University of Tennessee Athletics
Vol Report: Assistant Coaches Discuss Bye Week
October 19, 2016 | Football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee assistant coaches Steve Stripling, Robert Gillespie, Tommy Thigpen, Don Mahoney, Zach Azzanni and Willie Martinez spoke to reporters on Tuesday in the Ray and Lucy Hand Digital Studio to discuss the bye week.
No. 18/19 Tennessee (5-2, 2-2 SEC) will next face South Carolina (2-4, 1-4 SEC) on Oct. 29 at Williams-Brice Stadium with a 7:15 p.m. ET broadcast on either ESPN, ESPN2 or SEC Network.
Steve Stripling | Assoc. Head Coach/Defensive Line Coach
Tennessee head coach Butch Jones announced that sophomore defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie would miss the rest of the season with a torn pectoral tendon he suffered against No. 1/1 Alabama on Saturday. Stripling shared his thoughts on McKenzie's growth as a player this season.
"I think he was maturing. You know, he was right on schedule. And actually, the play he got hurt on, I thought it was a really outstanding play. It was a big man running really fast and laying out and giving effort. So that's what is a shame, but it's a temporary setback. He'll be back, and we'll be looking toward the future."
Tommy Thigpen | Defensive Run Game Coord./Linebackers Coach
Jalen Reeves-Maybin also announced on Tuesday that his shoulder injury would keep him sidelined for the remainder of the season. Thigpen spoke about how the linebacker corps has battled through injuries this year.
"It happens. That's part of the game of football. You play long enough, somebody is going to get hurt. Unfortunately this year there has been a multitude of injuries and the next guy's up. DK (Darrin Kirkland Jr.) was down at one time. Hopefully this week we can get him back. Reeves-Maybin is out for the season. Quart'e Sapp. Injuries happen and you just have to get guys ready at the position, to make sure that they go out and they are prepared."
Robert Gillespie | Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Over the first seven games of the season, Tennessee's depth at running backs have combined for 1,057 yards. Jalen Hurd, Alvin Kamara and John Kelly have each had their moments of brilliance. Gillespie has referred to his own experience from his playing days to help UT's backs understand what it means to play in a backfield where carries are shared due to a wealth of talent.
"I know how they feel. I know how they feel when they think they're going to play 14 or 15 snaps a game and they don't. Every week you go into it telling them to be ready, be ready for this play. Obviously it's disappointing when a kid works hard all week and doesn't get a chance to play. I've been there, I tell those guys, 'I understand where you're coming from. I want you to have that feeling but I don't want you to get frustrated. The minute you get frustrated and feel like you're being slighted, your moment comes and you're not ready.' That's the hard part, making those guys emotionally stay ready to play and being able to go throughout a season with their highs and lows. You just have to be ready when your opportunity comes."
Don Mahoney | Offensive Line Coach
With injuries along the offensive line, young players like Drew Richmond and Marcus Tatum were called upon last week against Alabama. Mahoney discussed how the offense has been able to adjust to its personnel in the game.
"You know, it's a credit to Coach DeBord in looking over the entire offense. There really isn't something that drastically changed that much. You know what your strengths and weaknesses are, particularly the fact that when we practice, he and I work closely together with the group up front. So, anytime as a play-caller, he knows our strengths and weaknesses in terms of working with [injuries], around that or what have you. There isn't a whole lot that gets changed that much but you just obviously know some things you might want to do more of and some things you might want to do less, depending on who is in there at that given time. As it is for five guys during the course of any time, there is always just an awareness of if so-and-so goes down, this guy is in."
Zach Azzanni | Wide Receivers Coach/Passing Game Coordinator
Tennessee's wide receivers enjoyed several standout performances in the first half of the season. Josh Malone emerged as a big-play threat and scored touchdowns in the first four games of the season. Jauan Jennings hauled in two of the most memorable touchdown catches in UT's wins over Florida and Georgia. Tyler Byrd showcased his elite speed and elusiveness against Texas A&M. Azzanni spoke about the energy in the wide receivers' room.
"Yeah, it's been great. I love the room. I love the culture in the room right now. I love those kids. They are all really willing to work. They play off each other. They are competitive. Obviously, Jauan (Jennings) is overly competitive so he and Tyler (Byrd) get into it in a good healthy way a lot of times. But it's fun, it's a fun room to be around."
Willie Martinez | Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Backs Coach
Martinez spoke about how team captain Cameron Sutton has continued to be a leader from the sidelines.
"Just like he has never left. Just like he is playing. He is tremendously good with our players, especially on the back end. The secondary, he meets with them, they go visit with him, they spend time with him, whether it is at his place or obviously he is in our meetings. He is [there] on game day. He is there in our meetings the night before the games. He does a tremendous job. He is a great leader and he has helped us, like I said, tremendously."
More Sound Bites
Assoc. Head Coach/Defensive Line Coach Steve Stripling
(On moving people around & getting more players experience)
"I think that's the great advantage of having a bye week right now, we can take a look at some different things. Obviously, our concern for some is to get well, and our concern for some is to get reps and get better, so this will be a great week."
(On whether he would take some pride in Derek Barnett breaking the sack record)
"Oh absolutely. And I think Derek and I are kind of the same personality wise, in that we're not putting ourselves in front of anybody [to talk about the record]. But yeah, I would love that. I'm very excited for this young man's success. I enjoy sending things to his mom, you know, those type things. I'm very happy for the success he's having."
Defensive Run Game Coordinator/Linebackers Coach Tommy Thigpen
(On how the reserve linebackers have performed when their number has been called)
"Colton Jumper has played the whole season. Out of 500-and-something reps on the season, he has played in 400-and-something of them. So really, he has been in there the whole season. As far as getting our defensive line and guys in position to play, he has done a tremendous job. We had Cortez McDowell come in for a couple of games and he finished off a couple of games when Jalen Reeves-Maybin went down. Then he goes down and Elliott Berry steps up. So guys understand in the room that there are high expectations and regardless if you are the third, fourth or fifth guy, when your number is called, you have got to be prepared. Everybody is going into that role now, just like in anything. If you are Gavin Bryant, if you are Daniel Bituli, you know at any moment you can be called out on the field. We just try to make sure that every man is prepared and make sure that he takes a really good approach in his role because his role might come up at any time."
Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator Robert Gillespie
(On John Kelly stepping up)
"John has always been a guy, even last year coming out I told you guys, he's a guy I always felt comfortable putting in a game. Last year we didn't have too, this year he's come in and played well when he was called upon. He's going to be a kid that gets better with reps. This will be a great week for him to get more reps and get better at the final stretch."
Offensive Line Coach Don Mahoney
(On assessing Marcus Tatum stepping in on the O-line vs. Alabama)
"The thing I was probably pleased the most with - going through it the last few years with Jack Jones and Chance Hall and the year before with Jashon [Robertson] and Coleman [Thomas] - I don't think the game was too fast for him. His body language on the sideline was really sharp and mature, just as we knew during the recruiting process, along with the way he carried himself mentally. That's not really that big of a surprise. But to be put in that situation and the way he responded, there were some positives that came out of it. You've got to play with pretty great technique and fundamentals, obviously with physically being a little bit behind what most linemen are at this age of their career. He's an extremely hard worker and he'll do whatever is necessary to keep gaining the weight, lifting and all of the things he needs to do to overcome any deficiencies he does have."
Wide Receivers Coach/Passing Game Coordinator Zach Azzanni
(On what are the priorities for the wide receivers this week)
"Health, just making sure that we not only get healthier, but stay healthy. You know, there is a fine line [between] going out there and practicing really hard, but you also have to understand that we have a five-game stretch coming up and just continue to work the details. We will quality control ourselves and go back and look at certain plays, what guys do well and what guys don't do well and just try and go from there. For those guys, I think it is important too, this weekend or on Saturday, that they go spend some time with family and friends and unplug from this place a little bit. I think that's important for a player. I mean, these are 18-22-year-old kids. We can handle it as adults and we get mentally fatigued and these are kids we are talking about. For them, just to practice real hard these next three days, go unplug with your family and get away for a little while, and let's go back and go on a run."
Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Backs Coach Willie Martinez
(On how UT's safeties have played)
"I think that we, again I think that we have seen some good stuff. Obviously we have had some opportunities to make some plays and we didn't make them. Like any other position, I think the inconsistency is across the board on our defense, not just on a safety position but it could be the nickel, the corner or the linebackers. We want more consistency. Those guys, obviously when you are the last line of defense, it becomes more magnified. You know when something goes and breaks, if a defensive lineman, as you know, makes a mistake it gets to the second level, linebacker doesn't stop it, there it is for the secondary. There are a lot of plays that are made that when something happens, a breakdown in the front seven, guys are making tackles. But it obviously becomes magnified more when it breaks loose late in the ball game, or any time in the ball game, and it goes for a big chunk play or a big explosive play. That is where we have got to continue to get better, strive better, take better angles and tackle well in those situations to get off the field."
