting their sights on Western Carolina with a physical practice under sunny skies at Haslam Field.

Tennessee coordinators Mike DeBord and John Jancek — as well as a handful of players met with the media following the conclusion of practice.

The Vols are looking to get back on the winning side of the ledger and Butch Jones has the squad focused on moving forward and not dwelling on last Saturday’s stunning loss.

“We’ve had an excellent practice the guys are focusing well,” said DeBord.

Sophomore receiver Josh Malone echoed those sentiments as the Vols know they have 10 regular-season games remaining and an entire slate of SEC match-ups.

“We all put what happened last week behind us,” said Malone. “I felt like we were all on the same page. We just have to execute the fine details.”

Reeves-Maybin Steps Up

Jalen Reeves-Maybin shined on Saturday in one of the biggest games of his collegiate career, making a career-high 21 tackles as the Vols contained Oklahoma for the majority of the game before falling in overtime.

The junior from Clarksville thrived from seeing the field clearly.

“I was just on with all my reads,” he said. “Everything I was predicting just kind of kept happening. I played with a lot better effort last week. It just helped me get to the ball and make a couple of plays.”

Defensive coordinator John Jancek felt the same way, noting that Reeves-Maybin displayed veteran savvy.

“I just think he has more of a comfort level with the defense,” Jancek said. “He’s smarter, he’s a year older. Those are all contributing factors, and the fact that he played a ton. He had 90 snaps.”

Offensive coordinator Mike DeBord also had praise for Reeves-Maybin, saying that he is a great athlete and has been a good teammate.

“He came down to our offense at the end of practice and was just hanging around the offense a little bit,” DeBord said. “He is just a great team player.”

Finding Leaders

Tuesday’s practice was the second for the Vols without their leader Curt Maggitt, who is sidelined Indefinitely with a hip injury. Team 119 will miss the senior, but fellow linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin knows he and everyone on the defensive side of the has to fill in for Maggitt.

“Curt Maggitt is the biggest leader on the team,” said Reeves-Maybin. “With him out, everyone needs to step up and be more vocal.

“We just have to replace his leadership on the field. You know when guys are down, Curt gets us going. It’s basically everyone stepping up and being more vocal, and just knowing that he’s not here so we gotta pick it up.”

Jancek has confidence in Reeves-Maybin to move into the leadership role.

“Jalen Reeves-Maybin is going to have to step up,” said Jancek, “as are a bunch of other guys are going to have to. It’s going to be leadership by committee.”

Reeves-Maybin listed off members of the team, he sees helping with that ‘committee.’

“Everyone has to step up not just me, but Derek (Barnett), (Brian) Randolph, Cam (Sutton), everybody. Everyone that’s playing has to step up and be more vocal.”

Confidence Rising for Vol Defense

Meeting with the media for the first time since Saturday’s game against Oklahoma, defensive coordinator John Jancek said he was pleased with his unit’s overall performance against the Sooners, despite the final outcome.

“I thought they played really well,” Jancek said. “We were on point. We had a great rhythm. We were all over those guys, and I’m proud of the way they played.”

On the whole, UT’s defense rebounded from a season-opener in which it allowed 557 yards of total offense to Bowling Green — including 433 yards through the air — to allow the Sooners just 348 yards of total offense and 187 yards passing. Prior to the fateful fourth quarter and overtime, the Vols had given up just 173 total yards while also limiting OU to only 2-of-12 on third down.

“We played strong for about three quarters, up until that point we were pretty much shutting them down,” linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin said. “They couldn’t really do much on offense. As it got to be later in the game we struggled a little bit. We had a lot of penalties, and gave up some big plays. That’s what killed us.”

Jancek also lamented the penalties and small mistakes that changed the course of the game, but remains optimistic about the signs of improvement the defense showed throughout the contest.

“You know, I’m proud of the way they played in the fourth quarter,” he said. “We didn’t make some plays, but we also had some calls that really, really hurt us at critical times: two on third down, and the other one on a second and long. Those things happened, but overall I am proud of the way they played, the way they prepared, some of the things that we were able to do as far as adjustments before the game and during the game.”

Vols Unwavering In Support of Dobbs

Joshua Dobbs has enjoyed a lot of success in his eight starts as the Volunteers’ quarterback. On Saturday he had to face a little adversity and, though the Vols did not prevail, they stand firm in their support of Dobbs.

“I have only known him since February, but I don’t know how you could ever shake him. He is as steady as anybody could ever be,” DeBord said.

Dobbs met with DeBord on Sunday to discuss the game and the veteran OC was impressed with his quarterback’s unwavering focus.

“A rock. He is a rock, and that’s the way he goes about his life,” DeBord said. “That is the way he goes about his football. He is out there leading right now. I don’t know how you can get to Josh Dobbs.”

Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Josh Smith appreciates his quarterback’s consistent demeanor and drive. Victory or defeat, the Vols can count on Dobbs to stay even-keeled.

“You can tell that he is focused, but he might not be hyping on it,” Smith said. “He might be quiet. He might be loud. We all know that Dobbs is going to be there, leading us on.”

Smith believes that Dobbs’ honesty and accountability with his teammates has contributed to Tennessee’s success with No. 11 behind center.

“If you do something wrong, he’s going to come over and tell you,” Smith said. “That’s what a good quarterback’s going to do. If I do something wrong, I’ll want you to come up and tell me what I did wrong. I’m going to tell him when he does something wrong, too.”

“I love Dobbs to death and I’m glad he’s my quarterback.”

SOUND BITES

Offensive Coordinator Mike DeBord

(On increasing passing efficiency)

“We have to stay out of third-and-longs. Those are low-percentage completion plays. If you are completing one out of seven in those situations, that is pretty good. That is one reason why his percentage was down this game. We have got to do better on first and second downs so that we’re not in a lot of 3rd-and-11 or plus. We were in too many of them. We were in seven of them.”

(On receivers struggling to get off press coverage)

“It’s hard because [the defenders] are right in [the receivers] face. I don’t care who you are. It is hard to get off of press coverage. We are doing different formations to help that. We are going to improve on it that way.”

Defensive Coordinator John Jancek

(On who’s up next in place of Curt Maggitt)

“We’ve got Corey [Vereen], Kyle [Phillips], and [Dimarya] Mixon. All those guys will get some time in there. In today’s game, you have to roll a lot of players in. It’s really, “Who get the first four reps?” then “Who gets the second four reps?” Basically, that’s how it works itself out, but we’ll roll those guys in throughout the week.”

(On Kyle Phillips improvement since fall camp)

“Kyle’s done a good job. He’s a really smart player. He’s a fine young man. He works hard. He’s got a lot of ability. We’re going to roll him in [in place of Curt Maggitt] and see what happens.”

Linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin

(On his 21-tackle performance vs. OU)

“I mean, I felt like I was making a lot of plays. I was just on with all my reads, everything I was predicting just kid of kept happening. I played with a lot better effort last week. It just helped me get to the ball and make a couple of plays.”

Wide Receiver Josh Smith

(On if he is confident in the team throwing the ball down field)

“I have never had a doubt in my mind because we have too much talent not to. We are getting to that point. I feel like we are finally getting better. Yesterday and today, I feel like we have gotten a ton better just in two days.”

Wide Receiver Josh Malone

(On team’s mood)

“We just came out focusing on getting better and preparing ourselves for the game coming up this weekend. We already put what happened last weekend behind us and are focusing on getting better every week.”