KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee was back on the practice field Tuesday morning as it looks forward to yet another big game against a nationally-ranked opponent in No. 19/17 Kentucky this Saturday night under the lights at Neyland Stadium.
The Wildcats will be the fifth ranked team that the Vols have faced already this season. The Big Orange have obviously passed the first four tests with flying colors and are one of just two teams in the FBS with four victories over top-25 opponents this year.
However, as is life in the Southeastern Conference, another difficult challenge awaits the Vols this weekend as Kentucky rolls into town fresh off an open week following a 27-17 victory over Mississippi State the week before. In many ways, Saturday’s SEC-East showdown will pit strength on strength as UK’s ground attack faces UT’s stout run defense and the Vols’ quick-strike offense looks to have success against the Cats highly ranked defense.
Unlike most teams in today’s college game that run some version of a spread offense, Kentucky presents a different challenge with its pro-style and multiple approach that starts first and foremost with the run game.
“It’s an unbelievable challenge. Sometimes they can have three or four tight ends on the field, so they’re very multiple in their formations and they’re really going to challenge your run fits,” UT linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary said during Tuesday’s press conference. “Your gap integrity is going to be very, very big this week.”
While it starts with the run game for the Wildcats, senior quarterback Will Levis has elevated his game to make their offense more versatile and dangerous this season. Levis’ combination of athleticism, arm strength and improved accuracy have him among the top NFL draft prospects at the quarterback position this year.
“Super, super talented guy. At my previous stop, got a chance to see the guy at his previous stop, so we know what type of athlete he is,” Jean-Mary said. “I think he’s really settled in as a quarterback. He has a rocket arm, very accurate and he’s making really good decisions with the football. You guys all see some of the draft primers. He’s very well thought of for those guys at the next level and you can see why. The talent kind of jumps off the screen, so he’s going to be a big-time challenge for us.”
When asked about how the Vols could improve defensively from last year’s back-and-forth contest in Lexington, senior safety Trevon Flowers noted the importance of getting off the field when opportunities present themselves.
“We got to get off the field on third and fourth down,” Flowers, who was named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award on Monday said. “We have to be able to do our assignments and we have to tackle well. Tackling is going to be huge this game, fitting our gaps. Everybody has to do their job and be on the right page. But yeah, we definitely have to get off the field on third down and fourth down if they’re going for it. That’s going to be the key.”
Offensively, Tennessee’s high-powered attack will look to keep things rolling along after posting three straight games with 40 or more points. A big reason for this season’s success has been the depth and production from the wide receivers.
“I think the more guys you have that make plays, I think you’re always dangerous,” wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope said on Tuesday. “Obviously, that affects the defense and who’s eyes can go where. You create one-on-one matchups because you can’t (double-team) or put eyes on one guy. I think that is always important and always lethal for an offense to have.”
Kentucky enters Saturday’s contest with one of the top defensive units in the SEC, something that has become a staple during head coach Mark Stoops’ tenure. The Wildcats rank second in the league in scoring defense (16.4 points per game) and total defense (295.4 yards per game) and will present one of UT’s toughest challenges to date.
“Plays hard, plays well within their scheme,” junior center Cooper Mays said in regard to UK’s defense. “They’re always going to have a really hard defense to contain. They just do the right stuff, and they have good athletes all over the field. It’s going to be a really good challenge for us.”
Saturday’s border battle is slated to kick off at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Tickets for the game are sold out.
Videos, transcripts and player quotes from Tuesday’s media availabilities can be found below.
Wide Receivers Coach Kelsey Pope
On Jalin Hyatt and his progress this season…
“It’s been good, because like the first part you mentioned, being a part of that story the entire way. It is cool to see it play out into fruition. Similar to (Velus Jones Jr.), kind of had some similar struggles early and was able to battle through and see success. I think the biggest win in both of those stories, Jalin and Velus, is the younger guys being able to see it is not all about immediate success. It is not all about an immediate result. You have to go through the process, and eventually it will be worth it. I think that is the most valuable piece.”
On if there was a mystery to solve on Jalin Hyatt’s progress…
“I think that’s the plan with all the guys. I feel like each guy in the room, you have to find a way to get the most out of everybody. The cool thing about it is as the season goes on, some guys decide and choose to prepare the right way, and then you will see them be successful. Some it takes longer, but I think you have that idea for every single guy in the room. You have to, to coach them hard.”
On any point in the spring where he thought Jalin Hyatt turned a corner…
“I could go back to a couple. I remember specifically, in spring, there was a drive. We play really fast, you guys know, but there was a drive in practice where he’s tapping his chest and he wants to come out. I am telling him no, you are going to stay in and you are going to play. That drive, he caught like three or four balls. It was a two-minute drive we were simulating versus the defense. He caught like four or five balls in that drive while he was tired. At that point I was like okay, this kid kind of has it. He’s turning the corner. I think the next part was after the spring in the summer. Man, just the work he put in. I challenged those guys to catch ten thousand balls in the months of June and July, and Jalin went for like 13-14 thousand. He was in here all the time at night catching balls on the jugs. I think at that point, I really saw it, because it is all about the work he put in.”
On what he has seen from Squirrel White, Chas Nimrod and Kaleb Webb…
“Individually, Squirrel is starting to get more confident. You see him playing, he was already fast, and he is playing at a different speed because he is confident in what we’re doing and how we operate. Chas is a bigger body. He has gotten really confident lately as he has gotten back onto the field. He is a guy who plays fast. He just has to be comfortable with what we are doing, and also bring in that piece of physicality. These last couple practices, he has done a really good job. For Kaleb Webb, he has obviously been here. He played the one and the four, a couple different positions. He’s doing a good job as well of continuing to progress, and he is not allowing special teams and different roles to take away from him on offense. He is doing a good job of taking on all of this stuff.”
On Ramel Keyton’s role while Cedric Tillman has been unavailable…
“Ramel is a guy that you always saw flashes every now and then, but it would be one play where he takes a step back. He would go two or three steps forward then one back, and you just weren’t sure if you could get it out of him. I think when Ced went down, Ramel took accountability on himself, and he’s preparing at a whole different level, because at this point, he’s one of the guys. We are counting on him. I think that really goes back to the camaraderie in our room. I feel like Ramel at this point feels like he can’t let his teammates down, and that has added on some urgency to him and the way he is preparing.”
On why receivers find him to celebrate after they score a touchdown…
“It means I’m the best dancer. It’s fun to do. I remember being those guys and being on the field, and it always gave me great joy running back to my coach. The guy that I sweated, bled and cried for. When I put everything I had into that guy, it always made a big deal to me when I got back to the sideline and he was the first one to congratulate me. That always meant a lot, so I want to make sure I pay that forward every time.”
On why he puts so much effort, care and love into his receivers…
“I think it’s because I have been through it. I’ve been the guy who is 19 or 20 years old looking for someone to come in to give me answers and to mentor me. I just try to be the guy that I needed at that age, honestly. It’s not about me at all. The biggest benefit I get out of that is seeing those guys go be successful and build confidence in themselves. That’s where I get satisfaction from, truly.”
On how dangerous the receiving corps can be when fully healthy…
“I think the more guys you have that make plays, I think you’re always dangerous. Obviously, that affects the defense and who’s eyes can go where, you create one-on-one matchups because you can’t (double-team) or put eyes on one guy. I think that is always important and always lethal for an offense to have. For us, we have to shut our ears off. When there’s noise, we can’t pay attention to it and when there’s chatter talking about us, we can’t pay attention to it. We have to continue to keep the process being our focus and continue preparing the way we are. That has to be our main focus.”
On when he realized he was a relationship-building type of person…
“I think it was early on. I always valued family. I always valued that feeling of wholeness of a group. I think for me, that is why sports are something I threw myself into at such an early age. Just having a group and coming together with one common goal, just kind of took me over the top any time I was in an environment like that. So, for me, relationships have always been one of the main things. That’s part of the reason I came here to Tennessee with Coach Heupel and Coach Golesh. When I met those guys, right off the bat it stood out that they are relationship oriented and that fit the my temperament of who I was. I don’t think you can ever create a bad environment when you have guys that truly value relationships. I think it’s always genuine and it’s always real, and I think that helps everybody become their best.”
On his confidence in the receivers after Cedric Tillman was injured…
“Man, my first thought was that this is where we earn it. Ced is a great player, you love him. You love all those guys, but he’s a great player and when he went down, this is where we earn it. Somebody has to step up, and we have to turn it up a notch. That was exactly my focus. Usually in those moments where we face adversity, you know it’s coming, you just don’t know when. In that moment, that’s time for you to make a choice to prove to yourself (that) my preparation, who I am is really true. Our guys, I kind of had that conversation with them after as a group and they stood on it, they went to work, and up to this point they have prepared the right way. I’ve been pleased with the way that those guys have prepared and the way they’ve come on and gelled together as of late. That same mentality has to be on through the rest of the year.”
On how there has not been issues with drops…
“For one, just the ability to catch the ball at the wideout position is all focus. We do a great job in practice of forcing those guys to over exaggerate their eyes on the catch in any scenario. Whether it’s contested, whether it’s down the field, you want to always over exaggerate your eyes. Knowing that in the game because bullets are flying and my anticipation is up and I have more anxiety, you’re going to be sped up. You want to over exaggerate things in practice.”
On working with Cedric Tillman through the rehab process…
“As far as Ced, kind of helping him. For one, Coach Heupel does a great job of keeping our legs under us as receivers, with the way we practice and our practice plan. For us, it’s just not putting too much on Ced too fast. Over the last couple of weeks, he’s made progress every day, and as he continues to make progress. It’s ultimately going to be up to Ced and Coach Heupel. When they feel like he is up to 100 percent, he’s going to play. He’s done a tremendous job of being in the building and the training room getting treatment. He has shown progress every week. Ultimately when he’s ready, feels like he’s 100 percent and Coach Heupel feels that way also, you guys will see him on the field making more plays.”
Linebackers Coach Brian Jean-Mary
On the tackling of the linebackers…
“I think we’ve been adequate. Obviously, we always strive for perfection. We haven’t been there. We missed a couple of tackles. Some of our backup guys missed some tackles in the second half of last week’s game that we weren’t happy about, but I think the tackling has improved. I think that’s one of the reasons we are playing the run a little better, but we are striving to get better every week.”
On the challenge Kentucky’s run game presents…
“It’s an unbelievable challenge. Sometimes they can have three or four tight-ends on the field, so they’re very multiple in their formations, and they’re going to really challenge your run fits. Your gap integrity is going to be very, very big this week. Obviously, they have a pro-style offense. Their coordinator came from the San Francisco 49ers, and they’re going to give you a lot of different formations. Like I said, they’re going to really test your force rules as far as your edges and make sure you’re very sound, gap integrity-wise. They do a really good job of mixing up tight ends and putting them in as fullbacks, putting them in as receivers, and with the motions and shifts that they do, we are going to have to do a great job with our communication and our overall gap integrity this week.”
On containing Kentucky QB Will Levis and what stands out about him…
“Super, super talented guy. At my previous stop, got a chance to see him at his previous stop, so we know what type of athlete he is. I think he’s really settled in as a quarterback. He has a rocket arm, very accurate, and he’s making really good decisions with the football. You guys all see some of the draft primers. He’s very well thought of for those guys at the next level, and you can see why. The talent kind of jumps off the screen, so he’s going to be a big-time challenge for us.”
On how important it is for the linebackers to cover play action…
“Eye discipline is going to be huge. Like we talked about earlier with the earlier question, obviously they’re going to run, present a lot of shifts and motions and give you a lot of eye candy. Our eye discipline is going to have to be a big part of what we do on defense, because if we get caught with our eyes in the wrong spot, that’s when the big plays in the pass game occur when they’re able to get a guy behind the defense. That’s with everybody, not just the secondary, but the linebackers too when we’re in man coverage. It’s going to be a challenge, but that’s what makes them good on offense, because they’re different. Everybody has kind of gone to the spread philosophy, and even tempo like we run on offense. They’re kind of the anti-tempo. They’re going to take their time, get aligned and run their plays at their own tempo with 12-personnel, and even 13-personnel with three tight-ends on the field. It’s different, but it works for them.”
On how Kentucky RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. and what he brings to the run game…
“I think he’s the catalyst for what they do on offense. Will (Levis) is a tremendous quarterback with a tremendous skill set, but I think their whole identity is running the football. I think he (Rodriguez Jr.) is one of the best running backs in the SEC. He’s a downhill running back that doesn’t mind running through arm-tackles and creates yardage by creating space for himself. He doesn’t bounce outside and try to make you miss. You kind of know where he’s going to be and know how he is going to be when he shows up. He runs angry, he runs with authority, and we’re going have to do a great job of meeting his aggression with our own.”
On the young linebackers and where they can improve…
“After halftime, a lot of those guys were able to get a lot of reps. We always say, the experience is invaluable because they’re able to play some quality reps. Going into game seven, we feel like the freshmen aren’t freshmen anymore and the young guys aren’t young anymore. A lot of them are on our special teams and have gotten some reps. We just want them to play at the level of the starters that were in. As far as linebackers, we weren’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination as far as our linebacker play. I was happy that they were able to get in there, and we could correct some of the things that they did wrong. I thought they played aggressive and hard, but just weren’t always assignment-sound in that second half against UT Martin.”
On how their linebackers match up versus Kentucky…
“It’s a mentality. You have to be ready for every type of offense. If you were asking me when I played one hundred years ago, of course, you want to meet people in the phone booth and see who is going to be able to win in the phone booth. Nowadays, you have to be prepared for every offense. Obviously, as linebackers, we have to be equally as good versus the pass and the run, but we want to pride ourselves on stopping the run. So, a team that comes in and rolls up their sleeves and you know they want to run the football, you should get excited as a linebacker. I think you should get excited as an entire defense, because we want that to be our identity on defense also, being able to stop the run.”
On trying to speed up Kentucky’s offense…
“I think we are one of the best teams in the country (at generating pressure). Coach Banks just does a great job of trying to create havoc plays. Obviously, our tackle-for-loss numbers have been high, and we try to pressure the quarterback. That is kind of our identity. Whether that makes them play faster, I am not 100 percent sure; that would be up to their coaches. But, we are always going to be multiple on defense and we are going to always try to get them off schedule. If that means they are going to speed up what they are doing on offense, hopefully, that means it is an advantage for us.”
On how the linebackers have performed in pass coverage…
“As a coach, you always assume they are going to be 100 percent. That is what the goal is coming out of camp, so my expectations for them is to be in that higher percentile, that we are going to be really good versus the pass. I feel like we have gotten better; there have been some plays that have been left out there. In some of the one-on-one situations where we had a chance to affect the ball, I feel like we have been okay, not great. But I feel like we have gotten better, but nowhere near where it needs to be. Like I have stated many times, pass defense is an all-11 responsibility, from the rush to the cover guys on the back end, and obviously, we can get better. But in our one-on-one situations, whether that be zone or man, I feel like we can improve. We have to get our hands on more footballs, especially when the ball is directed towards someone we are covering.”
Junior OL Cooper Mays
On the offensive line being nominated for the Joe Moore Award…
“It’s been a goal for us ever since fall camp to push towards that goal. Anytime you can see your way moving toward your goals and kind of actually making progress is really good. It’s been a focus of ours all season, so we’re trying to keep pushing forward for it.”
On what the team’s current success means to him as a Knoxville native…
“It means a ton. We have to get to a point where Tennessee is back on top. It’s like everybody says, it’s good for college football to have a place like Tennessee being good and competing everywhere every week. It means a lot as a local guy. Obviously, a lot of my family played here. Getting Tennessee back to where it needs to be is the main focus.”
On Kentucky’s defense…
“Plays hard, plays well within their scheme. They’re always going to have a really hard defense to contain. They just do the right stuff, and they have good athletes all over the field. It’s going to be a really good challenge for us.”
Senior DB Trevon Flowers
On what stands out about Kentucky QB Will Levis…
“Obviously he’s a good football player, a smart football player. Just being able to do our assignments, do our job, communicate to the guys around me and make sure we’re all on the same page. Just prepare. We have to have great preparation. Just like I said, do our assignments, do our job.”
On preparing for Kentucky’s pro-style offense…
“Just kind of dial more in on our gap fits (and) our job. (We) got to be able to stop the run and just fit our gaps. Everybody has to fit their gaps correctly, whether it’s a safety or corner, linebacker, d-line. Just got to be able to play, be able to play fast. We know they are a pro-style offense. They’re going to huddle, come off the ball, try to be physical, so we have to tackle well, use our pads, stay low and play football. Play hard.”
On last year’s game vs. Kentucky and what the key is to have more success defensively this year…
“We got to get off the field on third and fourth down. We have to be able to do our assignments and we have to tackle well. Tackling is going to be huge this game, fitting our gaps. Everybody has to do their job and be on the right page. But yeah, we definitely have to get off the field on third down and fourth down if they’re going for it. That’s going to be the key.”
Senior DE Byron Young
On facing a run-heavy Kentucky offense…
“The challenge is that we will have to fill our gaps. The type of o-line that we are playing, they are a really big o-line and they are disciplined. They try to bloody your nose and just beat you in the dirt, so we are going to have play stout defense and just play behind our pads.”
On how he felt with the defensive performance against Alabama…
“I was happy we got the dub, but at the same time, we just have to play better defense. Games like that, coming to the wire, at the end, we came through and came in clutch, but I feel like the whole defense has to get better in that area.”
On what he expects from quarterback Will Levis in the run game…
“It just depends on us, how we play the run first with the running backs. I feel like if we play that well, then we will probably see some different plays with him running, but first off, we have to stop the run up front.”
-UT Athletics
