Josh Heupel met with the media Monday to preview No. 14 Tennessee’s SEC opener against No. 1 Texas, touching on Arch Manning, the Longhorns’ experienced front and where his young quarterback stands three games in ahead of a noon kickoff at Neyland Stadium.
OPENING STATEMENT
“Good afternoon. Wanna start by just saying congratulations to our volleyball team and success that they’re having, obviously a big one on Friday night. Hopefully our fans show up in a big way for them. Excited to start conference play and know that we’re getting ready to play a great opponent in Texas.
“Early kickoff, check our knee in to our fan base. However you get ready for game time, wake up early and whatever you need to be at your best at 12, make sure you’re ready to be at your best at 12 and be a part of the football game for 60 minutes. Texas obviously, battle-tested, very veteran group, starts with their quarterback, but they have experience up front on the offensive line and a ton of experience on the defensive side of the football. Extremely athletic. Be a great test.”
Give us a breakdown of what specifically you see in Arch Manning.
“Smart. He’s got really good command and control of what’s going on. I think you can go back to the Ohio State game. His ability and his team’s ability to be resilient, to keep playing the next play, to be in a situation like that and be able to fight back tells you about their competitive makeup.”
How have you guys tackled through the first three games?
“There’s a couple the other night that we gotta be better on fundamentally. Solid here the first three games. Obviously, heading into conference play, in space in particular, those things will be tested. You gotta do a great job, fundamentals, angles, and when it’s time to pull your pin, finish it and wrap it up.”
How much did y’all tackle in fall camp this year compared to past seasons?
“Similar amount. Probably a little bit more fundamental work on it.”
Any concerns with the offensive line heading into conference play?
“As you get into conference play, you’re gonna play extremely talented fronts in this league typically every week. Texas is certainly that, great length inside, extremely wide-hipped, strong, physical, will knock you back if you’re not playing with great pad level and playing with hands. At the end of the day, identification, combinations, playing with fundamentals. You play whatever, 70 plays in a game, it’s not gonna be perfect up front, but all in all it’s been solid, but this will be our biggest test as far as the front seven that we’re playing.”
How would you grade your group’s physicality?
“They’re playing physical. There’s some things that haven’t been perfect, but they’re playing hard.”
Texas’ defense looks like they’re pretty good at limiting explosives. What’s the source of that?
“Their front. The ability to apply pressure. There haven’t been a lot of runs that have popped on them. Gap integrity, physical at the point of attack. But all three levels of the defense fitting things together. And then, pass defense wise, they’re gonna play zone principles, match principles. Lot of different pressures. All of that combined with their talent and athleticism have limited the explosives.”
Has your messaging changed for a big game like this?
“There’s more media attention or whatever on this football game. At the end of the day, it’s the beginning of conference play. You gotta understand the quality of the opponent that you’re getting ready to play. Saturday will be electric in the stadium. But it comes down to winning each day, your preparation and practicing the right way, to give yourself a chance.”
After you’ve been able to go back and watch it, what do you think about what you got from your tight ends on Saturday?
“Solid. I thought they did a good job in the run game, made some plays in the pass game. Protections were solid for a majority of the night. There’s a couple things fundamentally that we want to clean up, but all in all, solid.”
What has Donovan Haslam given you in the running game?
“Physicality is one of his best traits. And a guy that in the middle of training camp was nicked up for a while. I think he’s starting to play himself into better shape and played well the other night.”
What gives you confidence Ty Redmond and Kayin Lee can match up with Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo?
“Those are two really talented players for Texas. Both of our guys have played in this league. They’ve played a good amount of football. They’ve seen good players. They haven’t been tested the way that we’ll be tested on Saturday afternoon, but I expect those guys to go play in a great way.”
How is DeSean Bishop feeling today?
“I have not talked to him, but think he’s feeling pretty good.”
Jesse settling in at right tackle and offensive line rotations heading into SEC play?
“First of all you go through this league, you’re gonna need ’em all. You guys are probably tired of me saying that, but that’s the truth. But I think Jesse’s done a really good job at right tackle and he’s played both in his career, guard and tackle, but has settled in and playing really well here the last couple weeks at tackle.”
You mentioned some of Texas’s experience. What do you see in their offensive line?
“A group that’s playing with good physicality. They’re doing a really good job in their protections. So it’s an experienced, really good group. Their tackles are high-level players.”
Is Texas’s defense different with Muschamp, and how have you prepared?
“They’re three games in at this point. You kind of have a general idea of their identity and how they wanna play and their personnel. Their personnel gives them a lot of freedom to do a lot of different things from pressure to coverage and rotations. So you get into conference play, you know you’re gonna see something that’s not on the film too, and you gotta be able to adjust.”
How much more can you implement schematically as Faizon settles in?
“He’s got really good command. He’s been really decisive with the football. There’s a couple throws that he’d like to maybe have back, just fundamentally being a little bit off. There’s some plays down the field that we gotta go make, for a young quarterback, too. But I like what he’s done. You get into conference play, you’re gonna grow and evolve every week.”
How can you protect DeSean in practice this week to make sure he’s full go Saturday?
“We’ll make sure he’s fully ready to go on Saturday.”
What is your defensive line doing well through three games in pass rush?
“Playing hard, playing with fundamentals and technique. They’ve done a good job in the run game, but they’re certainly affecting the quarterback as well. In some of our pressures, our twist games, they’re functioning and operating at a pretty high level together collectively as a group. So a lot of positives.”
Why have you had success in early day games?
“I think those teams have prepared in a great way, practiced in a great way, and given themselves a chance to go play the way that you need to, to win a football game.”
Does this team stir up any emotions for you as the former quarterback of their biggest rival? What do you think about when you think of matchups against Texas?
“Think about this Saturday. That’s really what I think about.”
You mentioned this being the biggest game of the season at this point. What is your message and how will you get Faizon ready for what is his biggest game of his young career?
“Prepare in a great way. Invest, practice in a great way, and win the preparation. That gives you a chance to go play the way that you want to.”
This is the first time Texas will be coming to Neyland to play. What do you expect Saturday to be like for the atmosphere for Texas when they walk in there?
“First of all, our fans always show up in a great way. We’re starting conference play. Expect them to be at their best Saturday 12 o’clock when that ball is teed up. Should be a great contest.”
