Diamond Rio is once again spreading Christmas cheer this year at Nashville’s Opryland Resort with a 38-show holiday residency.
Diamond Rio: Holiday & Hits Dinner Show begins on Nov.16 and runs through Christmas Day as part of A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland. In addition to the holiday concert, which will also include Diamond Rio hits like “Meet in the Middle” and “One More Day,” guests will be treated to a multi-course meal prepared by the resort’s chefs.
“For many of us, heading to Gaylord Opryland with our families at Christmastime has been a longstanding tradition,” said guitarist Jimmy Olander. “They do Christmas big, and being part of their holiday season is an honor for us.”
Lady Antebellum will be embarking on the European leg of their You Look Good Tour on Oct. 1. The trio will play six dates in the Netherlands, Ireland and United Kingdom before wrapping the stint on Oct. 10.
After Europe, Lady A planned to head to South Africa for performances in Capetown on Oct. 13 and Johannesburg on Oct. 15, but the trio has decided to cancel those dates in the best interest of Hillary Scott, who is pregnant with twins.
“We are thrilled for Hillary and her precious twin girls, but want to share our deepest apologies to our fans,” said the band in a statement. “We have dreamed of performing in South Africa for years and can’t wait to make new plans to visit your beautiful country soon.”
Both South African dates have been removed from Lady A’s website, and refunds are being issued for patrons who purchased their tickets online. In-store purchases must be redeemed at Computicket locations.
Here’s Tennessee special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach Charlton Warren speaking in a group media session on Tuesday ahead of the Georgia game.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Game week preparations are in full swing for the Tennessee football team as it prepares for an important SEC East showdown with rival No. 7/8 Georgia.
The Vols (3-1, 0-1 SEC) have won the past two meetings with the Bulldogs (4-0, 1-0 SEC), with both victories coming in comeback fashion. UT was down 24-3 in its last home game against Georgia in 2015 before surging back for a 38-31 win. Last season, the Vols trailed by 10 points entering the fourth quarter before eventually winning the game on a 43-yard Hail Mary from Joshua Dobbs to Jauan Jennings as time expired.
Vols Defense Preparing for Versatile Georgia Offense
The Bulldogs’ offense has been very efficient through their first four games and have proven they have the ability to hurt their opponents in multiple ways. Tennessee defensive coordinator Bob Shoop talked about the importance of stopping the run while also making sure you don’t get beat deep.
“We anticipate them trying to throw the ball deep on us,” Shoop said after Tuesday’spractice. “They have as much depth at running back as any team I have ever seen. They could put five different guys out there and barely skip a beat. They have tried creative ways to get two or even three of those guys in the game at the same time, so you have to be able to stop the run. Jim Chaney does a good job of throwing it over your head when you try to put too many guys in the box.”
Tennessee’s pass defense has proven to be a strength so far this season and will have to be sharp again on Saturday. The Vols rank 11th in the nation in pass yards allowed per game, giving up an average of just 140.5 yards through the air this season.
UT put forth another solid defensive performance in last week’s win over UMass, holding the Minutemen’s high-powered passing attack to just 184 yards through the air. The Vols recorded seven sacks – their most since also recording seven in a 2008 win at Vanderbilt – and shut down UMass on multiple drives in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
“As a defense, your mentality is just to win the game, and that’s what we did,” junior defensive end Kyle Phillips said. “So I think that was a step forward for us … I think last week gave us confidence that we can finish games, and that the team can put it on us.”
Despite the success on defense this season, Tennessee coaches and players know that they’ll need to have one of their best performances of the season this Saturdayafternoon.
“I think the test we’re going to see on Saturday will be the greatest test we’ve faced so far when it comes to the run game, the pass game, the speed of the receivers, the size of the wideouts,” special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach Charlton Warren said. “We’re going to need to be on our A-game for this one.”
Scott Looking To Build a “Tough” Identity on Offense
The Big Orange will face one of their toughest challenges to date offensively this Saturday going up against a deep and talent Georgia defense.
“They’re big. They’re physical. They know their defense is a true, deep SEC defense,” UT offensive coordinator Larry Scott said. “We counted up to 20 guys that they have played on defense, so they have a pretty good revolving door of depth.
“When they do rotate, they all come in and they’re all big and just as long, physical and strong as the ones that walked out of the game. It’s going to be a big challenge for us.”
Scott said his offense will need to be equally as tough and must be able to run the football in order to have success against Georgia’s defense.
“We want to by physical,” Scott said. “We want to run the ball and find ways to run the ball. I don’t care how creative we have to be to do that. You want to line up and be able to run the football.
“And then when you have to throw it when the defense dictates that, we want to be able to have guys that can go make plays in the passing game. Identity is really style of play. We want to represent a brand of football that is just tough.”
Tennessee-Georgia Game Info
Saturday’s SEC East showdown will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS with Brad Nessler (PxP), Gary Danielson (analyst) and Allie LaForce (sideline) on the call.
Saturday’s game will also mark the return of Checker Neyland. Fans are encouraged to wear orange or white, depending on their seat location. To find out if your section is orange or white, go to CHECKERNEYLAND.com and enter your section/row/seat number as it appears on your ticket or CLICK HERE for a seat map.
The Vols will also wear their Smokey Grey uniforms against the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon. Tennessee is 3-0 all-time in its Nike Smokey Grey uniforms with wins over Georgia in 2015 and Florida and Nebraska last season.
Quotes from Monday’s Media Availability
Defensive Coordinator Bob Shoop
On which linebackers he prefers for a nickel package:
“Colton Jumper has played at a good level. Every time we all start to doubt him, he makes plays. The guy makes plays. He is like a coach on the field too. He does a good job of getting the guys lined up and settling the team down. Other than Florida, we really haven’t faced a traditional offense. UMass used some unorthodox formations. They did a good job. Elliott Berry made some good plays the other day. He had a sack and made a nice play on a screen pass. Daniel Bituli is back and forth between the MIKE and SAM, depending on what personnel grouping we are in. His best game was the first game of the year, but it’s not like he has played poorly since then.”
On the pass rush:
“We have had to find creative ways to rush the passer. We had several rushers the other day. We felt like we had a good beat on their protection. Rashaan Gaulden is one of our more productive players, so we like to blitz with him. He is a very good blitzer. Jumper did a good job as a pass blitzer, and Elliott Berry did too. Darrell Taylor, Jonathan Kongbo and Kyle Phillips all have a knack for getting to the quarterback. On third down, we either have to be creative with what we call or put our best pass rushers in the game.”
On Georgia’s passing attack:
“They have really tall and fast wide receivers. They have three guys who average over 20 yards a catch. Jake Fromm sure doesn’t look like a freshman. I think he is a very talented player. Isaac Nauta can get deep too. We anticipate them trying to throw the ball deep on us. They have as much depth at running back as any team I have ever seen. They could put five different guys out there and barely skip a beat. They have tried creative ways to get two or even three of those guys in the game at the same time, so you have to be able to stop the run. Jim Chaney does a good job of throwing it over your head when you try to put too many guys in the box.”
Offensive Coordinator Larry Scott
On Tennessee’s multiple offensive line fronts against UMass, if it was by design:
“It was kind of by design, kind of by necessity and kind of by just a feel of what we thought some guys could get done, what they could handle, the amount of volume that they could handle coming off of some of their injuries and the bumps that they had. So it was kind of a working piece the whole game.”
On what impresses him about Georgia’s defense:
“They’re big. They’re physical. They know their defense is a true, deep SEC defense. We counted up to 20 guys that they have played on defense, so they have a pretty good revolving door of depth. When they do rotate, they all come in and they’re all big and just as long, physical and strong as the ones that walked out of the game. It’s going to be a big challenge for us.”
On Georgia’s defensive front:
“They play various fronts, uneven fronts, four-down fronts, three-down fronts. They move and stem and they do some things like that to confuse your looks a little bit, which presents a challenge in itself that you have to be ready for and you have to get your kids prepared for during practice. All of those things and then make sure you scheme is so that you have enough but it’s tight enough to where you can go out and feel like you will be able to execute against all of the different things they do.”
On what the identity of Tennessee’s offense is:
“I know one thing. We want to play to our style of play, all of the time, no matter what that is. We want to by physical. We want to run the ball and find ways to run the ball. I don’t care how creative we have to be to do that. You want to line up and be able to run the football. And then when you have to throw it when the defense dictates that, we want to be able to have guys that can go make plays in the passing game. Identity is really style of play. We want to represent a brand of football that is just tough. No matter what that is, we want to have a certain level of toughness with that. Offensive football is about moving the football and finding ways to move the football and put the ball in the end zone and get first downs. That’s what we want to do on offense. We figure that out each and every week.”
Special Teams Coordinator/DBs Coach Charlton Warren
On being tested in previous games compared to this weekend against Georgia:
“Well I think anytime you have the number seven team in the country coming in I think that’s always a test. I think people have thrown the ball on us, Florida, Georgia Tech threw the ball over us, threw the ball at us. I think our guys have been tested in certain concepts and routes. We’ve had to exhibit some different technique in training with the ball in the air – but there’s a lot of room for improvement with our eyes, our technique, our fundamentals. So I think the test we’re going to see on Saturday will be the greatest test we’ve faced so far when it comes to the run game, the pass game, the speed of the receivers, the size of the wideouts. We’re going to need to be on our A-game for this one.”
On Georgia’s freshman quarterback Jake Fromm:
“I think he’s done a great job. He’s a very composed young man, very athletic, makes very good decisions with the ball, probably a little wise beyond his years right now as a freshman. I’ve been really impressed with the way he’s handled environments like Notre Dame and having to come in to replace Eason in that game. So I’ve been really impressed with him, and he’s done a great job for them.”
On how Rashaan Gaulden has taken his game to a new level this season: “Rashaan (Gaulden) plays with a certain amount of recklessness, a certain amount of energy and passion. He’s the guy that makes things happen on the field whether he’s blitzing them, whether it’s coverage, whether it’s communicating and leading or his sideline energy. I’ve been really happy and pleased with the way he’s playing. It’s hard to find guys that play as hard play in and play out as Rashaan Gaulden. His leadership, what he’s done working with some younger guys, even Nigel (Warrior) at the safety position, just the communication that happens as the game rolls on. I’ve been really impressed with what he’s doing on the field. We’re going to need him to play like that going forward.”
Junior Quarterback Quinten Dormady
Looking back at Saturday’s game:
“As a whole we didn’t play up to our standard, and we’ll get that fixed. As far as receivers go, Brandon (Johnson) obviously had an outstanding game, and I think we are continuing to improve as far as our rhythm and timing goes. That’s always good, but we didn’t play up to our standard. I have been having too many turnovers, and that’s something I need to fix going forward.”
On decision to put in Jarrett Guarantano:
“We weren’t playing up to our standard. We didn’t have enough energy and were kind of flat. That was Coach’s decision. I am here to win games, and whatever the coaches think is the best decision I will go with that.”
On the team’s lack of passion on Saturday:
“I don’t know exactly what the cause was other than we need to have more energy from the start. We need to come out with more energy from the start.”
On progress as a first time starter:
“I think it has been a cumulative effect, I can’t point out one specific area. I think each game has been a little bit different, but obviously what has gone right and what has gone wrong. I think with this past game, with the receivers we have made a huge step forward.”
On consistency as a whole from quarterback’s perspective:
“Each drive is different, but there is penalties in there, there is turnovers, things of that nature. Having a turnover in the second drive of the game on my part, kills the energy. That is probably part of the reason we didn’t have much energy going forward throughout that game. I think that is probably the biggest thing is my turnovers, and then penalties throughout the drive that puts you behind the chains.”
Sophomore Wide Receiver Brandon Johnson
On Georgia’s defensive line putting pressure on the wide receivers to get out of routes fast:
“I would definitely say we have to have a sense of urgency on the perimeter because we know that they have great defensive lineman who are going to try to get pressure on the quarterback. But I’m confident in our offensive line that they’ll be able to handle it and that as a receiving group, we’ll be able to do a good job too.”
On his confidence going into the Georgia game after an impressive showing against UMass:
“I’m confident going into this game. I’m just looking to make the most impact I can, whether that be outside on the perimeter or in the slot, wherever they need me, I’m just looking to make an impact. And the same goes for the rest of the guys. As receivers, we’re all just looking to make plays.”
Junior Defensive End Kyle Phillips
On the passion and energy level during the UMass game:
“We definitely lacked passion and energy during the UMass game. I was very disappointed. I thought we had a few good practices last week. We didn’t come out to play on Saturday and it really hurt us and impacted the game. It starts in practice, we have to bring that passion and energy to practice. We have to work on game-like reps and just know that every play in practice is a game rep. That is what is going to help us to prepare for this game.”
On the last two Tennessee-Georgia games coming down to the final play:
“This is the SEC. Any game can be determined by one or two plays. That’s why you have to be ready each and every play. You can’t slack off for one play because that could be a game changer.”
On his level of confidence:
“I think as I’ve been getting more game reps, I’ve been getting more comfortable just being out there. My first two years, I would kind of get in for one play here, one play there, but now I’m getting in for big drives and things like that, so I think that’s really helping my confidence this season.”
On the strides that the defensive line has taken recently and how that showed against UMass:
“As a defense, your mentality is just to win the game, and that’s what we did. So I think that was a step forward for us. A lot of times, we haven’t finished games. So I think last week gave us confidence that we can finish games, and that the team can put it on us. If the offense is struggling, they’ll know that we have their back.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee football head coach Butch Jones and redshirt seniors Brett Kendrick and Kendal Vickers spoke to reporters at Monday’s press conference in the Ray and Lucy Hand Digital Studio.
Tennessee (3-1, 0-1 SEC) returns to SEC play this week as the Vols host No. 7/8 Georgia (4-0, 1-0 SEC) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.
“We are looking forward to a great challenge and a great opportunity Saturday at3:30 playing the No. 7-ranked team in the country,” Jones said. “If there’s a word that describes them, I would say (it is) complete. They’re complete in all three phases and they go very deep into depth in all three phases.”
The Vols have gone 2-2 against Georgia in the Jones era and each of those four games has been decided by one score. In 2015, the last time the game was played in Neyland Stadium, Tennessee snapped a five-game losing streak to the Bulldogs with a 38-31 victory. Last season, Joshua Dobbs‘ 43-yard Hail Mary to Jauan Jennings with time expiring was one of college football’s best plays of the season and lifted Tennessee to a 34-31 win at Sanford Stadium.
“If you look at the past history of these games, they usually come down to the final possession,” Jones said. “Again, having that mindset of whatever it takes to win the football game. It’s going to be a very physical football game and we’re looking forward to it on Saturday.”
Veteran Vols Preparing For Athletic Georgia Team
Kendrick and Vickers are both in their fifth seasons on Rocky Top and, more than anyone, they know the tough test the annual Tennessee-Georgia game presents.
“I take a hard look at the defensive ends,” Kendrick said. “Davin Bellamy and Lorenzo Carter stand out for me. I have a lot of respect for Georgia. They have a really athletic front, and their interior guys are big and strong. The linebackers run well and play well. It’s just like any other SEC game. The front seven will be a challenge, and it is something we have to step up and take care of.”
Vickers and the defense are preparing for a talented Bulldog offense. Georgia is averaging 223.3 rushing yards per game and uses multiple running backs as Nick Chubb (92.8 yards per game), Sony Michel (64.0) and D’Andre Swift (49.0) are all averaging over 40 yards per game.
“They’ve got really great players in the backfield,” Vickers said. “They have a freshman quarterback who’s been making a lot of plays. Their offensive line is very good. They have guys on the outside that can make plays as well, so we just have to come into this week focused and ready to take the task because they’re a good team.”
Checker Neyland For UT-UGA Game
For the fourth-straight season, the fan-led initiative of Checker Neyland will take place for this Saturday’s game against Georgia.
Fans are encouraged to wear orange or white, depending on their seat location. To find out if your section is orange or white, go to CHECKERNEYLAND.com and enter your section/row/seat number as it appears on your ticket or CLICK HERE for a seat map. Terrace ticket holders should enter their terrace number (Ter1, Ter2, Ter3, etc.) and do not need to enter a row or seat location. East and West Club ticket holders should enter their club with the respective number (EC1, EC2, WC1, WC2, etc.). UT students can enter their seat as in the section/row/seat number format.
Over the last three seasons, Tennessee fans have created and participated in one of the greatest sights in college football, turning Neyland Stadium into a sea orange and white in UT’s iconic checkerboard pattern.
Peyton Manning To Be Honored, Joined by College Football Hall of Famers On Field and At Vol Walk
Peyton Manning will be honored at halftime on Saturday by the National Football Foundation. The midfield ceremony will serve as the NFF’s official “on-campus-salute” of Manning’s selection to the College Football Hall of Fame. Per Manning’s request, UT’s living College Football Hall of Famers will join him at the recognition and at the Vol Walk. The VFLs include: Doug Dickey, Frank Emmanuel, Phillip Fulmer, Bob Johnson, Chip Kell, Steve Kiner, Johnny Majors and John Michaels (represented by his daughter).
Additional Quotes
Tennessee Head Coach Butch Jones
(Opening statement)
“We are looking forward to a great challenge and a great opportunity Saturday at 3:30 playing the No. 7-ranked team in the country. If there’s a word that describes them, I would say (it is) complete. They’re complete in all three phases and they go very deep into depth in all three phases. Sometimes, they even rotate the three different units on defense. Obviously, we know about the number of running backs they play. I think one of the biggest improvements in their football program has been their offensive front. I’ve been very impressed with their offensive line. Again, they’re very deserving of being the seventh ranked team in the country. It’s a great challenge, but also I know our players are looking forward to the great opportunity. It all starts in preparation. If you look at the past history of these games, they usually come down to the final possession. Again, having that mindset of whatever it takes to win the football game. It’s going to be a very physical football game and we’re looking forward to it on Saturday.”
(On updates of quarterback situation after watching film from Saturday)
“I think there’s a lot more pressing topics than the quarterback conversation. I think that’s just something that the average person looks at and says, ‘the quarterbacks.’ If you look at Quinten (Dormady), he was five out of eight in the first quarter and 14 out of 19 in the first half. The play of the quarterbacks is a byproduct of everyone around them. They get too much praise when things go well and too much blame when things don’t go well, but that’s all part of playing quarterback. I thought Quinten did some very good things. Again, every game, whether it’s Jarrett (Guarantano) or whether it’s Quinten, it’s a learning experience.
“We were able to get Jarrett 11 snaps which were invaluable in his growth and development, and they were in some stressful situations, as well. I think they’ll continue to get better, but again, they’re a byproduct of everyone. We had our first third-and-three, and it looks like Quinten’s holding on the football, but we go two deep on the run, and it’s right there. So, there’s a lot of things that go into the quarterback play and a lot of it is dictated by the individuals around them. There’s some things that we have to continue to improve on that we’ll work at, but for the most part, I was pleased. Getting Jarrett those 11 reps was invaluable as well. But we have to be able to run the football, make no mistake about it. We cannot be a one-dimensional football team. We’re not built that way. We have to have great balance, and when you can’t run the football, you’re going to be behind a little bit. If you really look at the storylines from the game, it was second-and-14, second-and-15, second-and-12. We were never ahead of the sticks. You’re not going to have much success if you’re not ahead of the sticks and staying on schedule with the four-yard efficiency that we speak about all the time.”
(On injury status of junior defensive lineman Shy Tuttle and senior offensive lineman Jashon Robertson)
“We fully anticipate them being ready to go. We anticipate just about everyone being ready to go. I’ll know more as the week progresses, but we expect that they’ll be ready to go for this game.”
(On whether lack of energy shown Saturday has been a recurring issue)
“We talk about the different things that make up the structure of our football program, the little things that maybe no one sees until they’re not there, things that embody our football program. It starts first and foremost with energy and passion. I thought it was very lackluster. We had some players that played with some energy and some passion, so it’s not everyone. But it’s what I spoke about postgame. It has been an isolated incident. I think we’ve shown some passion and some energy in the other games, but that’s something that we will not tolerate. We will not go backwards with that. We’ll address that situation, and you can make a lot of excuses for it, but there is no excuse for a lack of passion and energy. For a lot of these individuals, they’re younger players. It’s their first year in the program and they’re going through a lot. They have to understand, you may not be playing much, but you can help the team win in one way, shape, form or another. If you’re not on the field, give them some energy. Stay into the game. You can impact the game regardless if you’re on the field or not. You can impact it in your own way. That’s something that we’ll talk about. I’m going to meet with our freshman today at 2, and make sure they understand the standards and expectations in our program as well.”
(On usage of junior quarterback Quinten Dormady in the run game)
“I think it’s evolving. There’s so many ways to involve a quarterback. It may be with RPO’s (run-pass option). He has a key read attached to it, whether it’s a zone read or whether it’s an RPO. Sometimes, he has to keep the football. There was a couple times where we felt that he should have kept the football. It’s an assignment. It’s just like going through your pass progressions, there’s also a read progression as well.”
(On redshirt senior defensive back Shaq Wiggins’ play vs. UMass)
“I was very pleased with Shaq. I thought he had a whole different mindset and a different level of determination starting last Monday. I like the way he approached practice. He was extremely competitive. He approached everyday like it was gameday. You get on the football field through your week of preparation. I think it showed when he had opportunities during the game. He was very decisive. We are going to continue to need that going forward.”
RS Senior DL Kendal Vickers
(On the lack of passion)
“For me, I always try to go out there and play as hard as I can and play with as much passion as I can. There’s not really an excuse to make for the lack of passion on Saturday. We just got to go out and fix it. It’s on me, and it’s on a bunch of the leaders to help fix that.”
(On what they know about Georgia)
“They’ve got really great players in the backfield. They have a freshman quarterback who’s been making a lot of plays. Their offensive line is very good. They have guys on the outside that can make plays as well, so we just have to come into this week focused and ready to take the task because they’re a good team.”
(On things the team has learned about each other)
“We got a lot of heart, we really do. This team works hard. This team is really close and people don’t really understand that. Just being out there with my brothers every day, I wouldn’t have it any other way. We’re going to continue to work, we’re going to continue to get better, and it’s a long season. We can really do some special things as a team.”
RS Senior OL Brett Kendrick
(On his thoughts on the run game Saturday)
“I would say the run game was pretty poor, and that is on the offensive line. As a senior lineman, I take that personal. This week of practice has to be huge for us. We have a bunch of guys who work hard every week. We have great backs in John Kelly, Carlin Flis-aime and all of them. We are going to work on it a lot this week and get it fixed.”
(On what catches his eye about Georgia’s defense)
“I take a hard look at the defensive ends. Davin Bellamy and Lorenzo Carter stand out for me. I have a lot of respect for Georgia. They have a really athletic front, and their interior guys are big and strong. The linebackers run well and play well. It’s just like any other SEC game. The front seven will be a challenge, and it is something we have to step up and take care of.”
Looking back at Saturday’s game:
“As a whole we didn’t play up to our standard, and we’ll get that fixed. As far as receivers go, Brandon (Johnson) obviously had an outstanding game, and I think we are continuing to improve as far as our rhythm and timing goes. That’s always good, but we didn’t play up to our standard. I have been having too many turnovers, and that’s something I need to fix going forward.”
On decision to put in Jarrett Guarantano:
“We weren’t playing up to our standard. We didn’t have enough energy and were kind of flat. That was Coach’s decision. I am here to win games, and whatever the coaches think is the best decision I will go with that.”
On the team’s lack of passion on Saturday:
“I don’t know exactly what the cause was other than we need to have more energy from the start. We need to come out with more energy from the start.”
On progress as a first time starter:
“I think it has been a cumulative effect, I can’t point out one specific area. I think each game has been a little bit different, but obviously what has gone right and what has gone wrong. I think with this past game, with the receivers we have made a huge step forward.”
On consistency as a whole from quarterbacks perspective:
“Each drive is different, but there is penalties in there, there is turnovers, things of that nature. Having a turnover in the second drive of the game on my part, kills the energy. That is probably part of the reason we didn’t have much energy going forward throughout that game. I think that is probably the biggest thing is my turnovers, and then penalties throughout the drive that puts you behind the chains.”
Sophomore Wide Receiver Brandon Johnson
On Georgia’s defensive line putting pressure on the wide receivers to get out of routes fast:
“I would definitely say we have to have a sense of urgency on the perimeter because we know that they have great defensive lineman who are going to try to get pressure on the quarterback. But I’m confident in our offensive line that they’ll be able to handle it and that as a receiving group, we’ll be able to do a good job too.”
On his confidence going into the Georgia game after an impressive showing against UMass:
“I’m confident going into this game. I’m just looking to make the most impact I can, whether that be outside on the perimeter or in the slot, wherever they need me, I’m just looking to make an impact. And the same goes for the rest of the guys. As receivers, we’re all just looking to make plays.”
Junior Defensive End Kyle Phillips
On the passion and energy level during the UMass game:
“We definitely lacked passion and energy during the UMass game. I was very disappointed. I thought we had a few good practices last week. We didn’t come out to play on Saturday and it really hurt us and impacted the game. It starts in practice, we have to bring that passion and energy to practice. We have to work on game-like reps and just know that every play in practice is a game rep. That is what is going to help us to prepare for this game.”
On the last two Tennessee-Georgia games coming down to the final play:
“This is the SEC. Any game can be determined by one or two plays. That’s why you have to be ready each and every play. You can’t slack off for one play because that could be a game changer.”
On his level of confidence:
“I think as I’ve been getting more game reps, I’ve been getting more comfortable just being out there. My first two years, I would kind of get in for one play here, one play there, but now I’m getting in for big drives and things like that, so I think that’s really helping my confidence this season.”
On the strides that the defensive line has taken recently and how that showed against UMass:
“As a defense, your mentality is just to win the game, and that’s what we did. So I think that was a step forward for us. A lot of times, we haven’t finished games. So I think last week gave us confidence that we can finish games, and that the team can put it on us. If the offense is struggling, they’ll know that we have their back.”
Message boards and twitter are dangerous outlets to gather accurate news.
The posts can range from absurd to preposterous to ridiculous.
But, sometimes, they can also be correct.
That’s why, as a journalist, you have an obligation to investigate, no matter how far fetched a thread might be.
That was the case recently when posts surfaced that Tennessee safety Nigel Warrior had punched defensive tackle Shy Tuttle in the face last week, fracturing the orbital bone in one of his eyes.
Four sources told me by Monday morning that Warrior had punched Tuttle, but not all agreed that Tuttle had suffered a fractured orbital bone.
I did not report any of this before Tennessee coach Butch Jones’ press conference around 12:15 p.m. on Monday.
Instead, I asked him a question at the presser: Was Tuttle’s injury caused by a teammate?
I have no doubt Jones was prepared to be asked that question.
He could have said: Yes.
He could have said: No.
He could have said: We don’t always discuss details of injuries. The word always is key because Jones has explained some injuries, i.e., saying linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. suffered a knee injury during a non-contact incident at practice.
Instead, Jones went in a different direction.
“Football is an emotional game,’’ Jones said. “It is a competitive game.’’
That response seemed like a prelude to explaining that, yes indeed, sometimes teammates get into skirmishes at practice.
But that’s not where Jones went. Instead, he said: “The injury was caused not by a teammate. He (Tuttle) landed on a helmet and that’s the truth.’’
Then he went on an intriguing lecture:
“I think we have to understand, what do we want out of our media? This place with the drama, and again, these are kids and I think we all have children and we’re all adults. Are we focused on Tennessee football from a recruiting standpoint, from all the positive things we’ve done, from all the positive things this football program brings to the community, this great fan base? Are we in the reality world of TV?
“I think all of us as human have to self-check ourselves, and you may not like that answer, but I’m a father, I have three boys and I think we sometimes got to put ourselves in a role of a parent as well. And I understand we all have jobs to do. My expectations as the head football coach, I’m the caretaker of Tennessee football.
“I’m here to develop and grow the football program, recruit the best possible student-athletes to represent the University of Tennessee and win football games and graduate our players. That’s my responsibility. I take that very seriously. But also, I love our kids and I’m going to protect our players and I’m going to protect our programs. Sometimes the negativity is overwhelming.
“If everyone is Vols fans, how do we let our opponents use this in the recruiting process with fake news? Sometimes, again, we have to check ourselves. What are we here for? What’s our values and principles that guide our life every single day? And I appreciate everyone in this room.
“You guys have a job to do, and I’m respectful of that. I’m friends with a lot of you guys in the room and I appreciate it, but also there comes a certain time where enough is enough. So, thank you. You guys have a great day. I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday. Go Vols.”
I’m not sure why Jones felt it necessary to go in that direction. But he did. And in doing so, he made the Tuttle issue a bigger story.
I’ve yet to find anyone who believes Tuttle was actually injured when he fell on a helmet.
If he didn’t fall on a helmet, then that’s Jones providing the fake news that he detests.
I expected many in the Vol Nation to blast me for asking a question that I felt should have been asked. Instead, the responses I’ve received on my email account and text messages have not been favorable for Jones.
One said: `”Butch Jones just dug his grave.’’
Another: “He has gone off the rocker.’’
“He really has embarrassed Tennessee football,’’ said another.
“He just proved he’s in over his head,’’ was another text message.
“I think he’s feeling the pressure,’’ said another.
Then came this one: “Word of advice to you – if you stumble, watch out for helmets! I heard they can put an eye out.’’
I’m not sure if we’ll ever know exactly what happened between Warrior and Tuttle.
But after listening to Jones’ two-minute lecture, I was reminded of what a dear friend of mine once told me years ago:
You never get in trouble for what you don’t say.
At Monday’s press conference, that would have been sage advice for Butch Jones.
Junior Quarterback Quinten Dormady
