Postgame Quotes: Vols 10, Alabama 49

Oct. 15, 2016

Tennessee head coach Butch Jones

(Opening Statement)
"It's a pretty simple game. It's a line of scrimmage game. When you give up 438 yards rushing and offensively have 32 yards rushing, you're not even giving yourself an opportunity to be in the game. We had way too many negative yardage football plays. Again, third down conversions, getting off the field, big explosive plays.

"We have to move on. I think the bye week is coming at the appropriate time. We have a lot of goals to get better as a football team. Everyone has to be responsible for their own self-determination and accountability to get better during this bye week. A lot of this [week] will be spent in the training room and getting healthy.

"Our kids are fighting, scratching and clawing. I told them I love them more today than yesterday. I've never been through a season like this where the injuries just continue to mount up, but that's the game of football and that's recruiting and that's development. That's having a solid program, and that's everyone that's awaiting their time and when their opportunity comes to play you make the most of it.

"Again, we'll get better. We've got to keep things in perspective. Alabama is a very talented football team, and we still have a lot to play for, and it starts in our bye week. It starts with looking at everything we're doing and, for the most part, getting healthy.

"It's a line of scrimmage league. It's a line of scrimmage game, and you're not going to win any football games giving up the rushing yards and the lack of rushing productivity we had tonight."

(On bringing in Marcus Tatum and how lack of depth was an issue)
"First off, Marcus Tatum has worked exceptionally hard, but we had no choice but to play him. We are down numbers and are depleted on the offensive line. When you look at being down Brett Kendrick, Jashon Robertson, and Dylan Wiesman, the one thing you can't replace is their experience. I thought our younger guys battled and did some good things. I will know a little bit more when I see the video. It takes years to build a program. We will continue to work at it. I'm excited to go back and watch the video to see how the individuals playing for their first time with that volume of repetitions did. On the line of scrimmage, you are playing against 22 or 23-year-old men that have been in college weight programs for two, three or four years. It's a grown man's league. We will continue to learn from this and move on. We will bounce back. There's a lot of football left to be played. We've put ourselves in position to be playing meaningful games after the bye week. That's the approach we will take and we will get better. Every game from here on out is going to be a battle. Teams have a hard time recovering when you look at the productivity that wasn't on the field tonight. That's no excuse. The standard and expectations don't change. These kids will come back. I believe in them."

(On concern that injuries will still be an issue after the bye week)
"I'm very concerned, but that is football. When you usually have a run of injuries, it only affects one or two position groups. It's affected every position group. That's why this bye week is very important. We have to get our health back. There has to be a sense of urgency for our youngsters to get better and help us on the final stretch after the bye week."

(On managing the roster with so many injuries)
"What can I say? The next man goes in. These kids are warriors. I believe in them. They are going to be alright. I told them in the locker room that how you feel is a byproduct of your investment and how much you have invested in this program, a performance and our football team. We pride ourselves in stopping the run and running the football. It's a week-to-week season. There are a lot of positive things to move forward and get better in this bye week. These kids have had great resiliency and will continue to have that."

(On if he was concerned that injuries would hurt the game at the line of scrimmage)
"It impacts your offensive game plan. Their defensive front has impacted every game they've been in. They do a great job of being able to play man coverage. That's why they're the number one team in the country. It forces you to get rid of the ball quick and change launch points of the quarterback. You also have to be able to defeat man coverage out on the perimeter. It's a game of one-on-one matchups. Was our game plan a little different? Yes, you're always going to play to the strengths of your players."

(On struggling to run the ball)
"We thought we had angles and had some good calls. It comes down to one-on-one matchups and execution. It's not one person or anyone's fault. It comes down to execution and we have to learn from it, but it's unacceptable. It starts with us as coaches. We are one family. You win as a team and lose as a team. That's how it goes. We didn't play well. We got better. We will get better for it and move on. We will work hard every day and continue to win."

(On trying to stop Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts from running)
"They did a good job of creating one-on-one matchups for him. He did a good job of moving the ball laterally and puncturing the defense. We had way too many missed tackles. I give them credit. They have a very good offensive line. We pride ourselves in stopping the run, and that was unacceptable."

(On the impact of playing four-consecutive ranked opponents)
"I think it had an impact just because of the injuries. We've played the third-toughest schedule in America. They've been hard-fought, physical football games. The top teams in this conference that win consistently are the ones who have great role players, who embrace their role. We have some individuals who have been able to do that for us. The bye week is coming at the appropriate time."

(On issues on special teams from depleted depth)
"We pride ourselves in winning field position and hidden-yardage battle and playing championship special teams. We weren't able to do that. You can't give up a long punt return for a touchdown. That's unacceptable. I thought Trevor Daniel punted the ball exceptionally well. You're only as good as your last play. It gets back to individuals understanding and embracing their roles. One play can change the magnitude of a game."

Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs

(On message to team)
"We have to stay together. We can't let this game divide us but we've got a lot of work to do; we've got to get back at it Monday and keep it going."

(On the physicality of the game vs. Alabama)
"Obviously the grind has affected us injury wise, with different guys having to step up and play. Each one of these four games are reasons you come to Tennessee, there's no reason for it to deter you. Intensity-wise it was there, but fundamentals-, execution-, details-wise and guys stepping up, it wasn't there."

(On next man up in the huddle of offense)
"They were locked in; they were communicating when we came off the sideline. Their mind was definitely there, for sure. These are guys we know that are going to have to continue to step up for us throughout the rest of this season. This bye week is huge for guys like that to get extra reps to get ready to go to start the second half of the season."

(On moving forward in the season)
"We know each week that the goals and aspirations are there. Every time you step on the field you're playing for something, and we know the importance of each game."

Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett

(On bye week)
"We have some guys down so this is definitely a good time for a bye week, but that's no excuse. It's the next man up. The backup guys need to come in ready to play - and we've got guys doing that - but we need more of it."

(On Alabama at line of scrimmage)
"They kept hurting us on the QB run, that's the play that was getting us. We just need to be really critical during film because we are going to see other teams who can do the same thing; and a quarterback that can run the ball as well. I'm going to go back and watch film and critique myself and the defensive line as well. I'm not going to say they dominated the line."

(On loss to team halfway through)
"Season one is over and season two starts after this bye week. (We have to) keep it rolling; we can't let one game define the whole season."

Tennessee Tight End Ethan Wolf

(On the tough loss against Alabama)
"Personally, losing is not fun; whether you're 1-10 or 5-1. I think that we're going to handle this loss the best way that we possibly can and come back with motivation and eagerness to get better."

(On wanting another opportunity to compete against Alabama)
"We'd love another shot but the mantra that I and the rest of the team go by is `we're not going to get there if we don't start with next game preparation.' It may sound cliché, but you truly have to focus on one day at a time to get better and focus on one game. If we don't come out and perform the next week, then that's out of the question."

(On moving forward after loss)
"You have to take the learning experiences from watching film. I would treat this just like any other loss and assess the damage of what you've got to fix then forget about it. This one is a little different because it's a rivalry game. It's something that's going to drive us throughout the rest of the season to get better through this bye week and our next game; but nobody, no matter who you play, if you lose you can't dwell on it. You have to move on quickly and forget about it."

Tennessee defensive back Todd Kelly Jr.

(On if it is difficult to think about achieving the team's goals)
"I don't think it's tough at all, I believe in the guys in the locker room, to my left and to my right. We're not really focused on getting to Atlanta right now, we're focused on the next opponent. I feel like this bye week will allow us to get our bodies healthy. We've played in seven games in a row, playing in the SEC that's no joke. We're going to take as much time as we can to get ready and prepare but at the same time it's going to give us time to learn from this loss. We made a lot of mistakes out there whether its on offense, defense, or special teams and that unacceptable. With that being said we're going to go in the film room and figure out what we did wrong."

(On if the loss affects the confidence of the defense)
"I don't think it impacts our confidence, but I think we need to question what we did out there on the field because that's not acceptable. Giving up 594 yards, 438 rushing yards, that's uncalled for. We're going to get it figured out but right now we just got done with the game. At the same time, we're going to figure out what we did wrong because it didn't just happen for any reason. We had misfits, guys in the wrong gaps, guys not lined up correctly. That's on us as a team, as a defense, as a unit. We're going to get it corrected, learn from it but at the same time I don't think it wavers our confidence at all."

Defensive back Rashaan Gaulden

(On Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts' effectiveness running the ball)
"You pretty much said it yourself, I mean he's a dynamic quarterback with his speed and being able to run and being able to pass. The hardest quarterback to face is a duel threat quarterback in my opinion. He exploited us today in being able to get around the edge and deliver on long balls when needed. What hurt us the most was him being able to get around the edge and provide explosive plays for his team."

(On how much of an emphasis was placed on stopping the quarterback run)
"It was a huge emphasis to have another hat in the box for him. Sometimes the X's and O's don't correlate to the game, we're just going to have to make a play next time."

Alabama head coach Nick Saban

(Opening statement)
"Well, I was really proud of our players today. We said we wanted a complete game, and they certainly did that. We wanted to make sure that the other team never gained any momentum in the game and had to play 60 minutes, and we obviously did that. I think the defense played outstanding, but our ability to run the ball for 400 yards took a lot of time off the clock. It took them off the field. I think our guys just did a really good job. This is as proud of our team as I've been all year long in terms of playing a complete game against a really good team. Especially in a tough environment, there are obviously things we could do better, and there are things that we need to improve on. This game was one game in a run of games that we have where we need to take one game at a time. Whatever we can learn from this game, we need to carry it into the next game and try to continue and improve. So, our guys did a really good job today, and I'm really proud of them. The fact that we scored two non-offensive touchdowns again today, one on special teams and one on defense, is really something special about his team. So, hopefully we can keep them coming, and we just need to keep on working and take each game one game at a time. Tennessee's got a really good team. I thought this would be a really difficult game for us, and I think our players did a really great job in this game."

(On the maturation of quarterback Jalen Hurts)
"I got on Jalen a couple times today, and the good thing about Jalen is that he always takes it right. And I always ask him in the locker room, "Should I have gotten on you?" And he said, "Yeah." So he agrees. He made some good throws today. He missed some throws. He missed some reads. He turned the ball over twice in the first half. Once gave them a score, one took a score off the board for us right before the half, but he's getting better every week. Obviously his ability to run is something that gives defenses a lot of problems. If we can continue to improve in the passing game because of the level of skill guys that we have, I think that would be something that would make a big impact on what we can do offensively."

(On what clicked in the running game)
"Well, we blocked them up front. The quarterback made some really good reads on the zone key play. We ran the read sweep, that's a quarterback read play. So a lot of these were quarterback read plays, and he made a lot of good reads, and I think that's why we were able to run the ball effectively. I don't know how many yards he had rushing, but he pulled the ball a couple times and made some really big plays, and I think that creates a lot of problems for defensive teams."

(On the importance of blocking by wide receivers and tight ends)
"Well, I think that when you run the ball on the perimeter as much as we do, I think it's critical that those guys do a great job of blocking, and on all of Jalen's long runs, on the pull we cracked somebody, made a very effective block and the tight end coming around blocks the next guy. We did a great job on the edge doing that. It says a lot about ArDarius Stewart, Calvin Ridley, all the receivers that we have - O.J. Howard - that could be worrying about how many passes they catch, that they're willing to do what's best for the team and do a great job blocking on the perimeter."

(On how the Alabama defense buckled down on the running game after the first couple of series)
"We were just a little soft. They gave us a lot of formation variations. I think once you get the guys fixed on what their gaps are and how they need to adjust to the formations, they play with a lot more confidence and I think early on a couple of formations got us a little bit out of sync. Hey they've got good players. 6 (Alvin Kamara) and 1 (Jalen Hurd) are really good players, so when they make five yards, it's not like you played bad. They are pretty good."

(On what Lane Kiffin has done with the offense's youth at quarterback and running back this season)
"Lane has done a really good job of bringing our guys along, sort of doing what they can do, adapting to the players that we have extremely well, which he has done. Each year we've been here, we've had a different type of guy playing the quarterback position. We've been able to adapt and I think systematically now we are a lot further along from where we were before. So we have just got to keep on improving in the passing game and get Jalen (Hurts) comfortable because when we play really good teams, some of these runs aren't going to be quite so easy and the plays that are there to be made in the passing game, we're going to need to make."

(On if Alabama played its best third-down defense of the season vs. Tennessee)
"Well we haven't played great on third down as well as we thought we could this year. But we did a great job today. I think that was a big point of emphasis for us going into this game. When you play these no-huddle, fastball teams, when you don't get off the field on third down, they have extended drives. Players get tired, that's when they get rolling, that's they create momentum. So it was a big point of emphasis for us to do a great job on third down. We kind of had of had the theory - I mean we sacked them twice rushing three guys in the first quarter - that we were going to rush five guys and make the quarterback beat us in the pocket or we were going to rush three guys so we had enough guys in coverage. So we did that quite a bit today and it was effective for us and they guys did a really good job of covering. They hit us with a couple of bunch passes there at the end that we did not adjust to properly. But, I tell you, they do a great job on offense and this is a tough preparation and I thought our guys did a really good job in the game today."

(On how good the defense has been against the run)
"Our plan was to have Tim Williams and Ryan Anderson play defensive end, where one of those guys and three big guys usually play, because of the perimeter run and their quarterback's athletic ability. It was the same way we played in the second half of our game against Clemson last year. I think it helps because it gives us more multiples of players to substitute, which saves our guys a little bit and we can be more fresh. It worked out well. I was a little concerned on if we would be able to stop the run, but I think Tennessee had a couple of offensive lineman out that probably made it more difficult for them as well."

(On maintaining execution each week)
"We have a process of things we do throughout the week. The players can expect what we are going to do on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. If we had a better way of doing it, we would already be doing it. We do what we do. Our players believe in it and trust it. Everybody wants to do a good job. We have to play these games one at a time. Texas A&M is going to be a very good team. Like I said before, this is one game in a run of them that we needed to play really well in."

(On non-offensive touchdowns becoming contagious)
"Confidence and players believing in what they are doing certainly contributes to their success. When guys are blocking on punt return, they think that if they do it right it can make an impact on the game. It's the same thing on the defense. We emphasize stripping the ball out and attacking the ball. When players get a turnover, they want to get a touchdown."

(On a conversation with Eddie Jackson in the second quarter after a fair catch)
"They kicked a line drive, and he fair caught it. I had a very casual conversation with him. He agreed that he didn't need to fair catch it because we were going after the kick. Sometimes, we get big returns off blocks because it distorts the coverage as the guys try to block. It was a teaching moment. He played great for us last year and has played well this year. He's been a leader for us. He has a tremendous amount of character. We didn't play great on defense last week. I think the competitive character showed today, and the guys wanted to bounce back and play well."

Alabama defensive back Eddie Jackson

(On continuing to come away with non-offensive touchdowns) 
"The guys we have on this team are great. Everyone prepared great this week, we knew it was a big rivalry game, and we came out and executed."

(On where the team is overall) 
"We feel pretty good as a team. I think this is one of the most complete games we've played as a team. We still had two turnovers on offense and have some things we need to work on, but it was a good game. Everyone came in and executed and played four quarters of football."

(On the maturation of quarterback Jalen Hurts)
"He's great. He's a competitor. I had a talk with him before the season telling him 'step up, put the guys on your back, that's what we look for in a quarterback' and he's doing that very well. He's got our trust, and we put our faith in him and he makes plays."

Alabama tight end O.J. Howard

(On quarterback Jalen Hurts' performance) 
"We know he can do that. We just have to block up front for him and give him the opportunity to make plays. You see what happened tonight when we gave him opportunities."

(On if the win means more to former Tennessee head coach and current Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin) 
"Any game like this is exciting, but with him being a former coach here, it probably means a little more to him. I'm just glad we got the chance make him feel good about this win."

(On if he could tell Tennessee was worn down later in the game) 
"They didn't have a lot of depth, and that's why we went fast. We saw they didn't have a lot of depth on defense, and we kept fast tempo for the whole game, and they got tired."

Alabama linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton

(On playing a complete game)  
"Well, we played pretty good, but I mean, we still gave up ten points as a team. There were some plays that we needed to correct and be better. But other than that, we played pretty good; it was a good effort. We had a big win versus a good team."

(On winning over a rival)   
"Oh, it's a really good feeling. Tennessee is a really good team. They were very amped up for us, so coming here in a great environment and getting the win, it's awesome - a great feeling."

(On Alabama's halftime conscientiousness of Tennessee's recent second-half play) 
"We were just trying to prove people wrong. A team like that that's a second-half team, I mean, we're a four-quarter team. Our motto is we're going to play sixty minutes hard, and we came out and did that today."

(On feeling invincible on defense)
"We never feel like that. Unless they aren't getting any yards, we don't feel that way."

Alabama Offensive Lineman Ross Pierschbacher

(On Alabama's offense rushing for 400 yards)
"We were just making a lot of corrections on the sidelines and they were throwing a lot at us as far as pressure early on. I think the guys did really good correcting those, and going forward. Our running backs did really good, so it was just fun to watch and fun to be a part of."

(On Alabama's offense making Lane Kiffin proud)
"I think it means a lot to show that we can go out there in a tough circumstance against a team like this and just put on the show that we did. I think it means a lot to him. Our offense was clicking tonight."