KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 5 Tennessee has entered the home stretch of the regular season and will cap the year with a pair of road games before postseason play, starting with an SEC east battle at South Carolina on Saturday night in Columbia.
The Gamecocks have proven to be a tough out when playing at home this season, entering this weekend’s contest with a 4-2 record at Williams-Brice Stadium, including a perfect 4-0 mark in night games.
A fast start could prove instrumental in quitting the capacity crowd on Saturday night and another strong performance on the ground could go a long way in achieving that fast start.
Freshman running back Dylan Sampson provided a major spark to the offense in the second half of UT’s win over Missouri last week, finishing with 98 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries, and could be in line to get more touches this weekend.
“Really impressed with what the young man did on Saturday,” running backs coach Jerry Mack said on Tuesday. “The way he pressed the hole, the way his patience was, Dylan showed all of the things that we had been seeing in practice, for the most part. I was really impressed with protection. That is one thing we know, as a young back, he has been consistently working on. He stepped up, he fit the guy up. That is all you can ask for right now.”
On the defensive side of the ball, the Big Orange will look to build off yet another stellar second-half performance where they held Missouri to just seven points and 47 rushing yards after halftime to help fuel a 38-0 run to finish the game.
“We made some, what we felt, were uncharacteristic mistakes,” linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary said in regard to the Vols’ first half defense against the Tigers. “Putting our eyes in the wrong place and they started really running the quarterback in some design quarterback runs that we didn’t feel like we handled very well. We made some of the adjustments at halftime, but really it wasn’t anything that we did miraculously. Guys just got back to playing with fundamentals and putting their eyes in the right spot and we were able to get off of the field on third down.”
Tennessee has held its opponents to seven or fewer second-half points in each of its past three games, including a shutout against Kentucky on Oct. 29.
The Vols and Gamecocks are set to square off at 7 p.m. ET Saturday on ESPN.
Transcripts and player quotes from Tuesday’s media availabilities can be found below.
Running Backs Coach Jerry Mack
On Dylan Sampson’s performance against Missouri…
“Really impressed with what the young man did on Saturday. The way he pressed the hole, the way his patience was, Dylan showed all of the things that we had been seeing in practice, for the most part. I was really impressed with protection. That is one thing we know, as a young back, he has been consistently working on. He stepped up, he fit the guy up. That is all you can ask for right now. If he had to be more physical, I think he would have been able to be more physical at the point of attack. But you saw a little bit of what we have been seeing the entire fall camp and the entire season at practice. I am glad he got a chance to showcase his talents on Saturday.”
On improving his protection after the LSU game…
“You are talking about character, and that is what jumped out at me. The way he prepared, the way he attacked practice, the way he attacked the film room throughout the week. That was most impressive. Ever since that LSU game, he has been in the film room more. He is determined not to make that same mistake twice, and that is what you want from any young player. You want them to understand how important that is and to grow each and every day from it.”
On Jaylen Wright’s improved ball security…
“I think when you go through 20 or so practices within camp, and he never was able to really go through a full-contact practice where you actually have to squeeze the ball and strain, I think the first few games of the season really caught him off guard. Just the sense of urgency, and really the focus of making sure you squeeze the football; some of those fumbles were just simple, not bad ball security from a standpoint of where the ball placement is, but some of those fumbles were just not squeezing the football when you got out on the perimeter. Some of it is also trying to do a little too much, trying to drain extra yards, when the reality of it is all you have to do is put two hands on the ball and squeeze it, take what the defense gives you and fall forward for more yards. But as you can see, the last few games, I think he has been doing a pretty decent job, especially the last game for the most part, just making sure he squeezes the ball, making sure we emphasize those certain things in practice. One thing Jaylen does a really good job of, every time he takes a rep in practice, he is intentional about trying to do the things that he needs to work on for that upcoming week.”
On South Carolina’s run defense…
“Right now, a lot of cast of characters from a standpoint of they are rotating a lot of different bodies, whether it be guys earning more playing time or whether it be injuries, whatever the case may be. You can just see a lot of different people rotating in at the linebacker positions, up front and at the secondary level. I think one thing they do is they do a good job from the standpoint of pursuit. Those guys fly to the ball. There are always bodies around the ball, for the most part. The linebackers are extremely active sideline-to-sideline. We are going to have to do a great job of making sure one, we protect the football, but two, understand the patience that we are going to have to have. Those guys are really going to be fast flowing to the ball, and we have to make sure that we do a great job of delivering blocks from the running back position to allow our offensive lineman to get up to the second level.”
On Jabari Small’s shoulder…
“I think it’s game-to-game. Sometimes he takes a hit on it that’s unfortunate, where he can’t finish the game. Last week, there were no hits like that. He was able to finish the game and do well. I think one of the things for him is just to continue to develop strength in that shoulder. We have some things in the training room and strength and conditioning program that are helping him gain that strength within that shoulder. So far, so good. Sometimes if he doesn’t finish [the game], he’s right back in practice on Monday, rehabbing, and doing the things that he’s supposed to. He was full speed today, no issues, and played fast at practice to be honest with you.”
On the substitution of running backs in-game…
“At times we have certain situations, certain packages where we want certain backs in the game. We’re always trying to take advantage of a guy’s skill set. You saw in the game. Dylan Sampson caught a simple swing-screen, and then all of a sudden, he’s still on the field going through jet motion. That was one of those situations where he has really good hands, and we want to get the young man in space. Sometimes, it’s all about the flow. I’m watching those guys and trying to gauge exactly when they may need to come off the field. Sometimes, they don’t want to tell us that they need a break; as a coach, it’s my job to make sure I’m gauging that on the field.”
On the game plan against the Gamecock run defense…
“We always look at every film and just try to see what we can take advantage of, as far as what the defense is going to give us. Those are things we’re always going to look at. Obviously not as great defensively [against Florida] as far as giving up yards on the ground, but they’re professionals. They’re going to get those things fixed. We have to make sure that we’re doing what we’re supposed to do. We have to make sure that we’re not only looking at that game, but their other games where they gave up extremely less yards. We try to combine. That was a performance where it wasn’t their day, but there have been other games where they have really stoned the run. We’re just trying to make sure that we do our due diligence and make sure we evaluate all the film, to see exactly what plays we are going to be able to incorporate.”
On Justin Williams-Thomas’ development…
“Justin is doing well. He’s a young player as far as learning and growing. A lot of times when you’re a true freshman, especially with a lot of fanfare coming out of high school, a lot of these guys think they’re going to walk in the door and compete with 20- and 21-year-old men. Everybody develops differently, and I think that’s one of the things Justin is learning as he continues to grow. He’s on the practice squad, he’s doing what he’s supposed to, and he’s still coming over trying to get better. Sometimes, it just takes a little bit longer. Right now, with the growth of Dylan Sampson and the other two (returners), Jaylen Wright and Jabari (Small) in front of him, it’s just hard for him to get on the field and get reps. But I do think he’s got a bright future ahead of him.”
Linebackers Coach Brian Jean-Mary
On the defense’s improved play in the second half of the Missouri game…
“Just getting back to who we were. We made some, what we felt, were uncharacteristic mistakes. Putting our eyes in the wrong place and they started really running the quarterback in some design quarterback runs that we didn’t feel like we handled very well. We made some of the adjustments at halftime, but really it wasn’t anything that we did miraculously. Guys just got back to playing with fundamentals and putting their eyes in the right spot and we were able to get off of the field on third down.”
On most important aspect of getting stops on third and fourth down…
“I think the No. 1 (thing), obviously without going into detail of what the offense that you’re going against, is knowing the down and distance. I think you have to know if it’s third and short, what type of plays you’re going to get, (also) in third and medium, and third and long. If you have an idea of that and then obviously through film study and game plan, going to execute the defense. But, I think that’s the biggest part of it. Nobody wants to be in third and short all game. Obviously, the goal is to get into third and long, and then knowing where the sticks are and what type of routes you’re going to get. I think that makes a big difference.”
On Juwan Mitchell’s improvement the last few weeks…
“I think it’s just comfort level. I think he’s finally healthy and this is probably the most consistent that he’s been as far as playing and being on the field and practicing every day. In the film room, understanding game plan, all the things that come with being healthy and being able to be available every week. I think he’s probably as comfortable as he’s been in a couple years from here and the previous place that he was at. It’s starting to show in his play because he’s got some consistency in his day-to-day habits.”
On South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler…
“Spencer is a super talented young man. Obviously, one of the top quarterbacks in the country coming out of high school. Really really talented arm. You see the mobility that you see with a lot of high-end quarterbacks. Maybe doesn’t run it as much in design quarterback runs but has the ability to extend plays. He’s one of our top priorities that we have to do a great job in trying to contain, but we think he’s a very talented young man.”
On how they handle crowd noise from a defensive standpoint…
“I think we’ve done a really good job. Obviously, that comes with hand signals because when we’re on defense I think that’s when our crowd, which we really do appreciate, gets the loudest. So, we’ve done a good job. I think we’ve handled it well as far as communication whether that’s walking up and getting in close quarters with guys or just with hand signals. I think that’s one of the better things that we’ve done so far this year, especially at home.”
On Jeremy Banks’ performance this season…
“I would always talk about the positive. I’m going to knock on wood and say he’s played more under control. That was one thing that we talked about and worked on starting with last spring, is being under control and playing a little bit more within himself. I think he’s gotten much better at understanding his fits in the defense. He’s super athletic, always can run and go find the football but I think he’s fit up different runs on understanding leverage and understanding where his help is coming from. I think he’s done a tremendous job there and I think for what we’ve asked him to do, Jeremy has had a really good season. I know no one’s perfect but I think he’s really evolved and is still growing as a linebacker.”
On South Carolina tight end Jaheim Bell…
“Jaheim, super talented. He’s like their Swiss army knife. (They) line him up all over the field. I know he’s got close to 50 carries as a running back and runs jet sweeps. He’s the do-it-all guy for them. He’s a guy we have to pay attention to because they’ll line him up at wideout, he’ll line up at tight end, he’ll line up at tailback. He’s a guy that they try to feature in the offense and get touches for. Obviously, his size presents some challenges for us as an entire defense, but you know, super talented. Like I said, a guy we have to pay extra attention to just because they can put him anywhere on the field, so we have to make sure we do a good job of finding him.”
On the balance between playing with energy but not being too emotional for Jeremy Banks…
“I think that’s a question that’s answered in the inner soul. You have to be able to figure that out on your own. Obviously, football is a very very emotional game, and a lot of guys can get really worked up pregame and end up maybe overdoing it and kind of flaming out in the end because they get to worked up. And some guys – I don’t think that would ever be the case here, because of our crowd and the way we practice and the way we prepare – I don’t think there’s anybody on the team that I would suspect that’s not ready to go or super charged up before the game. But I think that’s an individual thing, some guys are always going to be high and really revved up before the game, some guys are a little quieter and are still ready to go. There is a balance there, but I think that’s individual. Us as coaches always want to see a guy ready to run through a wall, but by looking at them in their faces, sometimes guys are good poker players (and) you’re not going to be able to tell that they’re ready to go.”
On how playing special teams is helping the development of Elijah Herring and Kalib Perry…
“I think it’s tremendous. Through special teams they are getting anywhere from 12 to 20 snaps a game between the four core special teams that we’re in. I think we’ve already noticed a tremendous arch in the way that they’re playing so far this year. Obviously with freshmen, there’s always going to be mistakes but going with the previous question, you see that they’re able to get themselves ready to play. They understand schemes a little bit better. They understand how people are going to try to block them or how they need to attack people on certain teams. So, you see the growth in them, and I think it’s carrying over to watching them practice. When they’re actually playing linebacker, you see some of the talents that we recruited them for. We think those guys are going to be really good football players.”
Junior OL Cooper Mays
On being named SEC Offensive Lineman of the week for the first time…
“It was exciting. When I saw it come up on my phone, I called my mom, and she was telling me how proud she was of me. It was a good performance with the whole team, the whole squad. Like I said earlier in the year, even if I didn’t win it, it’s a group award. It’s about everybody else. Everybody had a good game, so everybody shines.”
On four different linemen being recognized by the SEC so far this season…
“It means growth to me. I think we’ve found a way to play cohesive as a group, all five. We’ve all taken a step forward, and I think a lot of it falls on Coach Elarbee. He pumps life into us every day and makes sure he harps on the details. I think the fruits of that are being seen this year.”
On what Glen Elarbee brings to the offensive line room…
“Consistency, I would say is the biggest thing. You know what you’re going to get out of Coach Elarbee. He cares for you as a person, all the way throughout life. It’s not just football; he cares about your whole person. Just seeing him come in with a consistent energy every day, and you know where it’s coming from, a place of positivity and trying to help you grow. I think we’ve talked about it a lot. Everybody talks about touch the line and stuff like that, but Coach Elarbee doesn’t do it just because he’s a coach. He does it because he wants you to be the best person you can be, and that’s showing in our play a little bit.”
Junior RB Jabari Small
On Dylan Sampson’s performance against Missouri…
“I was really good to see. Dylan’s like my little brother. He’s always so positive, his work habits at practice are very consistent. He’s very wise for his age, so for him to step in and just make the best of his opportunity, it was very refreshing to see. He just played to his skill set, didn’t let the moment get too big for him, and I thought he did very well.”
On what he studies when watching other running backs play…
“You take a lot from each running back’s game, because everybody runs differently. You have to find your things with how you run, but mainly I look at how they make defenders miss or when something is not blocked up correctly, how they make it right. Really just how to make defenders miss and taking each part of every running back’s game. That’s a really good question by the way, because you can take from each running back even in your room when you’re watching a game on TV.”
On the importance of the run game in Tennessee’s offense…
“It’s very important. You have to stay on time during first and second down so third down can be manageable, or even on first down, making an explosive play or just getting a first down. I think it is very important to this team and this offense to how we operate.”
Junior DB Tamarion McDonald
On the challenge presented South Carolina TE Jaheim Bell…
“He is a good athlete; like you said, they line him up everywhere. So, before every snap, we are going to take a scan of the formation. We just have to know where he is before the ball snaps, every down.”
On how Doneiko Slaughter and Brandon Turnage have developed throughout the system…
“Brandon and Doneiko are the same person every day, whether they are playing or not. You’re seeing them make plays now that they’re out there. They are super locked in when they are starters [and] when they were not playing as much as they wanted to. When it was time for them to play, I knew they would make plays.”
On what he learned from playing special teams as an underclassman…
“Special teams help you a lot with making plays in space and knowing your leverage. [Jourdan Thomas], he is R2, so he has to keep leverage on the kickoff team. And he plays STAR, too, so it helps you a lot with that. Just knowing your fits, and just playing fast. It helps you to play fast, too.”
R-Junior DL Da’Jon Terry
On playing a bigger role in the starting lineup and what he attributes that to…
“Just Coach G (Rodney Garner) coaching and the mentality that he has. Instilling in us the mindset he wants us to play with. I credit all that to Coach G. I’ve been getting extra reps, going over my plays more, and just diving deeper into everything we’ve been doing.”
On taking pride in the run defense…
“We take a very big pride in stopping the run. That was one of the weaknesses that everybody was saying we had coming into the year. This whole offseason, we just focused on getting better in the run game.”
On comfortability at Tennessee since arriving as a transfer last summer…
“I’m very comfortable. I know the plays, so I’m not second guessing myself at any time. Just more confident in my ability because of the things that Coach Garner taught me. The flaws in my game, he helped me build them up, so I’m very confident.”