KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – There will be a lot on the line this Saturday afternoon when No. 7/8 Tennessee makes the short trip west to take on in-state rival Vanderbilt at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville.
With the latest edition of the College Football Playoff rankings set to be revealed on Tuesday night, the Volunteers look to be in good position for one of the coveted 12 spots in the playoff bracket with one week remaining in the regular season.
Despite the high stakes that will come with this Saturday’s contest in the Midstate, the sole focus for Tennessee this week is its preparation for a very good Commodores team that enters the contest with a 4-2 record at home this season, including a victory over then top-ranked Alabama.
“I addressed it today,” head coach Josh Heupel said when asked about what’s on the line this weekend. “But I said it last week, there’s a lot of football to be played. That’s for everybody across the country. It’s for us. And focus on the task at hand.
“We have to be our best on Saturday. You can look at how they’ve performed throughout the course of the season, how they’ve played at home, statistically what they’re doing in all three phases. You have to understand you’re going to get their best. Their best is really good, and we have to be at our best too.”
The Vols are coming off a 56-0 shutout victory over UTEP last weekend and will look to carry their positive momentum on both sides of the ball into this week’s practices.
In its win over the Miners, UT racked up 460 yards of total offense and had six different players score a touchdown while the defense recorded a Heupel-era high 15.0 tackles for loss, forced three turnovers and posted its second shutout of the season.
“Last Saturday, like every Saturday, has nothing to do with what happens this coming Saturday,” Heupel said. “But I think the competitive makeup, the physicality that they played with (against UTEP), resetting from play to play, guys making plays, it’s just continued growth in what we’re doing.”
Saturday’s Volunteer State showdown is set to kick off at noon ET (11 a.m. CT) and will be televised nationally on ABC.
Quotes from Monday’s availability with Heupel and select players can be seen below.
Head Coach Josh Heupel
Opening statement…
“First, I just want to wish everybody a happy Thanksgiving, everybody in this room. Appreciate all your kindness throughout the year. One of the things I’m thankful for, and then obviously our fan base too and our families that are spread throughout the entire country. So happy Thanksgiving, everybody. Big road game, playing a really good football team in Vanderbilt. You look at what they’ve done throughout the season, but statistically, they do a great job of tying all three phases together. They play complementary football. They’re smart, they’re tough, they’re physical, they’re disciplined. They make you earn it. Offensively, their quarterback’s a dynamic player. It’s a quarterback run game. He has a unique ability to extend and make plays outside of the scope of the play call too. And defensively, they don’t give up a bunch of big plays. They play assignment sound. And special teams, you look at what they’re doing, punt returner dynamic and their punt game, their punter changes the field. So, a huge test for us and one we have to get prepared for and get ready for. Practice well and get ready to go play well on Saturday afternoon.”
On how UTEP quarterback Skyler Locklear prepared the defense for Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia…
“(Locklear) extended plays and made plays outside of the pocket. Diego is a special player. In the read game, first level players, run a triple option off of it, all type of read schemes, drop back situations, extending, scrambling and making plays. He’s done a really good job for them, and he’s one of the keys to the game for us. Certainly defensively, he’s the key to the game.”
On emphasizing stopping the quarterback run game…
“Yeah, you can’t just let him sit back there. But when you’re applying pressure, you have to do a great job of having lane integrity and not letting him get out the backside of the pocket. That happened to us a couple times the other night. Within your twist games, you have to continue to keep your lane integrity as well. And that happens off of your pressures too. Your pressures have to maintain that. It’s a dynamic player with his feet at the quarterback spot. You can’t just let him sit back in the pocket all day long, so you have to apply pressure. But while you’re doing that, you have to be able to come off and make plays. So, that’s the balance that you have to be on the right side of on game day.”
On addressing the playoff stakes going into the game…
“I addressed it today. But I said it last week, there’s a lot of football to be played. That’s for everybody across the country. It’s for us. And focus on the task at hand. We have to be our best on Saturday. You can look at how they’ve performed throughout the course of the season, how they’ve played at home, statistically what they’re doing in all three phases. You have to understand you’re going to get their best. Their best is really good, and we have to be at our best too.”
On how the transfer portal has affected the recruitment of high school players…
“Recruiting is 365 days out of the year. There are no days off. The landscape of the portal, it’s been here for I don’t know how many years, but probably my entire tenure here. It’s a part of how you supplement your roster, and so you manage it. We build from high school and supplement our roster with the portal.”
On defending Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers…
“Yeah, better know where he’s at within the scope of what you’re playing structure-wise. Defensively, you have to have your eyes in the right spot. If you’re not, play action passes are going to give you a problem, and he’s going to find an opening. So, it comes down to the ordinary things. The bigger the game, the better the opponent. It’s alignment, assignment, execution. Your eyes have to have discipline. That takes you to the plays that you have to make.”
On playing on the road in the SEC…
“First of all, the league across the board, the depth of it, it’s really good. You go on the road, loud environments makes it a little bit more difficult if you’re not communicating at a really high level. So those two things together make it difficult. It’s always been difficult on the road.”
On what he’s thankful for on Thanksgiving…
“I’m thankful for our football family who I get a chance to be with every single day, players and staff. I’m thankful for my own family, the health that they have. I’m thankful that I get a chance to be here, be a part of leading this program and the opportunities that we have as an entire program.”
On DB Rickey Gibson III’s growth over the season…
“Man, just continued growth, maturity, who he is, how he prepares within what we’re doing, fundamentally continuing to grow. Through that, his confidence has grown. It’s a huge part of why he’s playing the way that he is.”
On the team’s focus and confidence heading to Vanderbilt after pitching a shutout…
“Last Saturday, like every Saturday, has nothing to do with what happens this coming Saturday. But I think the competitive makeup, the physicality that they played with, resetting from play to play, guys making plays, it’s just continued growth in what we’re doing. There’s a lot of things that we can be better at as well as we watch the film today with them.”
On Nico Iamaleava’s growth this season…
“Yeah, you know, I said it before the season started, young quarterback, every rep he gets is going to make him a better, positive result, not a positive result. I think his ability to withstand, push back, continue to compete however you want to phrase it from play to play as a young quarterback. Just really strong from him and, you know, continued growth and understanding of what we’re doing, command and control and being able to handle everything that’s on his plate, which is a lot. Excited, you know, for him to continue to grow throughout this year and this week.
On what makes the rivalry against Vanderbilt special…
“Yeah, unique thing here at Tennessee is you got a bunch of them. But this is a long-standing rivalry that we’ve had with them. And, you know, it’s Thanksgiving weekend, you’re playing in a big game against one of your rivals. This is the opportunity that you want to have.
On the offensive line play this season…
“Yeah, executed really well at times. There’s some things within the scope of the run game, protectionally, that they’ve got to be better at, but some of that’s not them too. Quarterback control and the protections, you know, tight ends, running backs being a part of it. All in all, done a good job.
On starting Jackson Lampley on Senior Day...
“Yeah, just opportunity for Lamp (Jackson Lampley) on senior day to get a start. Spraggs (Javontez Spraggins) has been awesome throughout the course of the year. Yeah, he’s going to play a bunch of ball for us on Saturday.”
RS-Senior DL Bryson Eason
On mindset behind defending Vanderbilt’s quarterback…
“We do not want to let him create plays with his legs and do all those little extra things to be a playmaker on the field. For us, just to contain him and shut down the run game and just little things like that that give ourselves a chance to win the game.”
On standout young players getting playing time against UTEP…
“A lot of those guys went in there, you know, kept up the standard, but the guy that did stand out to me would be Carson Gentle. When we watch practice, watch some of the young guys practice, get their chance too, he always stands out. Seeing him translate from the practice field to the game says a lot. I think he is going to have a bright future here.”
Junior RB Dylan Sampson
On addressing the stakes associated with this weekend’s game…
“Yeah, everybody in the building knows the reality of the game, and you know, how much it means. It basically is a playoff game. Take care of business and handle what it is, but we got to go and attack every detail this week.”
On the stakes being high for the Vanderbilt game…
“Yeah, I think you always enjoy that. They’ve been doing really well this year. Play teams very closely, they play hard. So, I mean, on top of what we already got, what we planned for, it makes it even better for the committee, for everybody else. This game really matters, and they can’t count Vandy off or us off so, it’s going to be a fight.”
On Omari Thomas’ impact and importance to the program…
“Yeah, you are talking about one of those pivotal teammates, pivotal players who’s been here since coach (Josh) Heupel got here. One of the players who chose to stay and a lot of people he came in with are not here right now, but he pours so much into everybody. You know, he’s really the same person every single day, day in and day out. So, people like that reap the benefits and the rewards of everything they pour in, but he’s a great human being. I’m glad I got the opportunity and chance to call him my brother (and) say I know him. So many great things coming for him and I’m happy for him.”
Junior WR Squirrel White
On Nico Iamaleava’s pocket presence and how that contributed to the team’s offensive success against UTEP…
“Regardless of the opponent, Nico is always on the field and calm in the pocket (and) able to make plays like that. He did it all of practice, throughout the week and it translated to the field.”
On Bru McCoy’s success on Senior Day…
“It was amazing to see Bru (McCoy) catch those two touchdown passes. Knowing what he has been through and just to see him catch those touchdowns was amazing.”
On freshman Mike Matthews’s growth this season…
“Being able to come in the game and make a play right off the rip. When the ball is in the air, I know he is going to attack it, and if you give him a chance, he is going to make a play. It’s exciting to see him work.”
