It's finally game week.
To kick-off the week, Tennessee coach Josh Heupel met with the media to preview the College Football Playoff matchup with Ohio State.
Here's everything he had to say.
TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM
Opening statement
I hope everyone is doing great. Been a while. Great opportunity this week, playing a big game against a great opponent. A lot of work has gone on to get to this point. Got it started back in January, staff and players together, and they’ve earned the right to to play in a game like this. Great opponent, great venue. You look at Ohio State defensively, they lead almost every category in the country. Offensively, they’ve got elite players on that side of the ball. And they tie it together well with special teams. So a huge challenge for us, but one we’re really excited about. Preparation has been good. We’ve got to continue that this week and get ready to go play our best football when we get up to Columbus. So great opportunity. Hope we see a bunch of our fans showing up as well.
On playing in a meaningful postseason game
One of the goals for our program is to earn the right to get into this tournament. Proud what our guys have done, first week of this preparation. We've got a lot of young guy work. We’ve been intentional with that throughout the course of the season, as well. We’ve been trying to continue that as we’ve shifted our focus to Ohio State. But this is all the work and energy that you put into it, this is where you want to be.
On Dylan Sampson, others believing in him when he got here
Next step for us as as a program. Two years ago, I think we finished sixth in country. There are a lot of guys that have been a part of building this. You look at the senior class, a guy like Dylan that bought into this vision before there was tangible proof on the field of who we are, what we’re about, and how we’re going to go play together. It only happens because of the guys inside that locker room. It’s a room filled with guys that care about the guys around them. They’re elite competitors. I’m really proud of what they’ve done again to restamp this program.
On reaching the playoffs after what he took over in 2021
It happens because of your staff and your players all buying into a vision, competing toward that every single day. We continued to take steps. I’m really proud of everybody that’s involved in that, but this is the next step that we had to take as a program. It’s a great opportunity, but now it’s about what are you going to do with the opportunity? It starts long before you get the kickoff. It’s preparation and practice the right way to give yourself a chance to go play elite football.
On if his roster is set for Saturday, transfer portal being open
That is an odd question. Obviously, the calendar, the way that it’s set up, it’s unique. It might be the only sport that operates this way. Transfer portal, free agency, whatever you want to call it, is right in the middle of your postseason play. But we do feel like the roster is set. This group is ready to go compete and ready to prepare the right way. They have had really good energy and focus last week as we knew who our opponent was going to be and we could start our preparation, had great energy today, as well.
On if players who enter the portal will be apart of the game
No.
On Tennessee fans buying tickets to the game
Not with this fanbase. It’s a nice short drive up there. Christmas is right around the corner. It’s a great Christmas present.
On the weather for the game, if it feels like South Dakota
It’s a June day in South Dakota. It’s going to be great football weather. A couple weeks ago, we played in 30-degree weather. We practiced in the morning, still chill. As cold as it will be around this area and at the end of the day, you get between the white lines, weather doesn’t matter the temperature doesn’t. We’ll be ready to go play. It will be a lot of fun.
On people saying Tennessee should just be happy to be in the playoffs
If you’re just happy to be there, it’s going to be a quick cup of coffee. And the mindset of this team is get ready to go play our best football. We understand the environment that we’re playing in. They have an elite roster, really good coaches, prestigious program. We have to go play really good football. Doesn’t take anything extraordinary, at the same time. It’s us doing the ordinary things at a really high level consistently for 60 minutes. Looking forward to continuing our prep to get ready to go play.
On benefitting from time off, importance of being physical
That typically happens in this league. As you go through all those games, every football team in this league is gonna be banged up. Having a couple of extra weeks to heal up, I feel like we’ll have everybody ready to roll when we get up there. The line of scrimmage is gonna be important in this one. It always is in big football games. You got to be able to run the football on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, you've got to control the line of scrimmage. It’s your first and second level and your safeties, in particular, but the line of scrimmage will matter. You want to get people into predictable third downs and then be able to rush the passer and get off the field.
On comparing this year to 2022
I don’t think anybody in the locker room had whiplash two years ago. But we understand what big games look like, what they feel like. The type of environments that you’re going to play in. Certainly understand playing great opponents and the preparation, I think they have a great understanding of. Then, the competitive makeup that you have to have when you get to game day. There’s going to be ups and downs, back and forths, in these types of games. Staying consistent, having elite competitive makeup, mindset, really important.
On what he's learned about Nico Iamaleava this season
I just think his ability to reset and go play the next play, next drive, next half. His ability to continue to grow and compete throughout the course of the football game. As a young quarterback, that is really hard to do. He’s done a really good job of that.
On freshmen early enrollees
Got a chance to get on the field with them yesterday and today. So, it’s a really good group, athletic traits. I mean, the way they’ve handled themselves just getting to campus for the first time. They’ve done a really nice job. Really excited about what we’ve seen from those guys so far. It’s been a lot of fun having that influx of guys, talent into our roster here as they get an opportunity to experience postseason play.
On Tennessee's defensive backs defending Ohio State wide receivers
It’ll be a big part of it. Can’t give up a bunch of big explosive plays where they create momentum, field position, ability to score points. So it does start with the line of scrimmage for us, but we got to do a great job of playing disciplined and matching people out, playing with fundamentals and technique, and then going and making plays. There’s going to be one-on-one situations. We got to win the lion’s share of those.
On Ohio State's offensive, defensive red zone efficiency
Defensively, within the scope of the structure that they’re playing, they’ve got great discipline. Their eyes are the right spot. They match things out. Their front seven making it tough to run the football. And then offensively from them, they do a really good job in those situations. Dynamic playmakers out on the outside, so when you load the box, they got guys that have the opportunity to go win one-on-ones. And when they don’t, they’re efficient running the football. Running backs are elite. For us, defensively, we’ve got to do a great job and if you can hold them to field goals, it changes the way the game’s played. Offensively, we’ve got to find a way to get seven down there.
On recruits, early enrollees seeing Tennessee in the playoffs
You’re not talking about it. They’re right in the midst of it and they’re part of the preparation. They’re learning what it looks like to be a college football player at this level. But to do it inside of our building and you’re doing it while you’re preparing for a big game. So not a better opportunity to understand what it’s going to take to play at the highest level.
On any wrinkles being thrown in
We have nothing new defensively, offensively or special teams. We’ll be exactly what we’ve done. *While smiling*
On balancing hosting recruits, practice with young players, preparing for Ohio State, how much more intense it is this week compared to last year
End of the day, you’re always gonna prepare the way that you need to put your kids in the best position. You’re never gonna take away from that. This job, college football in general, is dramatically different than it was two, four, six, eight years ago. The way the calendar is, there’s a lot of things that you’re juggling all at one time. You got to find a way to navigate that. That’s why the people inside of the building that help you are integral to your success. On the recruiting side of it, what coaches say is a piece of the puzzle, man, but it’s not the biggest piece. When they get here, understanding the culture, what it looks like to be inside the building. Your players are your greatest attribute when it comes to recruiting.
On playing in a place Tennessee wouldn't typically play
One of the goals you have is to get into postseason play. You’re in the tournament and now it’s about preparation and getting ready to go play your best football. You can see the focus in the guys and at the same time, not making it bigger than it is, meaning it’s just 11-on-11. We’re playing a great opponent, great venue. It comes down to doing ordinary things.
On Braylon Staley
Braylon’s done a great job. Young player that has continued to grow through the winter, through the spring, through the summer. More opportunities, chose to play him in four, keep the redshirt, but he’s more than ready to go play in this one.
On what Dylan Sampson brings to the team
Dylan, super consistent in how he approaches everything inside of our building. That’s meeting room, it’s in the weight room, on the practice field. A dynamic leader for us as a program. As a player, just his growth since he’s gotten here, what he’s done to prepare himself to have the load that he’s carried this year. You watch the tape, he’s done a great job of creating big plays, explosive plays, making people miss, but he’s also done a great job of understanding when it’s not clean, getting his pads down and going plus-two at the end of the run. He plays great without the ball in his hands, as well, and a huge part of our success as a football team.
On Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, what he saw from him at Central Florida
I think one of the great traits of Dillon, he’s extremely grounded in who he is, has a great family, but because of that, he’s not worried about tomorrow and he's not worried about what came before him. He’s truly in the present. He’s that way inside of the building. He’s an elite competitor, and that makeup has just allowed him, no matter where he’s at, to be able to garner respect from the guys and once you gain that, man, everybody sees what type of competitor and how he plays. He’s a dynamic playmaker, man. One of the best that I’ve been around.
On what he's seen from Nico Iamaleava this year on and off the field
As a young player, everybody wants the quarterback to be the leader immediately. Smart, young quarterbacks understand that there’s a growth and an evolution to it. Nico has been great in one-on-one situations from the time that he got here. Communicating with wideouts, he grew into communicating and challenging the five guys in front of him, but now you can feel as he started to play, you can feel his presence in everything that we’re doing every single day. Nico’s got a great understanding of, man, you’ve got to be with the guys. You’re not one of the guys when you’re the quarterback, but you’ve got to be with the guys. You see him at the hotel on Friday nights, he’s eating dinner with the offensive linemen, he’s with the defensive linemen. He does a great job of getting out of his quarterback group or just the offensive unit, and developing relationships with those guys. That’s a big part of leadership. Those guys have a relationship with you, understanding that you care about them, allows you to lead them.
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