KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee football team returned to practice at Haslam Field on Monday with a confidence boost following the weekend’s 30-24 victory at No. 21 Auburn – the Vols’ first victory at the Plains in 20 years and their first win over a ranked opponent since 2016.
First-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt acknowledged the hard work the Vols have put in over the last 10 months since he arrived, but also said there will be plenty to correct following the victory with No. 1 Alabama coming to Neyland Stadium on Saturday (3:30 p.m., CBS).
“I think any time you win, or you play well, it does give you a little bit of confidence and I think our players probably need that,” Pruitt said. “They work hard. You work hard to try and have success and on this day in time, it’s measured in wins and losses. I can tell you this, when we watch the tape today, there’s going to be a lot of guys that played their best game, and there’s going to be some guys that played their worst game, so we have to get everybody to be at their best when it counts the most.”
One player who was at his best against Auburn was redshirt junior wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who finished with five receptions for 71 yards, including the go-ahead 25-yard touchdown late in the third quarter. He also secured Auburn’s onside kick to seal the win and made several outstanding blocks.
Jennings missed the final 11 games of last season with a wrist injury and he was slowed by a knee injury during spring practice and fall camp. The Murfreesboro, Tenn., native is rounding into the player he was two years ago when he totaled 40 receptions and seven touchdowns for the Vols.
“We’re 10 months here and Jauan Jennings has done everything that I’ve asked him to do since I’ve been here,” Pruitt said. “He’s one of my favorite guys. The guy competes, works hard. He loves the University of Tennessee, has passion for it. He’s healthy. I’ve said all along; the guy had a bad knee injury. He just got started practicing in fall camp and it would take him awhile to get his legs back under him. He’s closer to being healthy, so it’s good to see that. It’s good to see him be able to go out there and compete because I think he’s a guy that has an impact on the other players on our team so I’m glad for him.”
Jennings was given a second chance to be on the Vols by Pruitt and Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer after last season and he has taken full advantage of it. He’s emerging as a leader on the offense with competitive fire and physicality in practice and in games.
“That’s what I like most about football, is the physical part about it,” Jennings said. “If it doesn’t set the tone for them, I know it does for me, so it keeps me going. It’s why I play football, I love to block, and it’s just part of my personality. I’m a physical dude, I just love football.”
Guarantano Recognized
In addition to capturing SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors following his career-best 328-yard, two-touchdown performance at Auburn, redshirt sophomore quarterback Jarrett Guarantano was named a Manning Award Star of the Week on Monday by the Allstate Sugar Bowl. He is one of eight finalists for the Manning Award Quarterback of the Week and fans can vote for Guarantano for the award on Facebook through Thursday at Noon ET here: Manning Award Facebook Page
The Lodi, N.J., native was also named to the Davey O’Brien Great 8 list for his Week 7 performance and he is a finalist for the National QB of the Week award which will be announced on Wednesday.
Next Man Up
Redshirt senior outside linebacker Jonathan Kongbo injured his knee in the third quarter at Auburn and will miss the remainder of the season, wrapping up his career with the Volunteers. Kongbo finishes his career with 51 tackles, 5.5 TFLs and 3.5 sacks in addition to two interceptions. He played in 30 games with 17 starts. Sophomore Deandre Johnson, redshirt sophomore Jordan Allen and redshirt junior Austin Smith are expected to get increased reps with Kongbo out.
Vol Fans to Go ALL IN Against Alzheimer’s Disease
Vol fans can go ALL IN to boost Alzheimer’s research at The Pat Summitt Clinic at The University of Tennessee Medical Center. Tennessee Athletics and the Vol Network are joining forces with the medical center and asking fans to join them in ALL IN, a program where everyone with the Volunteer spirit can help tackle major diseases that impact Tennesseans.
The inaugural effort is ALL IN Against Alzheimer’s and will benefit the Alzheimer’s Research Initiative, a fundraising endeavor to increase research capabilities by the medical center’s team at The Pat Summitt Clinic. Fans can pick up an official ALL IN shaker for just $5 at several retailers throughout the state of Tennessee, including: Pilot, Food City, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Kubota, Kroger, Long’s Drug Store, Orange Mountain Designs, Alumni Hall, HoundDogs, the gift shop at The University of Tennessee Medical Center, the Vol Shop (and Tennessee Team Shops inside Neyland Stadium), and VolWallArt.com.
Every shaker purchase includes a free 20-ounce fountain drink at any home football game this season at Neyland Stadium. ALL IN Against Alzheimer’s culminates at the home game against Alabama game on Saturday, Oct. 20, with the goal of every fan having a shaker and joining together to shake down Alzheimer’s disease.
Tickets Still Available
Tickets remain available for Saturday’s game versus No. 1 Alabama at AllVols.com.
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Tennessee Player Quotes (Oct. 15)
Redshirt junior WR Jauan Jennings
On getting healthier:
“It’s been tough, but coach (Craig) Fitzgerald has been doing a great job with us in the weight room and as far as our practices go, we go hard. It has made me a better player the way we practice. Our players have been playing great. We are just trying to keep it rolling.”
On setting the tone of the game:
“That’s what I like most about football, is the physical part about it. If it doesn’t set the tone for them, I know it does for me, so it keeps me going. It’s why I play football, I love to block, and it’s just part of my personality. I’m a physical dude, I just love football.”
On being called an alpha dog:
“Alpha dog is just one of the leaders of the pack, and it means a lot coming from my teammates because I really know at the end the day they’ve got me just as much as I’ve got their back. So, it means a lot because I know they will respect me just as much as I respect them.”
Redshirt Sophomore OL Ryan Johnson
On the Alabama rivalry:
“It is a really important rivalry. I grew up a UT fan, so I know the rivalry, and I’ve been around it my whole life. It’s the Third Saturday in October, it’s important, and it’s got a lot of tradition behind it. Alabama is a really good football team. They have a lot of good players and coaches, so it will be a really tough challenge, but I’m ready for the fight.”
On fellow offensive lineman Nathan Niehaus’ performance:
“I really enjoyed playing next to Nathan. He’s a really good football player. I think he did a really good job. I think our offensive line as a whole did a good job. There are some things we need to improve on, but I think we did a good job on protection, good job on blocking, and I think we worked together as a unit and that is the key thing. As an offensive line you have to work as a cohesive unit, it’s not like any other unit. On offensive line you have to know how everyone else thinks, and I think we did a good job of that working as a team.”
On offensive coordinator Tyson Helton being on sideline:
“I think it was great. He brings an extra element of energy to the sideline. I think he did a great job. He made great calls and we just focused on just executing those calls. I think it was a great offensive strategy and a great offensive asset to have him on the sideline.”
Junior WR Marquez Callaway
On what the atmosphere in the complex is after a win:
“Everybody was happy, the team and the coaching staff. Coach (Jeremy Pruitt) said to enjoy the win for 24 hours and then come back and get ready for this week.”
On if playing Alabama helps the team dial back in:
“I think everybody knows what we’re about to go into. It’s a home game, so I know we’ll have our home crowd with us and it’ll be an advantage.”
On the state of the Alabama rivalry:
“If you look into the past that’s something that can’t be undone, so really we’re just looking forward to this year. We’re going to have a good game plan going into this game with the mindset of winning.”
Senior DL Kyle Phillips
On the defensive line’s improvement in the past few weeks:
“I think we’re getting more comfortable with the system on defense and getting more confidence in ourselves. I think we always knew we had the ability to do that, so we’re just putting it together.”
On the importance of slowing down the Alabama offense:
“Like last week, we let them go down the first drive and score, so we have to do a better job with that. We have to make sure we slow them down to start the game and make them uncomfortable.”
On his effort and making tackles downfield:
“I think I’ve always been known for running to the ball and showing effort. That’s what got me to where I am now, and I have to continue to improve on that. Sometimes you are going to have those screen passes and you aren’t going to make tackles at the line of scrimmage.”
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