KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee head football coach Butch Jones met the media on Monday in his first press conference since learning that his Volunteers will face #14 Northwestern in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1, 2016.
Tennessee rides a five-game winning streak into the bowl after posting an 8-4 regular-season record. The win streak and the regular-season win totals are the most since the 2007 season when the Vols also appeared in the Outback Bowl. Tennessee heads into the bowl ranked #23 in the College Football Playoff poll.
The Vols and Wildcats have played once before with Tennessee posting a 48-28 win in the 1997 Florida Citrus Bowl led by Peyton Manning’s 408 passing yards and four touchdown passes.
This is the Vols’ fourth all-time appearance in the Outback Bowl (previously known as the Hall of Fame Bowl). The Vols are 2-1 all-time in those games, winning their last appearance in the bowl, 21-17, over Wisconsin on Jan. 1, 2008. Tennessee also beat Boston College in the 1993 Hall of Fame Bowl, 38-23. The Vols lost the 2007 bowl to Penn State, 20-10.
In playing on New Year’s Day, Tennessee is playing in its 33rd January Bowl game and second in a row.
The 30th edition of the Outback Bowl will kickoff at 12 Noon ET and air on ESPN2 live from Raymond James Stadium.
Head Coach Butch Jones
(Opening Statement)
“Good afternoon, it’s great to see everyone. We’ve been working around the clock, but anyways, we’re excited. Obviously here today to talk a little bit about the Outback Bowl, excited to be a part of the 30th Anniversary Outback Bowl and Jim McVay and the Tampa Bay Bowl Association, would like to thank them but also our administration for doing such a great job. The University of Tennessee is back to being a commodity when it comes to bowl games and that’s a tribute to our players, to our entire football organization and our entire athletic department so obviously we’re excited.
“It’s kind of a balancing act right now in terms of recruiting and finishing up final exams and trying to balance this recruiting class. Our players will have off this week to excel in the classroom and we’ll get back to really more bowl preparation this weekend.
“So what I can tell you is very familiar with Coach Fitzgerald. Pat’s done a tremendous job there. As you all know, 10-2 football team, won their last five games, ranked in the top-15 in every major defensive category that’s out there. That’ll make this year, I think we’ve faced five of the top nine defenses in the country. They’re the least penalized team in the Big 10 which tells you about their discipline as a football team and as a football program. They start 11 seniors and they’re the 12th ranked football team in the country so another great challenge but again, we’re just ecstatic and excited to be playing in the Outback bowl.”
(On journey from first day at Tennessee until now)
“A whirlwind, I had just won a championship at the University of Cincinnati and had a lot of great relationships there and still do. Everything was accelerated from a long night in Lexington, Ky. to finishing up at about 4-4:30 in the morning and having to go back and tell a football program and a football team that you were leaving, then going home and showering and getting on a plane and coming to Knoxville. It’s been a great journey. This is a very, very special place. I’m proud of everything we’re building here. I’m about 15 pounds overweight from that three year span, so I’m working on getting that back but just proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish here, proud of our players. We have a long ways to go, but it’s been a very fulfilling three years and a very fast three years.”
(On the importance of the extra practices)
“Most of our young players are already playing. We are only redshirting five to seven players, where most programs are redshirting 15 to 18 players. Some of our youngsters are playing, and some are injured. It’s a balancing act of getting your youth development that you need and then getting your team prepared for a bowl game and play winning football. We will take the first couple of days and do all of the above. The practices are very big not just on the field but in the strength and conditioning area as well, having extra days in the weight room. It also helps with team chemistry. First and foremost is doing whatever it takes to win the bowl game. In terms of preparation and understanding the importance, you try to get most of your work done here before you venture to the bowl site.”
(On visiting Northwestern’s staff and what makes their defense so good)
“For the first question, in the offseason, you are trying to reach out to different football programs that match your style of play or philosophy, or programs that you respect, who have won over a period of time, and you like what they do. Coach Fitzgerald has done a great job there of developing and building that program at a high level of consistency. We were just getting together, which we always do with a number of institutions and schools with just talking about football and having our own little mini-clinic. Mick McCall, their offensive coordinator, does a great job. I have a lot of respect for him. I have known him for a very long time.
“In terms of defense, they are very active, and it starts with their front seven. Their defensive line and linebackers are as good as any team that we have seen all year. They are very active and disruptive. They do a good job on the back end of their defense. The create one-on-one match ups that they can win. They are aggressive, and they have a great style of play about them.”
(On if he has been contacted about any of his coaches for positions)
“It’s not my job to speculate on other programs’ job openings. I will say this, when other institutions want to inquire information about our coaches, that is a compliment to what we are building here. We have very good football coaches and even better individuals. People around the country understand what we have done here in a very short period of time and how far we have come. It’s been noticed around the country, but in terms of speculation, it is not my place.”
(On assistant coaches taking calls for other jobs)
“There’s a lot of great football coaches out there that unfortunately have not won a lot. Whether you’re hiring a coach or whether you’re researching individuals, do they do more with less? How are they as a person, as a teacher, as a communicator, as a recruiter? A lot of people look at end results. It’s a result-oriented business that we’re in, but there’s a lot of good football coaches out there that just need an opportunity.”
(On applying last year’s bowl experience to this year’s bowl trip)
“Any time you finish the season with a victory, particularly in a bowl game, it lends itself to a lot of momentum moving forward – a lot of energy. Obviously, that’s very important.
“We’re going to be challenged. They’re the 12th ranked team (AP) in the country for a reason. I think it’s the maturity of a football team. I believe they have 11 starters that are seniors. They’ve been to a number of bowl games.
“This will only be half of our team’s second bowl trip. It comes down to the maturity of a football team. Can you manage the clutter, the distractions that a great bowl game brings about? Do you have the self-discipline to do what it takes to get yourself mentally and physically ready to perform, to play winning football on January 1st?
“All those things went into it. Last year’s football team defined that. They went down to Jacksonville with a purpose – a purpose to win the football game. You’re going to have good times and enjoy your teammates, but it’s like I tell them, “You don’t remember those; you remember the game. The game lives with you forever.” You rehearse that game over and over in your mind all the time. You have to rely on the maturity and you have to rely on your leadership.”
(On the bowl game’s impact on recruiting)
“Very big. When you follow it up with another January bowl game in the state of Florida, it’s big. It’s progress. It points towards the progress that we’re making here. It points towards a lot of things. It is a great selling point.
“This will be our 51st bowl game as a football program. I believe we’re the fourth [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][ranked] program in the country in most bowl appearances, and we take great pride in that. It’s great for recruiting in the excitement that it brings along. Playing at the noon slot is great as well. Any time you can go to a great bowl game like the Outback Bowl, it shows the progress that you’re making.”
(On if the approach the bowl game will be the same as last year)
“Every team is different. They have a different personality. They have different leadership. So obviously, you look back, but it’s kind of a formula we’ve had for a number of years going to bowl games. So we’ll look at that, we’ll follow the blueprint, but we’ll tweak it to the needs of this current team, Team 119. We’ll tweak it towards what this football team needs, but there is a blueprint in place.”
(On if he has spoken to Zach Azzanni about reports he’s being considered for other jobs)
“I speak to all our coaches all the time. If they can make themselves better in the profession and for their families, [I’m] very, very supportive. But again, there’s a lot of speculation out there, and anybody can guess and be right. That’s the thing is, if there are reports, if there are tweets, stand behind what you say. But, Zach is a very, very gifted football coach along with all of our coaches. I expect people to come after our coaches. That’s what we want. Just like [I said], that means we’re doing great things and they want the Tennessee brand, they want the Tennessee product, and all the great things that are going on here in building a football team and a football program.”
(On if there is an update on Curt Maggitt)
“Curt Maggitt, no update there.”
(On if any players have indicated plans to transfer or leave the program)
“In terms of the follow up question from last week I believe it was, that’s just the world of college football. Transition’s going to happen and that’s just part of it. It’s the world that we live in. It’s instant gratification. It’s if they can better themselves as well, we’ll support them. But not as of right now, but as you know, it’s kind of become the norm in college football.”
(On if he thinks Tennessee has a speed advantage against Northwestern)
“I don’t. They’re 10-2 for a reason. They’ve won five games [in a row] for a reason. There’s a reason why they are the 12th ranked football team in the country. I think sometimes that’s way blown out of proportion. They’re a very, very good football team. They’re very well coached. They are going to challenge us schematically in all three phases. They are really good in the return game as well on special teams. Again, this is a football team that knows how to win. You just don’t beat Stanford if you don’t have team speed. They have very, very good team speed. I think they’re a complete football team. I’ve tried to spend most of the morning working on that. But again, it’s a balancing act as I’ll leave today to go recruiting. But they’re a very talented football team and it’s going to take all that we have and more so.”
(On giving team message about bowl destination)
“That was one of the more rewarding things about being here is being able to gather the football team up in the locker room. It was a little bit different setting than last year, but [it was great] being able to tell them we are going to be able to play in the 30th anniversary of the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla. Seeing the excitement of the kids. It has been a different mentality. Our kids knew what was at stake toward the tail end of the season. They knew that they were fighting for relevance in terms of the bowl game. They knew that. This is probably the most excitement I have seen in a football team in terms of where we are going. I think that is a byproduct of last year’s experience. We will rely on that. We had very good practices here in Knoxville. We had a very determined football team going to Jacksonville. They were a very focused football team. We will rely on those experiences. But as we know, teams change. It comes down to leadership. Kyle Kerbyson, the seniors and even some younger players that have valuable experience will lend to that cause.”
(On benefits of winning bowl game and finishing in Top 25)
“Anytime you are ranked, it is big. Obviously this game is very important, but we have had a very rewarding season. We have had the highs and lows, have experienced the adversities that a long season brings about–the resiliency that our players have shown, the resiliency that this football program has shown and the resiliency of our loyal fanbase of staying the course and sticking together and being positive when we could have all turned negative. You always want great expectations in your football program, but how far we have come in a very short period of time–you look at a lot of firsts since the 2007-2008 era–it’s been a long time. We need to step back, be thankful and be grateful for everything that is going on here. Things just don’t happen overnight, but they are happening at a rapid pace. I firmly believe that. There is something about having momentum, winning, getting a ninth win and being ranked in the Top 25. Regardless of that, no bowl game will change how far this football program and team have come in a very short period of time in three years.”[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]