Knoxville, Tenn. – The Tennessee football team is looking to keep its spark going as they prepare for their final road SEC matchup coming off an open date.
“We had a lot of little sparks during the season,” said senior linebacker Daniel Bituli. “After going against a really great running back in the Mississippi State game, we realized that if we’re communicating as much as possible on the field, if we know what we were going to do, if we read our cues correctly, then the world is ours. We can stop anybody. Definitely that game really showed that we can do it for a whole game.”
Since the Vols squared off with Mississippi State, they have forced 10 turnovers, including eight interceptions, and have recorded 17 sacks. During that same stretch, the defense is allowing 320.2 yards per game, 17.2 points per game, and 179.4 passing yards per game. All of which would rank in the top-20 nationally for a full season.
Bituli Finishing Strong
After missing the first two games of the season, Bituli has been at his best. Two weeks ago against Kentucky, he registered a season-high 19 tackles to earn his second SEC Defensive Player of the Week honor.
“I feel like we have something to prove each and every game,” said Bituli. “Like I said, every SEC team is capable of doing so if we don’t come in with the same mindset. We just have to come in today with the same hardworking mindset, try to win today, and if we do the rest will take care of itself.”
Bituli became the first Vol to earn the SEC weekly defensive honor twice in the same season since Derek Barnett did so in 2016. His 62 tackles this season lead the Vols, and his 9.8 tackles per game in the last six SEC games ranks second in the league.
Defensive Line Buying In
The defensive line faced the challenge of a run-heavy offense when they squared off with Kentucky, holding the Wildcats to just 13 points. On fourth-and-goal late in the fourth quarter, redshirt junior Ja’Quain Blakely along with Bituli sealed the victory when they stopped Lynn Bowden from reaching the endzone with just over a minute remaining in the game.
“I feel like as a d-line we’ve improved because we’ve come together more and have a bond and a brotherhood,” said Blakely. “With Coach (Tracy) Rocker, he’s a very good coach, and all the d-linemen we all bought in to his coaching and his philosophy. That’s been the point where we’re getting over the edge.”
Blakely, who played tight end and full back in 2018, has seen increased playing time over the last two games. He recorded a career-high two tackles against UAB and has seven on the season.
Man of the Year
On November 13th, it was announced that redshirt junior offensive lineman Trey Smith was named one of 20 semifinalists for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award.
“Take the football out of it, you won’t find a better representative, number one, of his family,” head coach Jeremy Pruitt said. “I can’t say enough about Trey and the type of person and the individual that he is. He does a fantastic job with anything that he touches. Whether it is on the field, off the field or in the classroom, he is what college football is all about. It’s not surprising. I would like to meet the people that are more deserving of this award than Trey Smith.”
In his off time, Smith assists with the Knoxville Area Rescue Ministry’s (KARM) annual coat drive.
“I think it’s a great thing,” Smith said. “There’s no real reason why I do it, I just don’t like seeing people struggle. If I can help somebody out, it is just in my nature to help any way I can. When I had the opportunity to help KARM last year, and I had the opportunity to help KARM this year I didn’t hesitate. I wanted to help people out.”
Smith has started nine games this season at left guard and has played a key role in the Vols’ upward trajectory with the team currently on a three-game win streak.
As one of the most experienced offensive linemen on the team, the Jackson, Tenn., Smith has been a vocal leader for the Vols and mentor to younger linemen.
Tennessee Player Media Availability (Nov. 19)
Quick Quotes
Nigel Warrior, Sr. DB
On how Derrick Ansley has helped develop his game:
“He stays on me the most at practice. He makes sure I stay low and I get to the ball. When I see the ball, ’Go get the ball.’ He just stays on me more. I didn’t expect it. He plays a part in my success.”
On what differences he sees in himself, from the time his Tennessee career began:
“The biggest difference, I would say, is finding a passion for the game and actually loving what I’m doing. I’m not saying I didn’t love it, but I just have more for love for what I’m doing it for and who I’m playing with. It’s becoming more routine.”
On what has allowed him to get his hand on the ball more in the passing game this year:
“I would say just knowing what plays are coming up next and really paying attention to what routes are being ran, how many times they run it. When they run this certain route, what goes behind the route and just playing as a team. My uncle said, ‘When your team is able to pay attention, then everybody gets to show their attributes.’ We’ve been able to pay attention to what’s going on and everybody can show their attributes to the team.”
Ja’Quain Blakely, R-Jr. DL
On his role as a defensive lineman:
“It’s a great role for me. I feel like my twitch is very good for that role. It’s a third down key, I mean, my job is basically third down get off the field.”
On why the defensive line has improved late in the season:
“I feel like as a d-line we’ve improved because we’ve come more together as a bond and as a brotherhood. With Coach (Tracy) Rocker, he’s a very good coach, all the d-linemen we all bought in to his coaching and his philosophy. That’s been the point where we’re getting over the edge.”
On if Missouri’s offense can be compared to other opponents from previous weeks:
“Not really. I feel like all o-lines have their moments; I feel like Missouri will be a good challenge for us. I feel like they’ll test us, and that’ll be the bar that we have to get to.”
Kivon Bennett, R-So. LB
On how he feels he has played this season:
“I feel like I’ve played well. The thing I pride myself the most on is just continuing to improve day after day, week after week, and I feel like I’ve just kept doing that. I just want to see myself keep improving.”
On if he saw himself as an edge guy coming in or if it was a natural transition:
“It really just kind of happened. When I came in, I was super young. I was 17, and I think just the process of me being in a college weightlifting program, the weight kind of just naturally fell off, and it just made the most sense. It wasn’t a thing that I tried to do, or had a plan of doing, but it just more naturally happened.”
On where he feels he has developed the most as a player:
“The most I think I’ve developed is just having a better understanding of defense more technically. Just understanding the game. I went from playing d-line to linebacker, so there are more things I have to think about instead of just going left, right, or forward. I have to consider coverages, I have to count receivers, I have to do all these types of things; recognize formations. Sometimes we call the plays too, not only the middle linebackers, so we’ve got to be on top of all of that, so it’s just a lot more responsibility.”
LaTrell Bumphus, Jr. DL
On how he was able to improve as a pass rusher:
“Just taking my time and watching videos and studying tape, and then working on stuff with coach and other people on the team that have already been on the d-line before I was.”
On the challenge of playing multiple positions:
“It’s been hard at times, but I just figured out that the more I study plays and stuff the easier it becomes.”
On what the team does at halftime to correct first-half mistakes:
“Really just listening to the coaches, listening to the corrections, and just knowing that we can’t make the same mistakes in the second half that we did.”
Trey Smith, Jr. OL
On the transition from tackle to guard:
“I love playing guard, but I know I’m capable of playing tackle if I need to. Just a little proper practice of stuff I needed, just getting ready to actually play the position and understand it. Also, to play tackle I need to lose a lot of weight. That’s one thing I’m going to do next time.”
On how he feels about his performance so far this year:
“It’s been okay. I’ve had some good moments and also had some really bad moments. My biggest issue is consistency, and with lack of practice that happens. In my mind, I need to play at a much higher level. I need to stop doing stupid stuff and clean up my play.”
On the adjustment to practicing non-contact and having to play on Saturdays:
“Honestly, it’s really not that tough. I don’t know why it isn’t. At the beginning of the year, I think I was more fearful about everything going on, but the first game, it really wasn’t that hard. At the end of the day, I’m still just playing football. In my mind, I guess that’s how I approach it. As long as I know what to do mentally, it’s almost like mental repetition. I just know what to do when I go out there.”
Daniel Bituli, Sr. LB
On what led to watching more film:
“The winning. We know the more we put in to football, the more we’re going to get out of it. It’s because of those guys that are working so hard, putting in that extra time and understanding the offense we’re going up against. Our defense, as a whole, is definitely helping us out when we go out there on Saturdays.”
On if it was easier for him to buy into the coaches, being a senior:
“Since the time they got here, how can you not buy into a coaching staff that’s so established? You can look at Coach Pruitt’s record, the players that he’s coached and the players that are doing so well in the league (NFL) right now – to bring a coach like that into this facility to help us out, help us become a better defense, better players as a whole – definitely. I’m a sponge when it comes to Coach Pruitt, because he definitely knows what he’s talking about, because he’s been in this for so long.”
On how the team is preparing to not let up, after three consecutive wins:
“Just staying in each other’s ears. What we don’t want to do is become complacent and be happy with where we’re at. We’re still a hungry team. We want to win this next game coming up. Missouri’s a great team. Each and every week, every team in the SEC’s a good team and what we can’t do is overlook them because of the previous success we’ve had these previous games. We’ve just got to come in and win each and every day.”
On when he realized that the defensive unit was coming together and reaching their potential:
“We had a lot of little sparks during the season, but after going against a really great running back in the Mississippi State game, we realized that if we’re communicating as much as possible on the field, if we knew what we were going to do, if we read our cues correctly, then the world is ours. We can stop anybody. Definitely that game really showed that we can do it for a whole game.”
Marquez Callaway, Sr. WR
On how the bye week rejuvenated the team:
“Anytime we get time off it’s good – not just for our bodies, but mentally too. I feel like this bye week has been productive. We still got a lot of work done, mentally; we took a lot of load off our bodies, obviously, to get us healthy for next week. This week, I expect us to go in, fully recharge with more energy for the game.”
On if the team’s confidence is at the highest level that it has been this season:
“I think so. I think we are all looking forward to these games. It’s a lot to play for. For the seniors, it’s the last road game and the last home game. For everybody else, it’s trying to make bowl eligibility. Really, we’re trying to take this week to prepare and try to see what we can do.”
On if he’s seen Jarrett Guarantano become more motivated lately:
“Jarrett’s a competitor. He wants to play. Even if he’s not playing, he wants to do what he can to help, whether that’s coaching up the younger guys, or just being in the receivers’ ears, getting the O-line’s butt, talking to the running backs. He wants to do what he can to help, whether that’s on or off the field. The other quarterbacks are there. Obviously, they want to play. Who doesn’t want to play? But, there’s only one ball and only one quarterback position, so whoever’s up, they’re going to play their best and if Jarrett’s playing or not playing, he’s going to be a competitor.”