KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 9/10 Tennessee’s season opener against Appalachian State is just three days away. Head coach Butch Jones and assistant coaches Mike DeBord, Bob Shoop, Larry Scott and Steve Stripling provided a Wednesday update in the Ray and Lucy Hand Digital Studio.
The coaches shared how the team has prepared this week for its first true game action since the Outback Bowl in January.
Butch Jones | Head Coach | 4th Season
Jones said that the coaches have stressed the importance of making practices reflect the speed, tempo and feel of an actual game. Here is Jones’ opening statement from Wednesday’s press conference.
“It’s good to see everyone. Today is a Wednesday in terms of a football calendar, and it’s continuing to get our players game-ready in everything: discipline, pre-snap penalties, all the nuances it takes to play winning football. I think our biggest challenge is for our younger players to understand that the habits that they develop in practice are the habits they are going to have in a game. So what you develop in those habits, like game-speed repetitions, is very critical. You always have to challenge your mind and challenge your body. When we talk about practice, it needs to mimic the adrenaline and rush of true competition. Then, when you get to the game, it becomes habitual. The habits start to form. That has really been the challenge this week and moving forward. You just have to do the small details that it takes to play winning football. I am excited to see our players perform Thursdaynight and see how they handle a great environment in Neyland Stadium. I am excited for our fans and student-body as well. You can start to feel the excitement, but today is a big day for us in preparation in the process of us being game-ready and playing winning football on Thursday night.”
Mike DeBord | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach | 2nd Season
DeBord said that the Vols expect to see a dynamic Appalachian State defense that can attack from a variety of directions. In 2015, the Mountaineers’ defense ranked 11th in the nation in total yards allowed (314.5 yards per game) and 14th in points per game allowed (19.1).
“They’re what I call a moving defense. They’re not going to sit stagnant for you and say, ‘Here, block us.’ They’re moving all the time. They’re moving their fronts and bringing different guys off of the edge and sometimes bringing both of them. They create problems that way. I think they have really good confidence. They’ve won 17 out of their last 19 football games. They’ve got great confidence. Their defense is nationally ranked in a lot of areas. I would expect that.”
Bob Shoop | Defensive Coordinator | 1st Season
Shoop said that Tennessee’s secondary features the talent to generate more turnovers. Interceptions have been one of that unit’s areas of focus during camp and Shoop looks for the Vols to improve in that area this season.
“It’s a challenge because during camp you are only going against yourselves. They have a very good quarterback, he is good enough not to throw into a bad situation and he uses his legs rather than his arms. I think Todd Kelly Jr. has had six interceptions in two years and that is not an accident. Cameron Sutton is a three-sport athlete. He played basketball, baseball and football, he has upper-level ball skills. They work as hard as anyone on those things. Micah Abernathy and Emmanuel Moseley work hard on their ball skills every day. I think everyone knows that last year we had 19 takeaways as a team and it’s an area we really want to improve upon. Studies show that fumbles can be a random type of occurrence, but interceptions are what we are really trying to improve upon. One out every two fumbles should be recovered by us and one out of every four passes defended should statistically be intercepted by us, so this what we are working towards.”
Larry Scott | Tight Ends Coach/Special Teams Coordinator | 1st Season
Scott discussed his excitement about coaching his first game as a member of the Tennessee coaching staff. Scott joined the Vols in January after working at Miami (Fla.) from 2013-15. After being elevated to interim head coach on Oct. 25, 2015, Scott led the Hurricanes to wins in four of their final five games to finish the year at 8-4.
“It’s always exciting, you work hard all year, year round. From recruiting to spring ball, all the office hours and all those things. Actually just get out and that three and a half hours, you know those three hours of fun is what it’s all about.”
Steve Stripling | Assoc. Head Coach/Defensive Line Coach | 4th Season
With the Vols’ depth along the defensive line this season, Stripling finds himself in the envied position managing rotations that do not result in a drop in production. He believes that Tennessee’s talent on the defensive line could be the difference late in games.
“Every day at practice it’s different. Sometimes I used to worry about how would I get through the period, but now it’s how will I get everybody quality reps. So counting their reps and making sure that everybody is getting the experience that they need is a different issue. They all know that there are obviously some guys that are going to play based on what their performance in practice and on the field dictates. The guy who is out there and has hot hands will play more than anybody else. I think for us, finding those 25 points is having fresh legs on the field. There’s been times where we’ve had guys out there who have already played 60 snaps and it’s hard to have Superman efforts and close the drive out if you’ve been out there 60 snaps. I think this rotation is going to put us in a better position to close games.”
Sound Bites
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Mike DeBord
(On Tennessee’s improved consistency and maturity)
“I do. I think some of those young guys are older too. Preston Williams is a great example. He’s really stepped up and we’ve got some freshmen that are going to be playing too. I like the maturity of those freshmen.”
Defensive Coordinator Bob Shoop
(On playing many different players)
“In today’s modern spread tempo offense, the offensive numbers have improved or inflated over the last few years. The analogy used was that baseball suddenly got 11 innings so of course there are going to be more points and more yards in the course of the game. First and foremost, there is a plan we have of players we want to get in the game whether it is 50 snaps or 80 snaps over the course of the game. I want the guys to understand how to trust me and trust our coaches that if you give your all for three snaps and you tap out and need a blow we will tap a guy in and get you back in when you are ready to play. Over the course of the season it will provide us the opportunity to get the best players in the game.”
Tight Ends Coach/ST Coordinator Larry Scott
(On looking at ways to improve the special teams)
“As coaches, we are continuously looking at ways to improve. Sometimes things are better left just like they are – if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. But if there is a way or something we can do, no matter how big or how small to improve and be better, we’re always going to take a look at that.”
(On improvement from Devante Brooks and Austin Pope)
“Just improvement from day one. When they first got here in the summer from a conditioning and physical strength standpoint to just the overall knowledge of playing football at this level, they’re continuing to get better each and every day that we’re out there, which is what you want to see from young guys.”
Assoc. Head Coach/Defensive Line Coach Steve Stripling
(On Shy Tuttle’s progress)
“We have a plan and we’ve been hitting those benchmarks. It’s very mapped out and I think the biggest part is that mentally, he wants to play. I think the toughest part has been putting him in situations and test it, let it progress, and let him mature on it but not overdo it.”