University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols TaxSlayer Bowl Press Conference
December 31, 2014 | Football
HEAD COACH Butch Jones
(On the TaxSlayer Bowl)
"First of all, I would like to thank you andVince and the entire TaxSlayer Bowl Committee.Just a first class bowl, I spoke about it in the press conference here a few weeksago, we are embarking on our 50th bowlappearance as a football program and very fitting that we would be a participant in the 70th Annual TaxSlayer Bowl. Thank you, it has been a great, great experience for our players, a lot of first of firsts, the bowl experience to what it takes to prepare. Usually these individuals are used to preparing on a weekly basis with a bye week but having this time in between games. Taking pride in your performanceall the mental effort, the mental intensity that it takes to prepare with taking care of your bodies.It has been a very, very longseason for us. When you look at the inordinate amount of freshmen, we are theyoungest football team in college football and played arguably the most difficultschedule in college football.When we embarked on this journey, we talked about the power of one for us to keep our focus we had to manage the natural adversity and preserve on a long college football season brings about and going about it with about half of your team not going through that before.
"It has been the most challenging year in coaching, but also the most rewarding year that I have had in coaching. The theme was the `Power of One.' We had to focus on one day at a time, one play at a time, one opponent at a time, one week at a time and really be able to zero in on the bullseye.
"Our players have done that. We have had tremendousleadershipfrom our veteran players. We have very few seniors but that have provided stability. These twoindividualswith me here today, Curt Maggitt and Joshua Dobbs have really provided that leadershipas well. The great thing that the people don't see behind the scenes that a bowl game brings about is the coming together and the family of a football team. Right now theseindividualshave never played in December or January, nor practiced. So to be able to sit back and watch the different bowl events and this team coming closer and closer and closer, for the most part our team is instant for a few years coming. So to be able to watch this team grow and bond and really get to know us as coaches off the field, be around our families even more so, it has been very rewarding. But at the end of the day, I told our football team this, it's one thing to be a participant in the bowl, its another thing to win the bowl. We have to lock in now and focus and do what it takes to play winning football. Everyone is responsible for their own self determination and I like what I have seen so far.
"So I will sit down and let you guys ask any questions that you may have."
(On how the Vols have handled the week in Jacksonville)
"The first thing is the overall maturity. We spoke about how we have to be a mature football team and understand bowl preparation and accountability. To date, knock on wood, we haven't had anybody be late, they been 10-15 minutes early. When we arrived in Jacksonville, I put it on a number of individuals, I thought it was a tremendous opportunity for leadership, starting with Josh, starting with Curt and they have answered the call. I think the big thing is learning how to enjoy yourself, but focus on the task at hand and get the work done. The players have had a workman-like approach each and every day. They have come very focused.
"Being a part of this bowl game is very, very special. In our profession and its a very, very small profession, all the coaches know each other and when you talk about the Gator Bowl, or the TaxSlayer Bowl, it's first class all the way. For these individuals, for these players, this program to experience its first bowl game in a number of years, experiencing it here will set the tone for many years to come for our football program. Also, all of the things we have been trying to educate our players about. It's been incredible, the people, the hospitality, the entire committee, the city of Jacksonville, have been outstanding."
(On changes to the offense once Joshua Dobbs started)
"It did change, we have to play to the skill set of our players. Joshua presents a very unique set and obviously his ability to run the football but also some different things in the throw game. When he become our quarterback you are always adapting and adjusting again to the strengths of our players and I thought our entire coaching staff had done a great job. You have to have flexibility within your offensive system and we have great flexibility within our offensive system. Just play to the skill set of our players around it, particularly at quarterback.
The thing that Josh is different, he's very competitive and very cerebral. But even though he wasn't playing early he gained valuable repetitions of last year being the quarterback at the University of Tennessee and understanding all the different dynamics that are associated with being the quarterback at the University of Tennessee. But also the repetitions in spring football, August training camp and even thought he was a backup for part of the year, he was still gaining those valuable repetitions and we always speak to our quarterbacks in our football program, you are always one snap away and you never know when that one snap is going to occur. A lot of individuals, when you have senior (Justin Worley) in front of you, you are kind of going through the thought process of a possible redshirt, a lot of individuals will shut it down. To his credit, he prepared every week as though he was the starter, think it is a great illustration. When you look at his career last year, when he was a true freshman, when we played the University of Florida, he wasn't on the travel squad and then I believe two weeks later he was our starting quarterback. He defines perseverance, resiliency, I believe that comes from his mother and his father, he has had a great upbringing, he is very prideful and he defines a student-athlete. Aeronautical engineering. Although, he did bring down our team GPA at the quarterback position, I believe he had a 3.7, maybe a 3.3. So I had him stand up in our team meeting and when they gave it to them he also had to tell them his class schedule. Nobody wanted any part of that. That's tribute to him of being able to answer the call when you are called upon. A lot of people quit when success if eminent, success is right there. It today's society it is easy to quit and give in and he never did that and he is reaping the rewards. All other players have rallied around him, he has leadership characteristics, he is taking control and they believe in him.That is the biggest thing. They believe in him."
(On his passion and his career's rise)
"I love the word passion. I think anything you do in life is all about passion. I grew up in a small town, Saugatuck, Michigan, I had 62 individuals in my graduating class. My father was the chief of police and my mother was a hospital administrator. They taught me at a very early age of what it takes as far as work ethic.
"It was a resort community and so I was a dishwasher at the local restaurant downtown at the age of 14. I wanted to quit, but my mom and dad would not allow me to quit. I had to play for my college education, I was a walk-on, so I feel like that work ethic was instilled by my parents early on.
"That's one of the things that bring about a bowl game, Dan O'Brien asks me how I have energy all the time. I was a graduate assistant, I was an intramural director, I was a tennis coach, I drove the van and was the offensive coordinator at Division III Wilkes University ... I retuned to my alma mater Ferris State and took a nine-moth position with a wife and two kids for $17,000 and no benefits. These are all the things that people don't see. They don't see the struggles that your family brings about. I was in the MAC for eight years, I finally got a chance at a big time college football program at West Virginia with Rich Rodriguez.
"I'm staying one villa down from where I stayed when we came with West Virginia. That's where Central Michigan came here and interviewed me to be their head football coach. Then, that evening in the villa, they offered me the job.
"It's kind of been a stroll back down memory lane. When you start from ground zero and work your way up to an opportunity like I've been blessed with at the University of Tennessee, it makes you appreciate it that much more. "It has been the most challenging year in coaching. But also the most rewarding year I've had in coaching."
SOPHOMORE QUARTERBACK Joshua Dobbs
(On the bowl week)
"Its been good, its been different, when you are at football, you are football, you focus on the game plan, you focus on execution. When you are outside football, you have be able to let your hair down and you have to relax and get around your teammates and have some fun. Knowing when you have to flip that switch on and off, that's what we are all learning and we have done a good job with that."
(On Justin Worley's influence on his play)
"Justin has helped me a lot from the day I stepped on campus. We have a mentorship program and Justin was my bring brother coming in, just being able to be under him and learn from him, have him team me the offense. Now, having him on the sideline as a resource to have him talk about his game experience in awesome, telling me what I should do better since I am still learning, he has been resource for me since he was injured and I am very thankful for him."
(On reflecting on the end of season)
"It wasn't a whirlwind, from last year I gained a lot of experience so I knew what it was like. It was good to go back and reflect on the last month and see how far we have come, all the accomplishments we had. We are in position to play a meaningful game in January and we are excited about our opportunity and excited about the game."
JUNIOR LB/DL Curt Maggitt
(On the bowl experience)
"It's about the maturity of our team. When we are at practice, its business and a business-like approach. When we are off the field, we can enjoy each other's company and just have fun and do all the great events that TaxSlayer (Bowl) has for us."
