KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – After punctuating its three game homestand with a hard-fought 20-13 victory over Texas A&M last week, No. 17/15 Tennessee hits the road for the first time in over a month for a ranked battle against No. 11/8 Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Saturday afternoon.
This year’s edition of “The Third Saturday in October” will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET and be nationally televised on CBS.
The Vols will be looking to make it two straight wins over the Crimson Tide for the first time since the 2003 and 2004 seasons after coming out victorious in an instant classic last year in Knoxville.
In order to accomplish that feat, UT will be counting on another stout performance from its defense, which continues to improve each week and is coming off a dominant showing in the win over Texas A&M on Saturday, holding the Aggies to just 277 total yards.
“Up front – front six, front seven and then in particular our front four – just played really good football,” head coach Josh Heupel said during his Monday press conference. “I thought those guys did a really good job of changing the way the game is played. I feel like they are continuing to improve as we go through this season. Proud of the effort. We’re going to need a great one from them this Saturday, too.”
Tennessee comes into this weekend’s game ranked third in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing just 17.0 points per game and fourth in total defense, giving up only 303.0 yards per contest.
The Big Orange have also benefitted from an improved offensive line, a unit that has had two of its best performances this season over the past two games, due in part to the return of starting center Cooper Mays.
“They played extremely physical,” Heupel said. “I thought they did a really good job with everything that was going on from the perspective of what we were seeing defensively from them. The communication was elite, Coop did a great job getting everybody on the same page.”
UT racked up 232 rushing yards and averaged 4.7 yards per carry against an A&M defense that entered the game leading the SEC in rush defense, allowing just 84.0 yards per contest.
A full transcript of Heupel’s press conference and select player quotes from Monday can be found below.
Head Coach Josh Heupel
Opening statement…
“Proud of our football team, the way they played and competed. Physical football game, but the resiliency, the ability to continue to just play the next play, really proud of that. Lot of really positive things, some things that we have to clean up before we get to this weekend in Tuscaloosa. Really good football team that we’re playing. They’re playing well in all three phases of the football game. Their quarterback is playing extremely well, been accurate with the football down the field. Obviously, he’s extremely dynamic with his feet as well. Defensively, they’re creating a bunch of negative plays, hitting the quarterback sacks and tackles for loss. Special teams are really good. Huge test for us, one that we’ll be excited for. Have to focus on our preparation here this week.”
On what stood out about the offensive line in Saturday’s win over Texas A&M…
“They played extremely physical. I thought they did a really good job with everything that was going on from the perspective of what we were seeing defensively from them. The communication was elite, Coop (Cooper Mays) did a great job getting everybody on the same page. Our running backs were really solid with the football, pressing their aiming points, bouncing when they need to. They made some plays, but running tough, too. Moving the pile during the course of the ballgame, too. Initial contact might’ve been at three, four, five, and finding a way to eke out more yards there and turn third down into a short-yardage situation and/or getting a first down on some of those runs. All in all, really good performance from those guys. Offensive line, tight ends and the running backs.”
On what he learned from the Florida game that can help them playing with the Alabama crowd…
“End of the day, we have to do a great job of communicating. You have to focus on your job and be dialed into that. It’s 11-on-11 when you’re inside the lines. We’ve continued to work that and believe we’ll be ready for it when we hit gameday.”
On the biggest reason there hasn’t been more production from the passing game…
“There’s a few things fundamentally that (Joe Milton III) did that caused a couple of passes to be a little bit off target. There were a couple of catches that we have to make. End of the day, we have to continue to grow that way. Do have great belief in our guys and where we can get to.”
On changes to game management in terms of coaching in a more defensive game…
“Each game, you hear me say it, each Saturday essentially is a new season. Each game unfolds and the identity of the game takes place during the course of the game. You have to manage all those situations from play calls to what decisions you’re making in special teams, all of it. Proud that we got a win. You continually evaluate what you’re doing in all areas and then also try to push those lessons forward, too.”
On the operation on the offensive side of the coaching staff…
“Really pretty seamless. The transition, (Joey Halzle) has been with me since 2006, we’ve been together in some form or fashion except for a couple of years. The communication from up top, what we’re seeing, what we’re doing, the adjustments we make from drive to drive based on defensive structure really hasn’t changed much at all.”
On how fun it was to watch film of the defensive line after Saturday’s win…
“Really proud of the effort, all 11 that were out there on the football field. Up front – front six, front seven, and then in particular our front four – just played really good football. They came off the ball, they were destructive in the run game, guys snagging off and making plays on back door cuts, playing with gap integrity. The second level fit it extremely well, and then the ability to get after the quarterback with just a front four rush, too. I thought those guys did a really good job of changing the way the game is played. I feel like they are continuing to improve as we go through this season. Proud of the effort. We’re going to need a great one from them this Saturday, too.”
On how to get Ramel Keyton going…
“In this game, there’s a really fine line. I say that, and until you watch the tape and truly understand everything that’s going on, I think it’s tough to truly understand. Last Saturday, this coming Saturday, the Saturday after, you have to do the ordinary things at an extremely high level. That just happens through your preparation and your practice. You have to wipe the previous one clean, and you have to take the lessons forward with you, but you have to wipe it clean — good or bad. You guys have heard me say that before. Ramel’s played really well, and we have great trust that he’ll play extremely well this Saturday.”
On if they have the right personnel to have an explosive passing game…
“Absolutely. We’ve had guys open and we haven’t hit them, communication has been off at times. We just have to be a little bit better. It wasn’t pretty on Saturday, I’ll be the first to admit that, but it’s not that far off either. We have to do ordinary things at a really high level.”
On if there was a moment he noticed Bryson Eason becoming more consistent…
“I do think there’s been consistent and constant growth from him throughout our time here with him. I do feel like late training camp, early part of the season, the consistency of his mindset, being able to attack every rep every single day has changed and continued to mature. That’s why he’s playing the way that he is. He’s becoming a really good practice player. You can count on him being consistent every single day. That’s led to his growth and him playing the way that he is inside.”
On what they can do to slow down Alabama’s pass rush…
“I’m going to say this, and it’s kind of on repeat from last week too, you have to have some efficiency in the run game. You get into long yardage situations, these guys are going to be able to pin their ears back and come after the quarterback. They’re multiple in what they do. All five guys have to operate together in the run game, but you have to be in sync in your pass protections too. You have to get the ball out on time. There’s going to be a bunch of one-on-one matchups out on the outside. You have to go win some of those matchups and be accurate with the football. It’s going to take all 11. They all play a piece in what goes on in the run game and in the pass game, too.”
On if he expected the running game to be as consistent as it is before the season started…
“In this game, it changes from year-to-year, and sometimes week-to-week too. I did think that we had a chance to be a very mature, physical football team up front. The three running backs that you alluded to (Dylan Sampson, Jabari Small, Jaylen Wright) are all playing their best football. They have the best understanding of what our schemes were. Fundamentally, they were at their best. I thought they had a chance to be a group that would do a really good job in the run game and at the line of scrimmage. People have gotten caught up in the pass game numbers at times with us and some of the explosive plays, but the bread and butter of what we do all starts with the run game.”
On Dee Williams and James Pearce Jr. earning SEC Player of the Week honors…
“Excited for both of those guys, because they continue to grow in how they prepare. They continue to grow in their understanding of what we’re doing and are playing their best football right know. They’re two guys that continue to invest and grow, and that’s why they’re playing the way they are. I’m extremely proud of those guys.”
On how similar the quarterback and cornerback position are from a mental toughness standpoint…
“Everybody notices when it’s not right. You make some plays, and everybody notices that too. The further you get away from the ball, the more obvious it is with what plays you made and what plays you didn’t make.”
On when Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe is at his best…
“He’s made a bunch of plays from inside of the pocket, pushing the football down the football field. His ability, if you don’t have rush integrity, to get out and make plays with his feet, it’s something that pops out on the tape. When the ball is in his hands and he’s a part of the run game, he’s dynamic. He’s someone that you have to have bottled up every snap. He’s a dynamic playmaker.”
On the status of Omarr Norman-Lott, Daevin Hobbs and Gerald Mincey…
“Believe all of those guys will be ready as we go through this week. Anticipate those guys being ready to go.”
On Joe Milton III’s confidence…
“I think when you don’t play your best football, you have to be able to wipe it clean. When you play your best football, you have to be able to wipe it clean too. At the end of the day, have a routine that takes you to kickoff so that you are putting yourself in the consistent position to go play your best. Joe has been really mature in how he has prepared. There are some things fundamentally that he’s done really well that he didn’t do in the last one. We have to be a little bit better in the passing game. That’s him, that’s the wideouts, it’s everybody.”
Senior C Cooper Mays
On fixing the communication issues on the road…
“Just doing our job at a high level. I think if you look at all those things that went wrong in that Game (at Florida), a lot of it was self-inflicted. Just going out there, being ready for the moment and just having clear communication even when it’s loud out there. Just doing our jobs at a really high level.”
On improving the passing game…
“I think everybody is motivated. I think the biggest thing if you look at our win from this past weekend, a lot of our stuff, it’s just small things. The margins of winning and losing stuff in the SEC is really small and there’s really talented guys everywhere. It’s all a matter of execution and us doing stuff at a really high level and we’ll figure out ways to do that.”
On the running backs…
“I’ll take any opportunity that I can to congratulate them and praise them a little bit. They’re doing a great job. They’ve got a really loaded room, three guys that are really similar skill level that can do great things every avenue – running and passing game, and they step up there in protection and do a lot and help clean us up sometimes, so super proud of those guys.”
On if he expected the running game to be so good this year…
“Yeah, of course. I don’t think I go into any season and think our o-line can’t run the ball. Everybody had a hard time in fall camp when our d-line was getting after us a little bit and I was telling everybody, ‘look guys, they’re going to be one of the best d-lines that you face all season and this is going to get us a lot better.’ So, we practice against some of the best guys in the country every single day, day in, day out and it can’t do anything but make you get better. So, I think that’s helped us a lot and gotten us to the point where we’re elite in that category.”
RS-Senior TE Jacob Warren
On what it was like grinding out the win against Texas A&M…
“Right when you said it, that was going to be the first thing I mentioned, which was the defense and how you never really feel like you are out of it or you don’t have a chance. I think it is really cool when you have that trust in the other side of the ball to go out there and just continue to stop them, continue to give us opportunities to figure it out and put the ball in the end zone or put the ball in the uprights or whatever it was. I think all three phases worked really well together the other day. We came out with a win. I think that is all you can really ask for. You take an ugly win over a really pretty loss any day. So, I think we were just happy to win the game and come out with that win.”
On getting targets in the red zone…
“I think it is just personally developing my game to the point where I can show up and make plays like that. I am not doing anything spectacular, crazy or out of the ordinary. I am just getting in the right position. Putting myself in a position to make those plays has been a big thing for me. Obviously, when an opportunity comes, you want to make the best of it. I think that is what the tight ends have done up to this point and have had some good success.”
On if they can win in Alabama with the way they played against Texas A&M…
“Anybody can win any game any given week. You look at the scores—this has nothing to do with it right, but Texas A&M plays a really similar game to Alabama. Texas A&M has an extremely good defensive front. Alabama has an extremely good defensive front. As long as we are able to control the line of scrimmage and we’re able to move the ball, whether it is through the air or on the ground, that’s really the end goal, is to be able to move the ball down the field and put the ball in the end zone. That is one thing we have to focus on for sure moving forward, not necessarily just this week. Just finishing drives, putting the ball in the end zone, getting points and getting seven points whenever we’re down there. Defense again, being strong, standing up making a lot of big plays and special teams being able to put us in cool opportunities. Dee Williams was able to get a return and finally get in the end zone. Just doing those things we all know we are capable of every single week, regardless of who we are playing. So it is kind of cool to see everything come together.”