KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On Tuesday, Tennessee student-athletes spoke to reporters about the postseason awards several Vols have received and the ongoing preparations for the 30th annual Outback Bowl.
Evan Berry and Cameron Sutton met with the media for the first time since they were both named All-Americans by several of organizations. Curt Maggitt spoke to reporters in a large setting for the first time since being sidelined due to injury. Alvin Kamara and Josh Malone discussed the team’s focus for the bowl game.
Maggitt Impressed With Young Leaders
When redshirt senior Curt Maggitt suffered a severe hip injury in the Vols’ second game of the season, it left a major void both on and off the field. Lost on the field was Maggitt’s prowess as an edge rusher as part of the Vols’ stout defense.
Off the field, one of the Vols’ vocal leaders, would be limited in his impact. What emerged in his absence, were new young leaders for the Orange & White. That’s something that Maggitt has been impressed by.
“Guys like (Derek) Barnett and (Jalen) Reeves-Maybin are just changing the culture,” Maggitt said on Tuesday. “Brian Randolph and (Cameron) Sutton, those guys are changing the culture.”
Maggitt’s fellow defensive lineman, Barnett is someone the elder statesman has been seen grow and take charge.
“Barnett, his spirit and his will to win is very high and it is contagious,” said Maggitt.
Despite his absence, Maggitt has continued to try and be as involved with the team, working as he called it ‘Coach Stripling’s intern’ with the defensive lineman.
“I do the best that I can to coach them up on smaller things and try to get my presence around,” Maggitt said. “I let them know that we are the best team we just have to go out and prove it.”
Gaulden Returns To Practice
After a preseason foot injury prevented him from taking the field as Tennessee’s starting nickelback, Rashaan Gaulden is back in action for bowl game practice and his teammates could not be happier.
“It’s amazing,” Cameron Sutton said of Gaulden. “He’s a guy who gives his all each and every day. He had an injury before the season, which sat him out, but he continued to come with the same mentality and the same mindset each and every day, even though he wasn’t out there on the field. I’ve liked his approach the past couple of days. He’s been highly energized, excited to be back out there. He’s running around, he’s having fun – the same old him.”
Gaulden earned the Andy Spiva Defensive Player Award for his outstanding play in the 2015 Orange and White Game and looked poised for a breakout season.On Tuesday, Sutton said that Gaulden looked as sharp as he had looked in spring practices and preseason training camp.
Sutton, who had worn No. 23 in his previous two seasons, has worn Gaulden’s No. 7 this season in his honor. With Gaulden back at practice, Sutton has returned to No. 23 for the time being.
“That’s just our care factor for each other – how we embrace each other not just on the field but in our personal lives as well,” Sutton said. “It wasn’t hard to give it back to him.”
It’s not clear if Gaulden will dress for the bowl game. If Gaulden is in uniform, Sutton said that he will happily wear No. 23 again on Jan. 1.
Crediting The ‘All’ In All-America
Following their First Team All-America selections from Sporting News on Tuesday, kickoff returner Evan Berry and punt returner Cameron Sutton took the opportunity after practice to give credit where they felt credit was due.
Having combined for five of Tennessee’s six special teams return touchdowns this season and set numerous school records in return categories, Sutton and Berry praised the work of their teammates, noting that trust in their front-ten and blocking has proven to be no issue for Team 119’s unit.
“Really, it’s the front-ten – just trusting those guys and trusting that they’ll get on their blocks,” Sutton said. “They open up creases and lanes for us, and they’re big enough for us to squeeze through and make something happen.”
Berry also credited the trust in his blockers as a key to his success on returns, as well as film study with his entire special teams unit.
“I couldn’t have done it by myself. [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”][It’s] just watching film on our opponents and knowing how or if they avoid blocks,” Berry said. “I have to have a lot of trust in my blockers. A hole might not be open at one time, but sooner or later, it will, and you have to run full speed and pretty much hope for the best.”
SOUND BITES
- Sophomore DB Evan Berry(On being the first All-American from UT since his brother, Eric Berry)
“It is kind of funny. I didn’t think about it until I saw a tweet on my phone. It’s a great feeling, and just to have my brother do it right before me, I really can’t describe it. It’s just a great feeling.”
- RS Sophomore RB Alvin Kamara(On working together with Jalen Hurd and the running backs group)
“We reach all of our goals by being unselfish. Whatever I have to do, I’ll do. Whatever Jalen has to do, he does. Along with the younger guys likeJohn Kelly and Joe Young, we all do our jobs. Whatever is asked of us we do.”
- Sophomore WR Josh Malone(On having a month to plan for the Northwestern defense)
“It’s great because we really get to familiarize ourselves with our opponent. We get a good month to really study them and see what they’re good at, see what they’re bad at, see their deficiencies and really just get to break down the entire defense.”
- RS Senior LB/DL Curt Maggitt(On possibly seeing a ninth win for the Vols this year)
“It’s awesome, it’s a great feeling. I came in and it was rough, there were no signs showing a winning program but we’ve turned it around. I told Coach Jones that a lot of the younger guys are just chilling and they don’t realize that I’ve never been around an eighth win team. To have the opportunity for a ninth win and having all of these wins back to back is great.”
- Junior DB Cameron Sutton(On what the defense must focus on to prepare for Northwestern)
“[We need to focus on] just doing our job, [being] technique and fundamentally sound, knowing our gameplan, knowing how to execute out there on the field, and the mindset of going out there and doing whatever it takes to win. That starts now. It doesn’t start when we get down to Tampa. I liked our approach, not just from a defensive standpoint but from a rest-of-the-team standpoint these last couple practices. We’re excited. We’re eager and ready to go. We’ll be ready to go down in Tampa as well.”
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