KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 17 Tennessee bounced back from a three-point loss to No. 1 Texas with a 24-14 win over Auburn Saturday at Neyland Stadium. DeSean Bishop ran for a career-high 220 yards and three touchdowns, and George MacIntyre came in at quarterback before halftime and finished the game. Afterward, head coach Josh Heupel talked about the quarterback situation, the reshuffled offensive line, the fourth-down decisions and more. Here is everything he said.
Opening statement
“If at first the game or breaks go against you, don’t let up, put on more steam. Proud of our team for doing that in the second half. But we’re honoring General Neyland here and his legacy, uniforms, everything. It’s the right way to start this press conference.
And defense held everybody in the game. Special teams, phenomenal job. Jackson Ross in our punt unit, I think five inside the 11. And ultimately offense was able to find a little bit of footing in the second half. And resilient. Love the way they came out and played and competed.
“There’s so many things in the first half that offensively we gotta do better on, but proud of our team. I’m gonna say this to extremely grateful, proud of our fans that they followed General Neyland’s maxim as well, in a game that it’s ugly. Our players feel their energy. They were resilient. They were into the game. Phenomenal job by them as well. So I don’t know if our athletic director will let me do this, but they get a game ball, too.”
When you made the move at quarterback, how big was that open throw for George in the second half just to loosen him up? Did that allow you to have more success in the run game? And what did you like from Nic Moore at left guard?
“First of all, I thought George did some positive things early when he went in the ballgame in the first half too. Situationally there’s some things all of us gotta be better at. It’s the second straight week we got a sideline play where we don’t ultimately get out of bounds. But George’s ability to throw the football in the second half allowed us to create big play, in particular the one to Mike early. But in general it allowed us to take advantage of some of the things that they were giving us.
“It was a great lesson for everybody in the locker room. George, you don’t know when your opportunity’s coming. He’s ready. Goes and plays extremely well. Tevis Metcalf gets his opportunity, goes out, plays extremely well, but finishes the game with the ball in his hands too, on the last defensive stand. So great lessons for our football team.”
What about Nic Moore?
“Nic, bumping out, he had repped a little bit during training camp at that position. Just played extremely well throughout the course of the game. Huge smile on his face at the end of it. Proud of him, the effort, strain to get ready to go play and play hard the way he did.”
Were the second-half improvements halftime adjustments, or were you doing the same things as in the first half, just better?
“A lot of the same things and that we were doing in the first half. We were playing in a bunch of 12 personnel. We liked what we had in the run game in that and some of the play action execution a little bit better. And George made some good throws throughout the course of it too.”
How do you approach things at quarterback with how George played and Faizon’s struggles today?
“Yeah, we’ll go watch the tape. Faizon ultimately didn’t play his best football. The turnover on the sideline and some of the things, just progressions. But I’ve said it a bunch to you guys, we’re gonna need them all throughout the course of the year. I alluded to that a little bit earlier with guys that had to step up and we’ll get back in the building on Monday and continue to grow. And there’s a lot of growth left for us on the offensive side of the football, and absolutely positive that we get a win today.”
You don’t usually have a running back with 34 carries. What led you to give it to DeSean Bishop that much?
“The way he was running the football. He, feeling much better this week than he was a week ago. But he’s a fighter. I thought he had really good vision and he made a couple of bounce cuts that were the right time, big time plays by him. And ultimately just the way the game unfolded.”
What factor will you use to decide who starts at quarterback?
“There won’t be just one factor ultimately. I said a minute ago, we’ll need them both through this stretch and in the conference, too.”
Did you have a message to both quarterbacks after the game?
“Yeah, enjoy this win. It wasn’t pretty on the offensive side of the football. Our guys celebrated the way you should when you win in this league. It’s not always gonna be perfect. We found a way to be plus one. You gotta be the best team on the field every Saturday, and proud of our guys for doing that today.”
Dejuan Lane was everywhere on defense. What made him so effective getting to the backfield and getting that interception?
“Guy has some experience in what we’re doing, right? But has continued to grow. Made some terrific plays. Some pressures, was in the backfield causing havoc. Obviously the pick. Just continuing to grow and play extremely well right now.”
How big was the possession right before halftime, starting at the 2 with Auburn holding momentum, even though it didn’t result in points?
“Wanting to get off your goal line, not give them a short field, was big. Got into two-minute mode. We didn’t operate as well as we need to in that to try to get three points out of it. But it was a big part of the football game ’cause it hadn’t been going well. To not have our defense have to go back out there, where they have a chance for a two for one possession, finish the first half and start the second half with the ball.”
On the two fourth downs in the fourth quarter, what did you see on the defensive stop, and why trust your offense to go for it on your own fourth-and-short?
“Three was a lot different than getting seven offensively, just how you have to play down the stretch. I believed in our guys up front. They went and executed, great pad level and finishing the run.
“Defensively, they’re in their big personnel, typically inside play. And we do a really good job playing with high discipline on the edge and go kill it. But we set the edge, and then our interior guys are able to react and get back out and make a stop.”
Given the reshuffled offensive line, how would you assess how they did?
“Thought they played hard. They played well. Not perfect. It never is up front. Thought they protected really pretty well throughout the course of the football game. A couple of the early ones, quarterback’s quick out of the pocket or there’s things down the field that are open. But I’m proud of the way they came back, the way they practiced. They enjoyed having the game, putting their hands on the offensive side of the ball in the second half, too.”
Was Faizon’s performance affected by his shoulder?
“I don’t know that I would say that ultimately. We’ll watch a little bit of the tape and see more of it. But we’ll go from there.”
Why was George so prepared for this moment?
“Yeah, the hardest thing to do, I think, that position. We rep our twos a bunch, more than a lot of other places that I’ve been as an assistant, not as a coordinator, but as an assistant. I think that helps in their preparation, staying dialed in, one, to a game plan, but two, fundamentals and technique. George has stayed locked in. When we first named the guy, we told them both that almost every time it ends up being that multiple guys are going to be needed. So you better be ready for your opportunity and proud of George for being ready and prepared today.”
What was George’s demeanor when you told him he was coming in and when he came off the field for the first time?
“Ready to go. I talked to him in pregame, and he’s got a great look in his eye, and he’s ready to go.”
