Quite often, you don’t learn much in a one-sided rout over an outmanned opponent.
But in Tennessee’s case, I learned two things.
One, the Vols won’t suffer a letdown after a big win.
Two, Tennessee won’t lose to a team with inferior talent.
Tennessee destroyed UT-Martin 65-24 Saturday afternoon while celebrating homecoming at Neyland Stadium.
The game wasn’t as close as the final score. The Vols led 52-7 in the second quarter and rested quarterback Hendon Hooker before halftime.
This came after a thrilling, exhausting, emotional draining, cigar smoking, goalpost removing victory over top-ranked Alabama the week before.
Tennessee was primed for a letdown. Instead, the Vols hammered the Skyhawks with an offensive blitz that left the visitors gasping for air.
Tennessee scored a touchdown on seven of its eight first-half possessions. The Vols had 52 points at halftime and could have scored 100 if coach Josh Heupel had left in his starters.
The third-ranked Vols (7-0) have too much fun to go through the motions. They enjoy trying to score on every possession. They like the challenge of zipping quickly downfield and hearing the band play Rocky Top.
When a program has been mired in mediocrity for the better part of 15 years, you relish the chance to have success.
Quarterback Hendon Hooker was masterful again. The Heisman Trophy candidate completed 18 of 24 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns before retiring for the day.
Jalin Hyatt picked up where he left off the week before with seven catches for 173 yards and two touchdowns. He now has 12 receiving touchdowns to lead the nation. He is one shy of the UT single-season record.
Tight end Princeton Fant proved to be a Swiss Army knife. He threw a beautiful 66-yard scoring pass to Hyatt on a lateral from Joe Milton.
The play conjured up memories of Von Reeves throwing a tight-end-around touchdown pass against Florida in a 45-3 rout in 1990.
Fant also scored twice on runs.
His only miscue was dropping a TD pass from Hooker in the first quarter.
Fant has scored this season via run and thrown pass. He is waiting for his first scoring reception.
Tennessee has now scored 351 points, which is more than the Vols scored in all of 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. UT is on pace to shatter last season’s 511 points.
That leads us to our second point.
Tennessee’s uptempo offense assures UT won’t get upset.
It demolishes good defenses. It destroys average defenses. It obliterates weak defenses.
Because UT’s offense is so efficient, it won’t lose to a lesser team.
It probably won’t lose to a team with equal talent.
And it will upset high ranked teams.
Heupel’s offense is a masterpiece, a Mona Lisa.
It can rarely be stopped.
Pitt did the best job of containing UT’s attack.
But that is a rarity.
Maybe Georgia can put a lid of UT’s offense. But after watching Tennessee score 52 on Nick Saban’s SEC-leading defense, I could see UT scoring in the 40s on Georgia.
Next on the UT docket is Kentucky this Saturday at 7 p.m.
UT needed less than 15 minutes time of possession to beat Kentucky in Lexington last year 45-42.
It might be another shootout.
If so, my money is on Tennessee’s firing the last shot.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – With the excitement still palpable among fans and the college football world following No. 3/4 Tennessee’s win over then No. 3/1 Alabama, the attention of everyone within the Vols’ locker room has shifted solely to this week’s contest against UT Martin.
UT’s success up to this point can be largely attributed to its ability to leave the past in the past, no matter the result, and turn its focus to the next task at hand.
“It was a good game (and) a good win for the team,” junior defensive back Tamarion McDonald said on Tuesday. However, McDonald quickly followed that by saying that last week is now in the past and the team’s lone focus was going 1-0 this week.
“We’re moving on,” McDonald said. “We prepare the same every week no matter who we play, so just staying focused, staying locked in on the details and on us.”
Keeping the same mentality from the first half of the season during the stretch run will also be important for Tennessee if they hope to reach their ultimate goal.
“Nothing changes for us. We go to work from Monday to gameday. Nothing changes,” junior offensive lineman Javontez Spraggins said. “Win a game? That’s fine, we go back and we get ready for the next one.”
This week’s challenge is facing a UT Martin team that features one of the top offenses in the FCS. The Skyhawks rank sixth in the FCS in total offense, averaging 485.2 yards per game, including nearly 300 yards per game through the air. UT Martin is also averaging 37.5 points per game, a figure that ranks 11th nationally in the FCS.
“They’re very versatile in terms of what they’re doing,” defensive coordinator Tim Banks said during his press conference on Tuesday. “They have some elements of the team we just saw this past weekend. I think they also have some elements in their throw game in terms of what our offense does. Their scheme is very good.
“I like their quarterback (Dresser Winn), he’s very savvy, he’s made a lot of plays for those guys, and they got good skill. We tell guys all the time, we don’t take anybody lightly. We know these guys are going to come in ready to play and we’re working extremely hard to make sure we’re ready to play as well. I got a lot of confidence in our guys, in the maturity that we have and the leadership that we have. We know we’ll get their best effort and they’re going to get our best effort, as well.”
Saturday’s Homecoming game will kick off at noon ET and be televised on the SEC Network. Tickets for the contest are available in limited quantities at AllVols.com. In addition, season tickets for the 2023 campaign are also on sale now at AllVols.com.
Transcripts, along with select player quotes from Tuesday’s media availabilities can be found below.
On the key to getting pressure on Bryce Young… “We obviously respect him as a football player. We knew that if he played, he was going to be a handful, and obviously he was. To be totally honest with you, everything we do starts with pressure. We went into this game with the same mindset. We wanted to be able to attack, whether it was just with our front four or whether we are bringing five, we wanted to make sure that we tried to make him uncomfortable if we could. He obviously made some plays, but obviously we made some as well. Our hats off to him, (he is) a tremendous player and he obviously did a great job.
On having the second-best run defense in the SEC… “I’m going to be honest, I know it’s going to be cliché, I very rarely even look at our stats, so I didn’t know. I know philosophically, we definitely want to be able to stop the run. Just the way we’re built, the players in which we’re playing with, they understand their gap responsibility, whether it’s our front four, our linebackers, our safeties are getting involved. We can’t allow teams to be able to throw it, run it – it just makes us uncomfortable, so to speak. So, we want to make sure we’re taking something away, and so far, we’ve obviously been pretty good at taking away the run. That’s a good stat to hear, but the reality of it is we know we’ve got a long season and we got to continue to get better.”
On creating a frenetic pace to the game on both sides of the ball… “I think the reality for us is, again, I think it just starts with our philosophy. We want to play fast, we want to be aggressive, we obviously want to be physical, and it just so happens that our offense plays with that same type of mentality on offense. I guess what you’re describing is we’re playing with the same type of culture on defense. It’s great if it makes the other opponents uncomfortable, but is it by design? Yeah, if that’s what is working. But the reality of it is it’s just kind of who we are, and it’s in our DNA. We want to be as aggressive as we can, and hopefully, make the opponent uncomfortable.”
On some guys who did not play a lot who performed against Alabama… “(I’m) definitely excited about the next man up mentality because we talk about it a lot. I think every coach in the country kind of talks about it. We definitely try to live by that mantra. We also talk about, you get what you earn, and a lot of those guys who got an opportunity in the secondary to play have been working really hard throughout the camp and obviously the season, and it just so happened that this was the game that those guys had to play a lion’s share of the reps. I’m extremely proud, because I know how hard those guys work. The fact that they went in there and didn’t blink is a testimony to the culture that we have in place right now in terms of guys just being ready when their name is called, and I thought that came to fruition obviously Saturday.”
On getting a stop on a sudden change after a turnover… “We pride ourselves on, anytime we take the field, trying to put the fire out, so to speak. Obviously, playing a great team in which we were playing, having a chance to go out there and put the fire out, was great to see those guys stand tall.”
On the things Tennessee can correct with their defense going forward… “I think it’s the defensive hold. Like I tell guys all the time – he asked a question about the run defense – that’s not a product of just the front nor just the linebackers, it’s a product of everybody. What we ask the DB’s to have to do, what we ask the linebackers and d-line gives us the ability to play great run defense. Conversely, it’s the same thing in pass defense. It’s the front four, it’s the linebackers being where they need to be, it’s obviously the DB’s as well. There are numerous things that we have to get better at. Obviously, when he (the quarterback) breaks contain, making sure we’re taking the proper angles that way. Continuing to finish when the ball is in the air, but that’s football. We work on those things every week, and I’ve definitely seen some progress, but we realize we’re still a work in progress overall.”
On the progression of Doneiko Slaughter and his performance on Saturday… “Neiko is one of the guys that we’re extremely proud because of how hard he works. He never complains and when he gets his opportunity, he goes in and he produces. One of the things that I think is one of his strengths is he’s very versatile. I think you mentioned he’s played STAR, we even played him at corner during the spring, he’s played both safety spots. Like I tell guys all the time, the more you can do, the more value you bring. He’s extremely valuable for us right now because he’s a plug-and-play player. It doesn’t matter what position, so to speak. How did he play? He showed some flashes. He did some really good things. I think he’ll be the first one to tell you, there’s obviously some things he needs to do better, but the good news with him is, I know he’s going to work toward it and I think he’ll be even better from the experience that he got this past weekend.”
On Jeremy Banks’ performance Saturday… “Yeah honestly, that was just Banks being Banks. He plays extremely hard, he hustles to the ball every single snap. He’s just one of those guys that you have to slow him down then speed him up. When you have that type of mentality, typically, he’s more right than he is wrong. We’re always proud of Jeremy. We know exactly what we’re going to get in terms of effort and physicality. At this point, there are obviously still some things he knows he needs to work on to get cleaned up, but we were obviously pleased with how hard he played this weekend.”
On what he has seen from UT Martin’s offense and their passing attack… “They’re very versatile in terms of what they’re doing. They have some elements of the team we just saw this past weekend. I think they also have some elements in their throw game in terms of what our offense does. Their scheme is very good. I like their quarterback (Dresser Winn), he’s very savvy, he’s made a lot of plays for those guys, and they got good skill. We tell guys all the time, we don’t take anybody lightly. We know these guys are going to come in ready to play and we’re working extremely hard to make sure we’re ready to play as well. I got a lot of confidence in our guys, in the maturity that we have and the leadership that we have. We know we’ll get their best effort and they’re going to get our best effort, as well.”
Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach Alex Golesh
On deciding when to hurry up versus waiting for a review or challenging the play… “In a situation like that (Jabari Small scoring at the goal-line), they (the officials) held it. They will generally hold it. The center judge will stand over the ball and won’t let you run another play. As they were reviewing it, we have TV screens in the box on about a 12-second delay. We are looking at it to see if we need one. We had the offense ready and had our next play dialed up, but they won’t let you snap the ball anymore. With the communication the refs have, they’ll just stand over the ball.”
On deciding when to challenge a play… “We didn’t need to challenge it because they’re going to stand and hold over the ball. Any of those types of plays, they’ll always review, and like I said, we are on a 12-second delay, so we’ll be able to see it. We have one guy designated in the box on each side of the ball that will tell us, ‘man, it’s close, we should (challenge),’ if the end result isn’t what we want. But obviously in that case, it looked good. In a game like that, there’s enough angles where you can tell.”
On the effect playing fast has on the opponent… “I don’t have a whole lot of control over what Coach Banks is doing, although he is sitting two seats over and I can kind of hear it. I’m more worried about the next drive. For us, it’s what we do. It’s what Coach Heupel wants. It’s aggressive on both sides of the ball. That’s how we play, that’s what the kids know. For us, we know going in, ‘here is where we are going to go.’ As long as it looks like what we thought it would look like, the kids know how we are rolling and what we are doing. Really proud of the way that they started. Really proud of the start our group got. Obviously, the key when you get up like that is now, you have to continue to keep your foot on the gas. Coach Heupel told us Friday that we are going to be aggressive the whole time, and he let us be aggressive the whole time.”
On the partnership between the offensive and defensive approach.. “It’s the philosophy as a program from Coach Heupel that we are going to be aggressive on both sides of the ball. We are aggressive on special teams. I think it’s just what we do. The whole program is that way. We’re building towards that every week. That would be a great question for Coach Heupel. As coordinators, for all three of us, it’s an aggressive approach in everything we do. It’s how we coach, it’s how we recruit, it’s the way this program has to be, is that we are going to be aggressive in everything that we do. I don’t know if I answered your question, but we are playing fast on offense trying to score on every play.”
On Jalin Hyatt’s five-touchdown performance and how that materialized… “I think for us offensively, it’s finding those matchups and then trying to exploit them. If you’re asking if I knew he was going to catch five touchdowns going into that game, I don’t know. I’m just so proud of who Jalin Hyatt has become. A year ago this time, I don’t know that we would have sat here and said he’s going to catch five touchdowns against Alabama. The growth within our program, I’m more proud of him in that sense than maybe anyone else within our room, because he took the challenges that he was presented with a year ago, most of them brought on by himself, and just kept working. He’s the same guy that every evening in the summer, he’s on the jugs. Every single time Hendon (Hooker) was out there throwing, Jalin Hyatt was who he was throwing to. I’m not singling Jalin out, because Ramel (Keyton) is there, Cedric (Tilman) is there, and Bru (McCoy) when he got here, really that whole wideout group. Kelsey’s (Pope) done an incredible job of creating, taking what we had going and just continuing to build on the culture in that room, and really the culture in all of our rooms. You don’t always see the end result of that. You don’t end up on the winning side of it, and all we talk about daily is control your process. We talked about it again on Monday, that the only thing that matters is our process. Jalin is a byproduct of that. I couldn’t be more proud of how he’s attacked his process. That’s the result that happened. It could have happened that way, it could not have. He could have reaped the rewards of that, he could not have, but long run, who Jalin Hyatt has become is totally a credit to what Coach Heupel has built here in terms of that we are process-oriented. We continue to plug, and the end result is what the end results is going to be, but what Jalin has done is a true example of what this program, what we have worked so hard as a whole group to build here, which is a process-based program that continues to develop young people. I’m so proud of him and what he’s been able to do, and then you see him at practice today and it’s like nothing ever happened. All he’s working on is perfecting his craft and coaching Squirrel (White) and coaching Jimmy Calloway. It’s just who Jalin has become. If you can have that every day from an entire program, special things can happen.”
On how rewarding it was to put up 52 points on Alabama… “I think rewarding is a good word. The amount of work, it was an emotional end to it. I got to see my wife and kiddos on the field right at the end of it. The amount of work everybody has put in is the rewarding part. We got here January 28th, a year and a half ago, and it has been a lot of work to say the least. To reap the rewards of that is obviously rewarding. I think for all of us, our families, the player families, the guys that stayed here—a lot of guys didn’t—and the guys that stayed here and have poured into our coaching staff. Our coaching staff in return has poured into them. The end result was going to be what the end results was going to be, we do not control the true end result of that. The fact that our kids just continued to play hard, we played really hard in that game offensively. Our offensive line played really hard, our wideouts played really hard, our tight ends, running backs and quarterback. The rewarding part is that we went into that game and expected to win. I told those guys on Friday that, ‘you have earned the right to be confident throughout the week,’ and how we practiced Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and their process leading up to it. I keep using that word, but you have to earn the right to win every week. You earn the right to win every week in how you control your process, in how we practice, in how we study film and the extra time it takes. There is a lot that goes into a win. There is a lot that goes into just playing a game. The rewarding part is for everybody involved, including our families. That’s why I brought up my family. To see them and everything they have sacrificed, that is the rewarding part. Whoever gets credit gets credit, I don’t think it is about any single person. Just to see that stadium the way it was, these people that paid astronomical amounts of money to come to these games and pack this place out and actually having a real home field advantage, it’s rewarding for everybody. It is the end result of the process we have poured into it. Our players is where it starts.”
On productivity by condensing the offense in short yardage situations… “The offense is based on creating matchups. So, whether those matchups are spread out or those matchups are tight, it’s creating matchups. I think we talked about it in the spring and we talked about it in the summer, continuing to create variation in what we do, more so than are we tight or are we wide. Just continuing with tempo to create different pictures. We’ve been able to grow in every facet offensively, but that’s just part of it, is in certain situations, you need to condense it to be able to create some edges. You saw us be able to condense it and to go back out and be able to condense it to stay in, but it’s staying balanced is the key to the whole deal and building from week to week. Next week, there will be a different wrinkle to it, and that’s our job to figure out those wrinkles. We’ve played tight. We haven’t played tight consistently. I think that’s been the growth within our offense, is the ability to play tight, then play wide, then tight, then wide … and to create confusion in some ways, to create extra gaps in some ways. But I think as we evolve offensively, that’s part of it. I know the under-center question from a year ago, hopefully we’ve answered that. We took it as a challenge, and we have answered the bell there. But just continuing to evolve and create different pictures for defenses, to obviously be less predictable.”
On Saturday’s environment impacting recruiting… “Those young people and their families that were there on Saturday, I think similar to the Florida game and in a lot of ways similar to every home game. You know, when you sell out the Akron game, that’s a statement. I think when you’ve spent the last 18 months selling something and then they get to see it, that’s monumental. I think kids want to be part of a winning program. It’s one thing to sell it, it’s another for them to actually see it. It’s been a lot more fun to make those phone calls. I think we now feel like a year and a half in, those relationships are established. I think you need some of those types of wins to stamp you to actually say we are making progress. We’re the same football team we were before this season started, in terms of who we are, what we’re about and the culture that Heupel has set here. But I think just seeing the end result has certainly helped, especially locally. In Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina. The local states where the attention has been so big. But obviously, we have to capitalize and we have to continue to play well, that it’s not just we’re on a hot streak. This is who we are as a program, we need more talent, we need to fill the roster out, we need to replace key positions as we go. I think kids understand that. I think it’s been monumental.”
On UT Martin… “Yeah, really excited. Big game, in-state. It will be awesome.”
On Josh Heupel‘s demeanor during the game… “Yeah, coach Heupel does a good job of keeping his composure. He has like a natural poker face, so it is kind of hard to read. He is just one of those competitive people. He is always thinking about the next play or till the clock hits zero. That is just the competitive nature that he has.”
On where the belief of beating Alabama came from… “Just confidence in the work we’ve put in. The way we were playing, it just gives us momentum and confidence just to keep going. We know they’re a pretty good team, but at some point you get kind of fed up with just being stuck in the trap of always losing. We worked so hard. We know our process and how hard we work. The first step to winning is believing you could win, so that’s what we did.”
On being successful running the ball and the offensive line’s play… “I think a year ago, last year, if we would have run the ball (effectively) that would’ve been a different game as well. This year we knew that we had to learn from our mistakes and just try to run the ball. I thought (Jaylen) Wright ran the ball extremely well. The o-line, all five of those guys including the guys they rotated in, did a good job of protecting Hendon (Hooker) and opening up and getting some push for the run game as well. For the most part, we just try to take what we can get and finish runs. We know we got to get downhill vertical against a team like Bama because they have athletes everywhere. It was a total team effort. Each part of this offense helps each other phase of it, so we have to start with the run.”
On the internal belief within this team… “We pretty much knew before this year came, after the bowl game, where we wanted to be. We made our minds up and we said, ‘hey, this is going to be a different year. This is going to be a year Tennessee has never had’. Best to keep our heads down up until this point and we’ve been on a roll ever since.”
On being named to Joe Moore Award watch list as a group… “It means a lot because as a group, we set that as one of our achievements that we wanted to finish the year off with. Being the best o-linemen in the SEC and college football in general. Knowing that is basically telling us we’re on the road to completing to our goals, we just have to keep a steady head.”
On how to keep the same focus for the next six games that they’ve had for the first six… “Nothing changes for us. We go to work from Monday to gameday. Nothing changes. Win a game? That’s fine, we go back and we get ready for the next one. Before the season, we knew that we were going to have ups and downs playing the game of football this year, but we just didn’t know what time they’d come. We’ve had those games and we’ve tried to play our best those games and they’ve come out the way they’ve come. Every game we’re playing, we’re just going to keep going forward and not dwell on the past and things that we’ve done.”
On resetting after an emotional win last weekend… “It was a good game (and) a good win for the team. We’re moving on. We prepare the same every week no matter who we play, so just staying focused, staying locked in on the details and on us.”
On how Josh Heupel is different in his approach… “I have seen other coaches take certain games different ways and treat them differently, but this coaching staff and this team, we treat every week the same. After every win, it’s move on to the next one.”
On how comfortable he is playing in the STAR position… “It’s very comfortable. As games kept going, I got comfortable and more comfortable at it. I was never uncomfortable, just learning it a little bit more and the ins and outs and that would be about it. But, I was always comfortable.”
On the final sequences of the Alabama game… “When they (Alabama) got to the field goal, it wasn’t over. We had one more play to get the ball back to our offense, so we played it, got the ball back for them, they did what they do, like they always do. It was crazy. I really couldn’t believe it. After the game I stood still for a minute. I really used to dream of this kind of stuff, and I was there, so it was good.”
On how it was starting against Alabama… “It was amazing out there. It felt like a movie out there, starting with my guys out there, putting all the work in. I just went out there and tried to step up for the team.”
On if being a junior helped with starting for the second time in his career in a large game… “Yeah, I did feel calm out there. It wasn’t my first time playing against a team like Alabama. I really felt like I was built for this league.”
On battling injuries in the secondary and the importance of being ready to step in… “It’s a big step, just because it’s going out there every other snap. It goes throughout the week about preparation. Coach (Tim) Banks is big on preparation and when your time comes, you’re either going to take advantage of the opportunity or the moment is too big for you.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – With the excitement still palpable among fans and the college football world following No. 3/4 Tennessee’s win over then No. 3/1 Alabama, the attention of everyone within the Vols’ locker room has shifted solely to this week’s contest against UT Martin.
UT’s success up to this point can be largely attributed to its ability to leave the past in the past, no matter the result, and turn its focus to the next task at hand.
“It was a good game (and) a good win for the team,” junior defensive back Tamarion McDonald said on Tuesday. However, McDonald quickly followed that by saying that last week is now in the past and the team’s lone focus was going 1-0 this week.
“We’re moving on,” McDonald said. “We prepare the same every week no matter who we play, so just staying focused, staying locked in on the details and on us.”
Keeping the same mentality from the first half of the season during the stretch run will also be important for Tennessee if they hope to reach their ultimate goal.
“Nothing changes for us. We go to work from Monday to gameday. Nothing changes,” junior offensive lineman Javontez Spraggins said. “Win a game? That’s fine, we go back and we get ready for the next one.”
This week’s challenge is facing a UT Martin team that features one of the top offenses in the FCS. The Skyhawks rank sixth in the FCS in total offense, averaging 485.2 yards per game, including nearly 300 yards per game through the air. UT Martin is also averaging 37.5 points per game, a figure that ranks 11th nationally in the FCS.
“They’re very versatile in terms of what they’re doing,” defensive coordinator Tim Banks said during his press conference on Tuesday. “They have some elements of the team we just saw this past weekend. I think they also have some elements in their throw game in terms of what our offense does. Their scheme is very good.
“I like their quarterback (Dresser Winn), he’s very savvy, he’s made a lot of plays for those guys, and they got good skill. We tell guys all the time, we don’t take anybody lightly. We know these guys are going to come in ready to play and we’re working extremely hard to make sure we’re ready to play as well. I got a lot of confidence in our guys, in the maturity that we have and the leadership that we have. We know we’ll get their best effort and they’re going to get our best effort, as well.”
Saturday’s Homecoming game will kick off at noon ET and be televised on the SEC Network. Tickets for the contest are available in limited quantities at AllVols.com. In addition, season tickets for the 2023 campaign are also on sale now at AllVols.com.
Transcripts, along with select player quotes from Tuesday’s media availabilities can be found below.
On the key to getting pressure on Bryce Young… “We obviously respect him as a football player. We knew that if he played, he was going to be a handful, and obviously he was. To be totally honest with you, everything we do starts with pressure. We went into this game with the same mindset. We wanted to be able to attack, whether it was just with our front four or whether we are bringing five, we wanted to make sure that we tried to make him uncomfortable if we could. He obviously made some plays, but obviously we made some as well. Our hats off to him, (he is) a tremendous player and he obviously did a great job.
On having the second-best run defense in the SEC… “I’m going to be honest, I know it’s going to be cliché, I very rarely even look at our stats, so I didn’t know. I know philosophically, we definitely want to be able to stop the run. Just the way we’re built, the players in which we’re playing with, they understand their gap responsibility, whether it’s our front four, our linebackers, our safeties are getting involved. We can’t allow teams to be able to throw it, run it – it just makes us uncomfortable, so to speak. So, we want to make sure we’re taking something away, and so far, we’ve obviously been pretty good at taking away the run. That’s a good stat to hear, but the reality of it is we know we’ve got a long season and we got to continue to get better.”
On creating a frenetic pace to the game on both sides of the ball… “I think the reality for us is, again, I think it just starts with our philosophy. We want to play fast, we want to be aggressive, we obviously want to be physical, and it just so happens that our offense plays with that same type of mentality on offense. I guess what you’re describing is we’re playing with the same type of culture on defense. It’s great if it makes the other opponents uncomfortable, but is it by design? Yeah, if that’s what is working. But the reality of it is it’s just kind of who we are, and it’s in our DNA. We want to be as aggressive as we can, and hopefully, make the opponent uncomfortable.”
On some guys who did not play a lot who performed against Alabama… “(I’m) definitely excited about the next man up mentality because we talk about it a lot. I think every coach in the country kind of talks about it. We definitely try to live by that mantra. We also talk about, you get what you earn, and a lot of those guys who got an opportunity in the secondary to play have been working really hard throughout the camp and obviously the season, and it just so happened that this was the game that those guys had to play a lion’s share of the reps. I’m extremely proud, because I know how hard those guys work. The fact that they went in there and didn’t blink is a testimony to the culture that we have in place right now in terms of guys just being ready when their name is called, and I thought that came to fruition obviously Saturday.”
On getting a stop on a sudden change after a turnover… “We pride ourselves on, anytime we take the field, trying to put the fire out, so to speak. Obviously, playing a great team in which we were playing, having a chance to go out there and put the fire out, was great to see those guys stand tall.”
On the things Tennessee can correct with their defense going forward… “I think it’s the defensive hold. Like I tell guys all the time – he asked a question about the run defense – that’s not a product of just the front nor just the linebackers, it’s a product of everybody. What we ask the DB’s to have to do, what we ask the linebackers and d-line gives us the ability to play great run defense. Conversely, it’s the same thing in pass defense. It’s the front four, it’s the linebackers being where they need to be, it’s obviously the DB’s as well. There are numerous things that we have to get better at. Obviously, when he (the quarterback) breaks contain, making sure we’re taking the proper angles that way. Continuing to finish when the ball is in the air, but that’s football. We work on those things every week, and I’ve definitely seen some progress, but we realize we’re still a work in progress overall.”
On the progression of Doneiko Slaughter and his performance on Saturday… “Neiko is one of the guys that we’re extremely proud because of how hard he works. He never complains and when he gets his opportunity, he goes in and he produces. One of the things that I think is one of his strengths is he’s very versatile. I think you mentioned he’s played STAR, we even played him at corner during the spring, he’s played both safety spots. Like I tell guys all the time, the more you can do, the more value you bring. He’s extremely valuable for us right now because he’s a plug-and-play player. It doesn’t matter what position, so to speak. How did he play? He showed some flashes. He did some really good things. I think he’ll be the first one to tell you, there’s obviously some things he needs to do better, but the good news with him is, I know he’s going to work toward it and I think he’ll be even better from the experience that he got this past weekend.”
On Jeremy Banks’ performance Saturday… “Yeah honestly, that was just Banks being Banks. He plays extremely hard, he hustles to the ball every single snap. He’s just one of those guys that you have to slow him down then speed him up. When you have that type of mentality, typically, he’s more right than he is wrong. We’re always proud of Jeremy. We know exactly what we’re going to get in terms of effort and physicality. At this point, there are obviously still some things he knows he needs to work on to get cleaned up, but we were obviously pleased with how hard he played this weekend.”
On what he has seen from UT Martin’s offense and their passing attack… “They’re very versatile in terms of what they’re doing. They have some elements of the team we just saw this past weekend. I think they also have some elements in their throw game in terms of what our offense does. Their scheme is very good. I like their quarterback (Dresser Winn), he’s very savvy, he’s made a lot of plays for those guys, and they got good skill. We tell guys all the time, we don’t take anybody lightly. We know these guys are going to come in ready to play and we’re working extremely hard to make sure we’re ready to play as well. I got a lot of confidence in our guys, in the maturity that we have and the leadership that we have. We know we’ll get their best effort and they’re going to get our best effort, as well.”
Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach Alex Golesh
On deciding when to hurry up versus waiting for a review or challenging the play… “In a situation like that (Jabari Small scoring at the goal-line), they (the officials) held it. They will generally hold it. The center judge will stand over the ball and won’t let you run another play. As they were reviewing it, we have TV screens in the box on about a 12-second delay. We are looking at it to see if we need one. We had the offense ready and had our next play dialed up, but they won’t let you snap the ball anymore. With the communication the refs have, they’ll just stand over the ball.”
On deciding when to challenge a play… “We didn’t need to challenge it because they’re going to stand and hold over the ball. Any of those types of plays, they’ll always review, and like I said, we are on a 12-second delay, so we’ll be able to see it. We have one guy designated in the box on each side of the ball that will tell us, ‘man, it’s close, we should (challenge),’ if the end result isn’t what we want. But obviously in that case, it looked good. In a game like that, there’s enough angles where you can tell.”
On the effect playing fast has on the opponent… “I don’t have a whole lot of control over what Coach Banks is doing, although he is sitting two seats over and I can kind of hear it. I’m more worried about the next drive. For us, it’s what we do. It’s what Coach Heupel wants. It’s aggressive on both sides of the ball. That’s how we play, that’s what the kids know. For us, we know going in, ‘here is where we are going to go.’ As long as it looks like what we thought it would look like, the kids know how we are rolling and what we are doing. Really proud of the way that they started. Really proud of the start our group got. Obviously, the key when you get up like that is now, you have to continue to keep your foot on the gas. Coach Heupel told us Friday that we are going to be aggressive the whole time, and he let us be aggressive the whole time.”
On the partnership between the offensive and defensive approach.. “It’s the philosophy as a program from Coach Heupel that we are going to be aggressive on both sides of the ball. We are aggressive on special teams. I think it’s just what we do. The whole program is that way. We’re building towards that every week. That would be a great question for Coach Heupel. As coordinators, for all three of us, it’s an aggressive approach in everything we do. It’s how we coach, it’s how we recruit, it’s the way this program has to be, is that we are going to be aggressive in everything that we do. I don’t know if I answered your question, but we are playing fast on offense trying to score on every play.”
On Jalin Hyatt’s five-touchdown performance and how that materialized… “I think for us offensively, it’s finding those matchups and then trying to exploit them. If you’re asking if I knew he was going to catch five touchdowns going into that game, I don’t know. I’m just so proud of who Jalin Hyatt has become. A year ago this time, I don’t know that we would have sat here and said he’s going to catch five touchdowns against Alabama. The growth within our program, I’m more proud of him in that sense than maybe anyone else within our room, because he took the challenges that he was presented with a year ago, most of them brought on by himself, and just kept working. He’s the same guy that every evening in the summer, he’s on the jugs. Every single time Hendon (Hooker) was out there throwing, Jalin Hyatt was who he was throwing to. I’m not singling Jalin out, because Ramel (Keyton) is there, Cedric (Tilman) is there, and Bru (McCoy) when he got here, really that whole wideout group. Kelsey’s (Pope) done an incredible job of creating, taking what we had going and just continuing to build on the culture in that room, and really the culture in all of our rooms. You don’t always see the end result of that. You don’t end up on the winning side of it, and all we talk about daily is control your process. We talked about it again on Monday, that the only thing that matters is our process. Jalin is a byproduct of that. I couldn’t be more proud of how he’s attacked his process. That’s the result that happened. It could have happened that way, it could not have. He could have reaped the rewards of that, he could not have, but long run, who Jalin Hyatt has become is totally a credit to what Coach Heupel has built here in terms of that we are process-oriented. We continue to plug, and the end result is what the end results is going to be, but what Jalin has done is a true example of what this program, what we have worked so hard as a whole group to build here, which is a process-based program that continues to develop young people. I’m so proud of him and what he’s been able to do, and then you see him at practice today and it’s like nothing ever happened. All he’s working on is perfecting his craft and coaching Squirrel (White) and coaching Jimmy Calloway. It’s just who Jalin has become. If you can have that every day from an entire program, special things can happen.”
On how rewarding it was to put up 52 points on Alabama… “I think rewarding is a good word. The amount of work, it was an emotional end to it. I got to see my wife and kiddos on the field right at the end of it. The amount of work everybody has put in is the rewarding part. We got here January 28th, a year and a half ago, and it has been a lot of work to say the least. To reap the rewards of that is obviously rewarding. I think for all of us, our families, the player families, the guys that stayed here—a lot of guys didn’t—and the guys that stayed here and have poured into our coaching staff. Our coaching staff in return has poured into them. The end result was going to be what the end results was going to be, we do not control the true end result of that. The fact that our kids just continued to play hard, we played really hard in that game offensively. Our offensive line played really hard, our wideouts played really hard, our tight ends, running backs and quarterback. The rewarding part is that we went into that game and expected to win. I told those guys on Friday that, ‘you have earned the right to be confident throughout the week,’ and how we practiced Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and their process leading up to it. I keep using that word, but you have to earn the right to win every week. You earn the right to win every week in how you control your process, in how we practice, in how we study film and the extra time it takes. There is a lot that goes into a win. There is a lot that goes into just playing a game. The rewarding part is for everybody involved, including our families. That’s why I brought up my family. To see them and everything they have sacrificed, that is the rewarding part. Whoever gets credit gets credit, I don’t think it is about any single person. Just to see that stadium the way it was, these people that paid astronomical amounts of money to come to these games and pack this place out and actually having a real home field advantage, it’s rewarding for everybody. It is the end result of the process we have poured into it. Our players is where it starts.”
On productivity by condensing the offense in short yardage situations… “The offense is based on creating matchups. So, whether those matchups are spread out or those matchups are tight, it’s creating matchups. I think we talked about it in the spring and we talked about it in the summer, continuing to create variation in what we do, more so than are we tight or are we wide. Just continuing with tempo to create different pictures. We’ve been able to grow in every facet offensively, but that’s just part of it, is in certain situations, you need to condense it to be able to create some edges. You saw us be able to condense it and to go back out and be able to condense it to stay in, but it’s staying balanced is the key to the whole deal and building from week to week. Next week, there will be a different wrinkle to it, and that’s our job to figure out those wrinkles. We’ve played tight. We haven’t played tight consistently. I think that’s been the growth within our offense, is the ability to play tight, then play wide, then tight, then wide … and to create confusion in some ways, to create extra gaps in some ways. But I think as we evolve offensively, that’s part of it. I know the under-center question from a year ago, hopefully we’ve answered that. We took it as a challenge, and we have answered the bell there. But just continuing to evolve and create different pictures for defenses, to obviously be less predictable.”
On Saturday’s environment impacting recruiting… “Those young people and their families that were there on Saturday, I think similar to the Florida game and in a lot of ways similar to every home game. You know, when you sell out the Akron game, that’s a statement. I think when you’ve spent the last 18 months selling something and then they get to see it, that’s monumental. I think kids want to be part of a winning program. It’s one thing to sell it, it’s another for them to actually see it. It’s been a lot more fun to make those phone calls. I think we now feel like a year and a half in, those relationships are established. I think you need some of those types of wins to stamp you to actually say we are making progress. We’re the same football team we were before this season started, in terms of who we are, what we’re about and the culture that Heupel has set here. But I think just seeing the end result has certainly helped, especially locally. In Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina. The local states where the attention has been so big. But obviously, we have to capitalize and we have to continue to play well, that it’s not just we’re on a hot streak. This is who we are as a program, we need more talent, we need to fill the roster out, we need to replace key positions as we go. I think kids understand that. I think it’s been monumental.”
On UT Martin… “Yeah, really excited. Big game, in-state. It will be awesome.”
On Josh Heupel‘s demeanor during the game… “Yeah, coach Heupel does a good job of keeping his composure. He has like a natural poker face, so it is kind of hard to read. He is just one of those competitive people. He is always thinking about the next play or till the clock hits zero. That is just the competitive nature that he has.”
On where the belief of beating Alabama came from… “Just confidence in the work we’ve put in. The way we were playing, it just gives us momentum and confidence just to keep going. We know they’re a pretty good team, but at some point you get kind of fed up with just being stuck in the trap of always losing. We worked so hard. We know our process and how hard we work. The first step to winning is believing you could win, so that’s what we did.”
On being successful running the ball and the offensive line’s play… “I think a year ago, last year, if we would have run the ball (effectively) that would’ve been a different game as well. This year we knew that we had to learn from our mistakes and just try to run the ball. I thought (Jaylen) Wright ran the ball extremely well. The o-line, all five of those guys including the guys they rotated in, did a good job of protecting Hendon (Hooker) and opening up and getting some push for the run game as well. For the most part, we just try to take what we can get and finish runs. We know we got to get downhill vertical against a team like Bama because they have athletes everywhere. It was a total team effort. Each part of this offense helps each other phase of it, so we have to start with the run.”
On the internal belief within this team… “We pretty much knew before this year came, after the bowl game, where we wanted to be. We made our minds up and we said, ‘hey, this is going to be a different year. This is going to be a year Tennessee has never had’. Best to keep our heads down up until this point and we’ve been on a roll ever since.”
On being named to Joe Moore Award watch list as a group… “It means a lot because as a group, we set that as one of our achievements that we wanted to finish the year off with. Being the best o-linemen in the SEC and college football in general. Knowing that is basically telling us we’re on the road to completing to our goals, we just have to keep a steady head.”
On how to keep the same focus for the next six games that they’ve had for the first six… “Nothing changes for us. We go to work from Monday to gameday. Nothing changes. Win a game? That’s fine, we go back and we get ready for the next one. Before the season, we knew that we were going to have ups and downs playing the game of football this year, but we just didn’t know what time they’d come. We’ve had those games and we’ve tried to play our best those games and they’ve come out the way they’ve come. Every game we’re playing, we’re just going to keep going forward and not dwell on the past and things that we’ve done.”
On resetting after an emotional win last weekend… “It was a good game (and) a good win for the team. We’re moving on. We prepare the same every week no matter who we play, so just staying focused, staying locked in on the details and on us.”
On how Josh Heupel is different in his approach… “I have seen other coaches take certain games different ways and treat them differently, but this coaching staff and this team, we treat every week the same. After every win, it’s move on to the next one.”
On how comfortable he is playing in the STAR position… “It’s very comfortable. As games kept going, I got comfortable and more comfortable at it. I was never uncomfortable, just learning it a little bit more and the ins and outs and that would be about it. But, I was always comfortable.”
On the final sequences of the Alabama game… “When they (Alabama) got to the field goal, it wasn’t over. We had one more play to get the ball back to our offense, so we played it, got the ball back for them, they did what they do, like they always do. It was crazy. I really couldn’t believe it. After the game I stood still for a minute. I really used to dream of this kind of stuff, and I was there, so it was good.”
On how it was starting against Alabama… “It was amazing out there. It felt like a movie out there, starting with my guys out there, putting all the work in. I just went out there and tried to step up for the team.”
On if being a junior helped with starting for the second time in his career in a large game… “Yeah, I did feel calm out there. It wasn’t my first time playing against a team like Alabama. I really felt like I was built for this league.”
On battling injuries in the secondary and the importance of being ready to step in… “It’s a big step, just because it’s going out there every other snap. It goes throughout the week about preparation. Coach (Tim) Banks is big on preparation and when your time comes, you’re either going to take advantage of the opportunity or the moment is too big for you.”
NEW YORK — Protecting and paving the way for the nation’s No. 1 offense, Tennessee’s offensive line has been named to the 2022 Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll by the Foundation for Teamwork. The award is presented to the most outstanding offensive line unit in college football.
The Vols are one of 22 teams named to the midseason honor roll and one of five from the SEC. Other squads on the list include: Alabama, Air Force, Appalachian State, Arkansas, Coastal Carolina, Illinois, Kansas State, Michigan, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, South Alabama, Syracuse, TCU, UCLA, USC and UAB.
Under the direction of second-year offensive line coach Glen Elarbee, the Volunteer O-linemen have been an imposing force in leading UT to a 6-0 start to the 2022 campaign. The prolific Vols lead the nation averaging 551.0 yards of total offense per game and rank second in the country in scoring at a clip of 47.7 points per contest. Tennessee also leads the FBS in red zone offense, scoring on 32-of-32 opportunities so far this season.
With the offensive line providing a clean pocket, the Vols lead the SEC in passing offense (347.8 yards per game) and team passing efficiency with a rating of 194.03. The Tennessee protection unit has allowed only 19 tackles for loss—tied for fewest in the FBS—while paving the way for 203.2 rushing yards per contest.
Two players have already been recognized this season as SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week, with Spraggins claiming the honors after Tennessee’s victory over No. 20 Florida and Wright earning the award after UT’s triumph over No. 3 Alabama. Both have played 422 offensive snaps this season without allowing a sack or quarterback hit according to Pro Football Focus. Wright was recently tabbed to the midseason watch list for the Rotary Lombari Award, which recognizes the top lineman in the country.
“The O-line units on the 2022 Midseason Honor Roll have caught the attention of the Voting Committee through the October 8 weekend by demonstrating many of the award criteria in a recognizable way,” said Cole Cubelic, chairman of the Joe Moore Award Voting Committee and sideline analyst for SEC Network. “The bar will raise quickly and significantly from here, and the consistency, effort, and teamwork required to earn further recognition will be how the elite units separate themselves.”
“It’s been a fun year for our position, and the connection between outstanding O-line play and winning football is undeniable,” said Aaron Taylor, CBS college football analyst and founder of the Joe Moore Award. Taylor played guard at the University of Notre Dame for the award’s namesake, the legendary offensive line coach Joe Moore.
“October and November are historically where the best units have been able to separate themselves, and I know we’re all looking forward to seeing some iconic ‘Joe Moore Moments’ down the stretch.”
The Vols return to action this weekend for a homecoming matchup against UT Martin. Kickoff is scheduled for noon inside Neyland Stadium, and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network. Tickets remain available at AllVols.com.
The Tennessee women’s basketball team is ranked No. 5 in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 poll that was released on Tuesday. It’s the best season-opening ranking for the Lady Vols since they were slotted fourth at the beginning of the 2015-16 campaign.
This marks the second time the UT women have appeared in the preseason edition of the AP poll under fourth-year head coach Kellie Harper, who has the Big Orange’s stature quickly rising. The Lady Vols were ranked No. 15 in 2022 after appearing in the receiving votes category in 2020 and 2021. A year ago, the Lady Vols climbed as high as No. 4 during the season before ending the slate at No. 18 after three key players were sidelined by season-ending injuries.
Tennessee returns 10 letterwinners, including four full-time starters, from a squad that opened last year 18-1 and finished 25-9 overall and 11-5 in the SEC (third) with a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16. UT also brings aboard six newcomers, including three heralded senior transfers, a sophomore transfer who was a five-star prep recruit, and a five-star freshman signee.
Three of the squad’s top players have been named to the 2022-23 Preseason Media All-SEC First Team. That list includes returnees in 6-foot-2 senior guard Jordan Horston (16.2 ppg., 9.4 rpg., 4.0 apg.) and 6-6 senior center Tamari Key (10.5 ppg., 8.1 rpg., 3.5 bpg.), as well as 6-2 senior forward Rickea Jackson, a transfer from Mississippi State (20.3 ppg., 6.8 rpg.). All three have been previously named to the SEC’s end-of-the-year all-conference team. Horston was a first-team choice a year ago, while Key was a second-team recipient last season and Jackson was on the second team in 2020.
Additional returning starters include 5-8 graduate point guard Jordan Walker (7.6 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 3.5 apg.) and 6-1 junior guard/forward Tess Darby (5.3 ppg., 2.4 rpg., 49 3FGs). Two others with starting experience include 6-2 sophomore guard/forward Sara Puckett (6.4 ppg., 3.5 rpg., two starts, 2022 SEC All-Freshman) and 6-3 redshirt sophomore guard/forward Marta Suárez (4.1 ppg., 3.6 rpg., 14 starts, 2021 SEC All-Freshman, missed 2021-22 due to injury).
Newcomers besides Jackson who started at their previous schools include 5-6 senior guard Jasmine Powell (12.4 ppg., 5.7 apg., 4.4 rpg., 2021 All-Big Ten Second Team at Minnesota) and Jasmine Franklin (14.9 ppg., 12.1 rpg., 2.4 bpg., two-time All-Missouri Valley Conference, 2022 MVC Def. Player of the Year at Missouri State).
The Lady Vols host Carson-Newman at 2 p.m. on Oct. 30 in an exhibition game before playing their regular-season opener at Ohio State on Nov. 8 (8:30 p.m.) and their home opener vs. UMass at Thompson-Boling Arena on Nov. 10 (6:30 p.m.).
For ticket information for Lady Vol games, fans can go to AllVols.com.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Southeastern Conference women’s basketball preseason media poll is out, and the Tennessee Lady Vols have been picked to finish second in the league in 2022-23 by a vote from a select panel of SEC and national media members.
Tennessee returns 10 players, including four full-time starters, from a squad that started last year 18-1 and finished 25-9 overall and 11-5 in the SEC (third) while advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16. UT also brings aboard six newcomers, including three all-conference recipient transfers, a sophomore newcomer who was a five-star prep recruit and a five-star freshman signee.
Members of the media also selected a Preseason All-SEC Team, and three Lady Vols were named to the first unit, including returning seniors Jordan Horston and Tamari Key and senior transfer Rickea Jackson.
Horston, 6-foot-2 guard, averaged 16.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in 23 starts last season before suffering a season-ending injury at Alabama on Feb. 17. She was a 2022 All-SEC First Team pick by the media and coaches, and was named All-America Honorable Mention by AP and the WBCA. Additionally, Horston made the 2022 Ann Myers Drysdale Top 10, Wooden Late Season List and Naismith Midseason List, and was the South Point Shootout Most Outstanding Player.
Key, a 6-foot-6 center, put up 10.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.5 blocks while starting all 34 contests as a junior. The school’s all-time record holder for blocked shots and triple-doubles in a career and season, she was named All-SEC Second Team by the media and coaches a year ago and is a two-time member of the SEC All-Defensive Team. Key also was named a 2022 Lisa Leslie Award Top-Five Finalist and was a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist.
Jackson, a 6-foot-2 forward, averaged an SEC-leading 20.3 points as well as 6.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals while starting all 15 games she played before entering the transfer portal out of Mississippi State last January. Jackson has previously earned WBCA All-America Honorable Mention accolades twice and made the All-SEC Second Team, SEC All-Freshman Team and SEC All-Tournament Team in 2019-20.
South Carolina tops the predicted order of finish by the media, with Tennessee, LSU, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Florida and Kentucky rounding out the top half the league. Mississippi State, Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, Missouri, Auburn and Vanderbilt complete the bottom half.
South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston, last season’s unanimous National Player of the Year, was the media’s unanimous choice for 2023 SEC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year. She is joined by teammate Zia Cooke and the three players from Tennessee on the Media Preseason All-SEC First Team.
PRESEASON MEDIA PREDICTIONS
Order of Finish 1. South Carolina 2.Tennessee 3. LSU 4. Arkansas 5. Ole Miss 6. Florida 7. Kentucky 8. Mississippi State 9. Georgia 10. Alabama 11. Texas A&M 12. Missouri 13. Auburn 14. Vanderbilt
Preseason SEC Player of the Year Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Preseason All-SEC First Team Aliyah Boston, South Carolina Zia Cooke, South Carolina Rickea Jackson, Tennessee Jordan Horston, Tennessee Tamari Key, Tennessee
Preseason All-SEC Second Team Brittany Davis, Alabama Alexis Morris, LSU Angel Reese, LSU Jessika Carter, Mississippi State Anastasia Hayes, Mississippi State Hayley Frank, Missouri
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Southeastern Conference women’s basketball preseason media poll is out, and the Tennessee Lady Vols have been picked to finish second in the league in 2022-23 by a vote from a select panel of SEC and national media members.
Tennessee returns 10 players, including four full-time starters, from a squad that started last year 18-1 and finished 25-9 overall and 11-5 in the SEC (third) while advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16. UT also brings aboard six newcomers, including three all-conference recipient transfers, a sophomore newcomer who was a five-star prep recruit and a five-star freshman signee.
Members of the media also selected a Preseason All-SEC Team, and three Lady Vols were named to the first unit, including returning seniors Jordan Horston and Tamari Key and senior transfer Rickea Jackson.
Horston, 6-foot-2 guard, averaged 16.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in 23 starts last season before suffering a season-ending injury at Alabama on Feb. 17. She was a 2022 All-SEC First Team pick by the media and coaches, and was named All-America Honorable Mention by AP and the WBCA. Additionally, Horston made the 2022 Ann Myers Drysdale Top 10, Wooden Late Season List and Naismith Midseason List, and was the South Point Shootout Most Outstanding Player.
Key, a 6-foot-6 center, put up 10.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.5 blocks while starting all 34 contests as a junior. The school’s all-time record holder for blocked shots and triple-doubles in a career and season, she was named All-SEC Second Team by the media and coaches a year ago and is a two-time member of the SEC All-Defensive Team. Key also was named a 2022 Lisa Leslie Award Top-Five Finalist and was a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist.
Jackson, a 6-foot-2 forward, averaged an SEC-leading 20.3 points as well as 6.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals while starting all 15 games she played before entering the transfer portal out of Mississippi State last January. Jackson has previously earned WBCA All-America Honorable Mention accolades twice and made the All-SEC Second Team, SEC All-Freshman Team and SEC All-Tournament Team in 2019-20.
South Carolina tops the predicted order of finish by the media, with Tennessee, LSU, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Florida and Kentucky rounding out the top half the league. Mississippi State, Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, Missouri, Auburn and Vanderbilt complete the bottom half.
South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston, last season’s unanimous National Player of the Year, was the media’s unanimous choice for 2023 SEC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year. She is joined by teammate Zia Cooke and the three players from Tennessee on the Media Preseason All-SEC First Team.
PRESEASON MEDIA PREDICTIONS
Order of Finish 1. South Carolina 2.Tennessee 3. LSU 4. Arkansas 5. Ole Miss 6. Florida 7. Kentucky 8. Mississippi State 9. Georgia 10. Alabama 11. Texas A&M 12. Missouri 13. Auburn 14. Vanderbilt
Preseason SEC Player of the Year Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Preseason All-SEC First Team Aliyah Boston, South Carolina Zia Cooke, South Carolina Rickea Jackson, Tennessee Jordan Horston, Tennessee Tamari Key, Tennessee
Preseason All-SEC Second Team Brittany Davis, Alabama Alexis Morris, LSU Angel Reese, LSU Jessika Carter, Mississippi State Anastasia Hayes, Mississippi State Hayley Frank, Missouri
AMBLER, Pa. – Adding to his list of honors following a historic performance against Alabama on Saturday, Jalin Hyatt was named the Maxwell Award Player of the Week by the Maxwell Football Club on Tuesday morning.
Hyatt had six catches and was electric with each touch of the ball, finishing the game with five touchdowns – a mark that set a single-game program record and tied the Southeastern Conference single-game record. He also had 207 receiving yards, the sixth-best performance in a game in Tennessee history.
The junior wideout became the second Vol of the Heupel Era to amass 200 yards or more receiving, joining Cedric Tillman’s 200-yard output against Georgia a season ago. Hyatt finished with an average of 34.5 yards per reception, thanks in large part to three long completions of 36, 60 and 78 yards with Hendon Hooker, each going for a touchdown.
Hyatt and the Vols continue their three-game homestand next weekend, welcoming UT Martin to Rocky Top for Homecoming at noon ET on SEC Network. Tickets for the matchup with the Skyhawks are available in limited quantities at AllVols.com. In addition, season tickets for the 2023 campaign are on sale now at AllVols.com.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Returning to Anderson Training Center following an epic, buzzer-beating victory over Alabama, the third-ranked Tennessee Volunteers turned the page to a new week of preparation for UT Martin on Monday morning.
With all the excitement and energy on campus, it created an atmosphere unlike any other in college sports. It has been one of the most impressive parts about the University of Tennessee since coach Josh Heupel assumed the reigns of the program prior to last season. Between ESPN’s College GameDay, SEC Nation, a jam-packed Vol Walk and nationally televised showdown in the premier timeslot in front of a sold-out Neyland Stadium, last weekend on Rocky Top epitomizes what makes collegiate athletics so special.
“From (Saturday) morning until the celebration on the backend, truly a really unique experience. I appreciate our fans. They were awesome all night long,” Heupel said in his Monday press conference. He noted that though the win was special, they were quick to snap to a new task at hand.
“This morning, for our players we pushed forward. For our staff, we did it yesterday when we got back in the building. Had a really good morning with the guys. Obviously, from the outside looking in everybody is excited about the win. From the inside looking forward, we have a lot of things that we have an opportunity to get a whole lot better at and the challenge for us is to become our best. We are in the early stages of that. The urgency and preparation and focus has to remain consistent and that was the message to the players.”
A big part of the Vols offense was the strong play from the offensive line. No one can attest more to the work that group has put in every practice this week than defensive lineman Omari Thomas.
“We see it all the time in our group work,” Thomas said at the podium Monday. “They are just always encouraging each other. They are always pushing each other to do better, and they always just keep coaching each other up. I feel like that’s something that they’re doing good at, they are just playing for each other, honestly.”
That is something he sees the whole team doing week-in and week-out.
“That’s what we’re trying to do as a team, just continue to play for each other.”
For many of the guys, the Alabama game will be a cherished memory shared with friends and family. For veteran tight end Princeton Fant, that was the highlight of the game. Having his mom and other people close to him in the stands and seeing him score, that is something he will never forget.
“It’s a blessing. Just my mom, that’s definitely my number one supporter and somebody I really do this for, play football for,” Fant said. “Just being able to have her there and see me score a touchdown. She’s definitely proud, and that’s the number one thing I want to do is make her proud.”
The Vols return to the practice field Tuesday morning, continuing their game prep in welcoming the UT Martin Skyhawks to Neyland Stadium for Homecoming on Oct. 22, tickets are still available in limited quantities on AllVols.com.
Opening Statement… “Hope everybody is doing great. Great weekend here on Rocky Top. Obviously, a unique celebration the way the game unfolded and the passion and pageantry that was Saturday here in Neyland. From the morning until the celebration on the backend, truly a really unique experience. I appreciate our fans. They were awesome all night long. This morning, for our players we pushed forward. For our staff, we did it yesterday when we got back in the building. Had a really good morning with the guys. Obviously, from the outside looking in everybody is excited about the win. From the inside looking forward, we have a lot of things that we have an opportunity to get a whole lot better at and the challenge for us is to become our best. We are in the early stages of that. The urgency and preparation and focus has to remain consistent and that was the message to the players. Looking forward to getting it going this week. This weekend will be a unique one as well. It’s Homecoming. We’ll have a lot of former students, former players that will be back for this one. Look forward to celebrating Homecoming with them. It’s unique too that this is a celebration of Title IX and obviously Pat Summitt and her legacy in sports and her legacy here at UT is really special and we’ll have a chance to celebrate that, too. Looking forward to that this weekend.”
On if the players came into practice Monday with a good mindset… “Yeah, they got a good dose of reality from their position coaches and from me too. The look in their eye too said that they wanted to improve. You know, the short time we spent on the grass was really good and I’m looking forward to this week unfolding the right way. The reason that we have been able to play and find a way to win each week is their preparation has been good, not perfect, but been really good. That urgency, that focus, as we get our game plan and get on the practice field here in the early part of the week is going to be critical. I say it every week, it’s about us, it’s about our preparation but the challenge is about us becoming our best, too. They all understand there is a lot of things we have got to get better at.”
On the postgame feeling and recruiting after the game… “There was a lot of recruiting. Long celebration in the locker room as there should be after a win like that. Just the way it unfolded, that game anyways, that’s a celebration we want to have more of. Opportunity on the back end of that to do a bunch of recruiting. There was a great amount of guys that were here. That’s important for the future of our program. I got postgame things that I have to do too and so once I got out of here and got home, probably close to midnight, I got a chance to spend a bunch of time with my family. Had a bunch of my friends in for the game too, and you know eventually get to bed at some point in the early morning.”
On the final series with 15 seconds to go… “You practice those things in training camp. How you want to function and operate in a lot of different scenarios. It’s impossible to give those guys those scenarios every single week. Love the fact that our kids understood what we were trying to accomplish. From wideouts, to quarterback, to protection up front, able to go execute in those situations. The fact that we still had timeouts left was critical. Our guys understanding the concepts that we’re running but being able to handle the pressure of that situation, go out and execute speaks to it. We try to replicate some of those scenarios throughout the course of the week, but you are really kind of cycling through those things, and it was a big-time performance by those guys at the end of the football game.”
On Alabama missing the field goal and what his response was… “Well, you immediately transition right? They make the field goal and you’re flipping to a different scenario and you got to go play that out and execute it. They miss it, (so you think) where are we at, time allotted, timeouts left, how do we go get two chunks and get ourselves into field goal range? So absolutely, you flip the script, and your players have to do that as well.”
On his even keeled nature and whether it is natural or something that he’s learned over the years… “My dad was a lot more emotional than I am on the sideline, so that might be because he’s a defensive guy by nature too. I think having played the position and I’m saying playing quarterback, having been in a lot of different positions and understanding. I think from being a kid to being a player that your players are going to feel off of you way more than they listen to you. They feed off of your body language and your energy that you give off. So, you know, I try to be consistent and calm in those situations, hopefully keeping them calm in the storm too.
On Tennessee winning the line of scrimmage against Alabama… “In comparison to them, I didn’t really look at it that way. I knew the physicality was something that we were going to have to win, the line of scrimmage was going to be important, on both sides of the line of scrimmage for us. Defensively, our front seven, safeties and their fits, defeat blocks, get off and make plays. It was going to be critical to not let their run game get started. When their backs get out in space, it’s an issue. Then for us on the offensive line, we knew that the run game – you guys heard me say earlier in the week – that there’s a huge difference in twos against those guys because of how third down gets played out versus four, five, sixes. The tempo, the mentality, the attitude – we showed it to the team today – just the way we finished our runs, the pile moving forward was a huge difference in that game. Proud of the effort and strain that everybody had on both sides of the line of scrimmage.”
On Jaylen McCollough being out against Alabama and who’s decision that was… “Yeah, he’s not suspended. He’s been around, just wasn’t available for Saturday. The process is still going with him, and we’ll see how that continues to play out here. We look forward to having him available soon.”
On Darnell Wright and his performance… “Yeah, Darnell did a great job. Starting just in pass protection, our offensive line as a whole did a really good job. He was solid all night long, won his one on ones. I thought in the run game he did a really nice job. That is when he was in man, blocking one on one, some of the double teams on the right side of the line of scrimmage were changing the way the game was played. I thought he played really solid football all night long.”
On Hendon Hooker and how is composer bleeds into the rest of the offense… “Yeah, great players and great quarterbacks have to be able to reset from one play to the next. There is no way you’re going to go out a play a perfect game. You have the ball in your hands all the time and eventually it probably doesn’t go your way. (We’ve) been really fortunate that it has gone his way, our way most of the first half of the season. The other night, his maturity, his understanding of the game allows him when something isn’t perfect and it doesn’t go right, to understand the why behind it which gives you confidence and calmness to be able to go reset and play the next play. There’s no doubt that his maturity and his confidence and his ability to reset also allows the 10 other guys around him and our entire offense unit to do that as well. You can’t take that for granted.”
On challenges facing UT Martin… “For us defensively and them offensively, they’ve put up a bunch of points, a bunch of yards here in the first half of the season. The line of scrimmage is going to be important. We got to apply pressure to the quarterback and got to be able to match guys out on the outside on the perimeter. It will be important to win the line of scrimmage on the defensive side of the football in this one. For us offensively, the line of scrimmage is where it starts. We’ve got to be able to run the football. Defensively, in their structure, we got to be able to understand what they’re playing, adjust to it, and then go win some one on ones out on the perimeter.”
On Brandon Turnage’s play against Alabama and trying to get some younger players more playing time to help develop more depth… “Brandon was really solid. Did some good things on special teams. Helped us get the first punt return started that we had. He did a really good job when he was in there defensively, matching things out and man-to-man. He’s a really smart, intelligent player and we have a lot of trust in him. As far as young guys playing, the other night is a perfect example, you don’t know when your opportunity is going to come up. William Wright is out there at the end of the football game playing his butt off. For all of our guys, continuing to prepare and being ready for your opportunity whenever that comes. This weekend, we’re going to have to play a bunch of guys. Look forward to seeing all of our guys go out and compete.”
On Alabama’s offense just making plays versus stuff that needs to be cleaned up defensively… “There’s things that we can absolutely clean up. That’s from coverage, to matching things out, to understanding scramble drill. Your end zone coverage, you better match things out. It’s containing the quarterback, it’s making plays on the quarterback. At the same time, they got a special player back there too that was able to extend plays and create some things, too. I do love the way we continued to reset and go play the next play and continued to play hard.”
On William Wright playing at the end of the game… “I talked about it this morning with our football team. He did some really really good things throughout the course of spring ball. His ability to trust us and to continue to grow from the time that we’ve shown up is a part of why he’s grown as a player. Unfortunate, gets nicked up on the back half of training camp. We had planned on him playing a lot of football for us, starting first and foremost on special teams. He’s been banged up. It’s easy to check out when you’re nicked up and not be engaged in meetings and continue to grow mentally as you are rehabbing. That wasn’t him man. He was fully engaged in everything, and it’s a great lesson for all of our players that you don’t know when your opportunity is coming and all of the sudden, he’s playing on special teams, but all of the sudden you’re thrust out there in one of the most critical moments defensively too and does a really nice job. It’s a great lesson for everybody, especially our young players in the program.”
On his two-yard rushing score… “We had been practicing it all week. Just playing an emergency running back. It’s definitely something that we’ve been talking about, me and coach. Just with that, it’s just a blessing to be able to go back there at fullback and just do whatever I can for my team, get in the end zone and help our team.”
On working offensively from under center and the development of that… “We’ve been talking about it, just talking to the coaches. They’ve seen my running back skills, they see I can run the ball. With that, it’s just, honestly, out there having fun with it. Coach was just like ‘Man, you can run the ball?’ and I was like ‘Yeah, coach.’ We just went from there and are having fun with it.”
On sharing the moment and victory with his family and friends… “It’s a blessing. Just my mom, that’s definitely my number one supporter and somebody I really do this for, play football for. Just being able to have her there and see me score a touchdown. She’s definitely proud, and that’s the number one thing I want to do is make her proud.”
On the celebration after the game… “Loss for words honestly. Seeing all the videos and things like that, it’s just like wow, I really was a part of that. I was a part of history like that. It was amazing. Just in that moment, just sitting there, I’m on field goal (block). Just sitting there, I and so much confidence in Chase McGrath. I don’t know if you watched the video, but you just see me soon as the kick, I didn’t even look at the ball I just ran straight to the student section. That’s how much confidence I had in Chase. It was just amazing. Loss for words in that moment.”
On making sure this isn’t peak of the season… “I’d say a small thing that a lot of us have been talking about now is just being in the training room. We know that it’s a long season, we’re just halfway through it. You have players that are banged up and things like that, but you just have to continue to be in the training. Room. That’s something that Coach Rodney Garner has preached to us too, as well. Just as a d-line group, you want to live in the training room. That’s how you protect your body, that’s how you continue to play these long seasons like that.”
On Tennessee’s offensive line… “They have been gelling. We see it all the time in our group work. They are just always encouraging each other. They are always pushing each other to do better and they always just keep coaching each other up. I feel like that’s something that they’re doing good at, they are just playing for each other, honestly. That’s what we’re trying to do as a team, just continue to play for each other.”
