KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s revamped secondary was the topic of conversation on Monday after the Vols completed their 10th practice of preseason training camp. Defensive backs coach Willie Martinez spoke to local reporters about his unit’s cohesiveness, competition and consistency through the first two weeks of fall practice.

Martinez leads a group of young, athletic defensive backs that have steadily improved their instincts and playmaking ability throughout the course of fall camp. He noted that each position in the secondary has depth and competition, and the DB rotation will depend on the group’s versatility and consistency.

“I think we have multiple guys at multiple positions that we want to feel good about, and are feeling good about,” Martinez said. “Being on the 10th practice, we want competition, and we have that at every position … Our versatility that we’ve recruited allows us to be able to move guys around and play the best players: the guys that are performing and making the plays on a consistent basis. We’re in a good place right now. We just have to continue to improve each and every day like they’re doing right now.”

When asked about the cohesiveness of the secondary, Martinez emphasized the leadership, accountability and culture of the room. Veterans like Will Brooks and Andre Turrentine – who both saw extensive action late in the 2023 campaign – have stepped up to bring the young players along and expedite the group’s overall development.

“The cohesiveness will come from consistency and guys making plays,” Martinez said. “I love the room, I really do … They care about each other, and they hold each other accountable. It’s not a bunch of yelling and screaming. It’s very structured, and it’s really cool.”

Full comments from Martinez and select quotes from Brooks, redshirt junior defensive back Christian Charles and sophomore defensive back Jermod McCoy can be viewed below.

Tennessee Football Press Conference | Aug. 12, 2024

Secondary Coach Willie Martinez

On what Will Brooks has done this offseason to allow him the opportunity to get more playing time…
“His preparation. He’s an everyday, consistent player who is very detailed. Whether that is in meetings, off the field or whether we are taking a day off, he’s somebody that we are leaning on for leadership because he’s been here for a long time and has done it the right way. His teammates respect him tremendously. He’s been very consistent; that’s the best thing I can say about Will. There’s no up-and-down. The players are being led the right way.”

On how close he feels like the staff is to figuring out the defensive back rotation… 
“I think we have multiple guys at multiple positions that we want to feel good about and are feeling good about. Being on the 10th practice, we want competition, and we have that at every position. I’m not just saying corner, I’m just talking about whether it’s two corners on each side or two guys at STAR, two guys at the boundary safety or two guys at the strong safety. There are more guys. Our versatility that we’ve recruited allows us to be able to move guys around and play the best players: the guys that are performing and making the plays on a consistent basis. We’re in a good place right now. We just have to continue to improve each and every day like they’re doing right now.” 

On the STAR competition…
“Christian Harrison and Boo Carter are taking the bulk of the reps. We know in the back of our minds that we have others who have played the position whether it’s Will Brooks or Andre Turrentine — we have the versatility. The two guys that are competing are Christian and Boo. They’re doing a really good job.” 

On the development of Jordan Matthews…
“Jordan has done a really nice job. It started back in the spring. You can see the improvement and the confidence. You’re seeing a lot more consistency in the playmaking, but he’s had a tremendous summer. He’s one of the guys that we singled out as having a great summer in the weight room. Obviously, on the field, he’s a smart player. He’s making a bunch of plays here in camp and has built some confidence. It’s really great to see. He’s a guy who is smart, has great size, great ability. To see his consistency, it’s obviously good to see.”

On what he thought of the new coaching aids implemented during the scrimmage Friday night… 
“We’re getting used to it right now. We’re trying to practice that, and we did it for the first time. From an efficiency standpoint, we just have to be better at organizing it. When we come off, it’s easier to show a picture of something and see the play as if it just happened five minutes ago. It’s going to be a good thing for all of us once we get it to where we feel comfortable in doing it, how fast you’re doing it and the organization. You’re showing them a picture as opposed to drawing it on the board, and they can actually see where they lined up. I think it’s going to be very efficient.” 

On if he can tell the cohesiveness of a secondary before they play a game together… 
“We have the same standards and expectations at each position. It’s no different for us at defensive back. We have a great mixture of guys who have been here. We have the young, talented players who are coming in inexperienced that lack the reps. We’ve done a really good job from the time they’ve stepped on campus with that leadership and every day holding them up to the standards and expectations. Obviously, it’s a lot easier when you have a really good room and a good culture. They’ve seen others do it who have had success in the past. The cohesiveness will come from consistency and guys making plays. I love the room, I really do. I love the group. I think it’s one of the best groups I’ve ever been around in my career. They care about each other, and they hold each other accountable. It’s not a bunch of yelling and screaming. It’s very structured, and it’s really cool. This staff has said it, but it’s a lot different than it was the first year or the second year. It’s running on its own gas now. It’s hard for me to get my own points in when somebody does make a mistake, somebody is correcting it and standing right there saying, ‘I got it coach.’ That’s kind of cool to see. If you have that with the talent and the skill that we have, we just have to be consistent every day.”

On what has stood out about the room after 10 practices… 
“We had four turnovers today. The playmaking on the ball and actually catching it. We had a couple of drops a couple of practices ago. They’re having fun. You can see, whether it’s a young guy or an older guy, the encouragement and not letting guys get down when things go wrong. The next-play mentality of their personality is kind of cool to see. It’s not perfect, but there’s a lot more of that going on than the other way. It was a really good day. Got some turnovers today, and that always helps on defense changing the momentum of the game.”

On what Jermod McCoy has done to impress coaches and how he’s grown since being on campus…
“First thing I’ll say about Jermod is he’s such a great teammate. You come from a different situation. Obviously, in the dynamics of college football now, on a different team last year and comes to our program. He is who he says he is, high character. He’s a great player, but he’s a great kid and a great young man. Coming into our room, he got a good feel for the room and the awareness of fitting in. He’s led. He’s not the loudest guy, but just little things, where guys are maybe complaining or not sure about something. He always has a positive spin to it. He sees that glass half full, and I have noticed that from the beginning. The consistency, every day. He’s a very competitive person, both on and off the field. He’s a playmaker. He’s one of the guys that got one of the turnovers today. When he doesn’t get something or it doesn’t happen for him, he’s harder on himself, and teammates see that and players see that. He’s not much of a talker. He’s kind of more of a, ‘I’m going to do what I’m saying I’m going to do’ (type leader). He leads by great example. He’s setting the example every day.”

On how Kaleb Beasley has rebounded after missing spring ball… 
“He’s rebounded really well. Obviously, it’s great to have Beasley out there. He’s versatile, he’s a smart player and he has really shown some consistency. Obviously, he was really rusty because he didn’t have the reps some of the young players had from January. Again, you can see the playmaking ability that he had when he was in high school. He’s made some of those plays. He’s really good. He’s gotten better and better each day.”

On how guys like Chris Brazzell II test his DBs in practice…
“Every day, his speed and his competitiveness. Brazzell is very competitive and plays with a lot of fire and energy. We better do that on our side of the ball. You have to have great energy and stuff like that. He’s very competitive and a high-level player, so that’s only going to make us better. We have a great group of wide receivers that, again, are going to be playing on Sunday, so it’s easy for my job to tell the kids, ‘hey man, you want a great resume? Put it on video. Put it on video against these guys that are going to be playing on Sunday.’ Brazzell is one of those guys. He’s a highly competitive and physical player. He’s not very quiet, which is kind of cool. That’s kind of like we like it, but he’s making us better.” 

On what Jalen McMurray has brought to the room and what his planned role is for the season… 
“Small details matter to him. Locked in and focused in a meeting. Coaching the younger players that are sitting right next to him, and not just when they make a mistake but also pointing something out and saying, ‘listen just look at here,’ and kind of tell them that they had this called and played like this. He’s a great teammate. He wants everybody to be really good, and then on the field, he’s got a lot of energy. He wears it on his sleeve. His personality is really cool. He’s totally different when he is on the field, and guys feel that, the opponent feels that and our offense. It’s great to have Jalen here. He’s another guy that is really consistent, and coming back he had a little bump in the road here, but he’s really come on strong in the last couple of practices.”

On why Boo Carter has positioned himself to contribute as a true freshman…
“He’s a really good player. That guy is so talented. He’s really competitive, and I just said it, he’s very athletic so he’s versatile. Boo can play a lot of positions, and we are just putting him in a position where you have to make plays. You have got to be really good to be the STAR. That’s the position in our defense, schematically, he’s going to be involved almost in every play. I start off by his athleticism, his competitiveness and his love for the game. You can see it both on and off the field. It’s great to have it because he is going to compete on every play.”

On if there was a point in Will Brooks’ career that made him think he can help on defense…
“Again, we are the backend and we deal with space. What better example if you are doing it on special teams? I’m telling you, my entire career the great players that I have been very blessed to be a part of in their lives, were great special teams players. I mean really, and especially in space. Any time a guy is making consistent plays in space, it doesn’t matter what team he is on, it’s got transferable skills to play offense and defense. For us, most of it is all defense. Some of the same terminology that’s on special teams is on defense. Him being a smart player and translating that to defense, it’s always been simple for Will. Again, he’s a consistent guy that you can count on every day and every drill. I just heard him, like I said a little while ago, I can’t get a word in. Especially if Will Brooks is in my pod and these special teams groups. Obviously, we have got eight to 10 guys, and I want to go correct a guy and Will has already beaten me there. Sometimes he says it better than I do from a standpoint of personality because he keeps me in check about not losing it with trying to correct somebody. You saw from the beginning because he made some plays in space. Then, you watch him in the meeting room, and gosh, he’s all over the scheme. He understands it and you knew that he was going to have success here.”

RS-Senior DB Will Brooks

On if having so much experience from past seasons has benefitted him this fall camp…
“Yeah, I think it does. Just, you know, having game experience playing in the games. Just being in the program awhile. Learning the defense, knowing a lot of knowledge and trying to pass it to the guys around me. I think it will definitely help.”

On how much time he has spent at the STAR position compared to the safety position…
“I did a lot more STAR last year. This camp, honestly, I have been doing a lot more safety. Our coaches feel comfortable playing all of us in all the different positions, so just knowing what to do at every position whether it is strong (safety), free (safety) or STAR, I think it has been good.”

On how playing special teams has benefitted him as a defensive player…
“Special teams, we always talk about transferable skills. A lot of times, running down on kickoff, you’re defeating a block. Same thing of defense, defeat a block and make a tackle, so I definitely think playing on specials teams and getting the reps in at special teams definitely helps prepare you to play defense.”

RS-Junior DB Christian Charles

On coming back from injury and getting comfortable again…
“Coming back from last year, I sustained a pretty significant injury, but I feel good, my body feels good. I wouldn’t be practicing if I didn’t feel 100 percent healthy and 100 percent confident in my ability. Coming back initially, I hadn’t practiced in about a year and played in about a year, so those jitters are more so coming from the excitement of being back on the field and doing what I love. I took about a practice to get my feet wet but honestly I’ve been rolling just fine.”

On cohesiveness within the defensive back group…
“I definitely see the cohesiveness. In our room, we’re very supportive of each other and want to see each other learn and grow. There’s no animosity in the room. We all just want to see each other be our best because if we’re all at our best and being great teammates, that helps us be more successful.”

On Jermod McCoy as a player…
“A very explosive guy. He’s a guy that has a ton of ability and so far he’s shown flashes of being able to get the ball and be a playmaker for our team, so I’m very excited for what he’s going to bring this season for sure.”

Sophomore DB Jermod McCoy

On starting to feel comfortable in the defensive scheme…
“I would say it probably took me two weeks to get comfortable with it. From there, I had to learn to know what was about to come from the offense and how to make plays from that.”

On how going against QB Nico Iamaleava in practice has made him better…
“I feel like Nico is making me better. He is reading my eyes and I need to learn how to give a different look than what he thinks is coming. He’s definitely made me better.”

On how Will Brooks has helped him learn the defensive scheme…
“Yeah, if I don’t know something, I go to Will. He knows everything. If anybody doesn’t know something, they go ask Will.