Vols' Maggitt May Be Out 6-10 Weeks

Defensive End's Hip Injury Won't Require Surgery

  • Wednesday, September 16, 2015
  • Special to Chattanoogan.com
Tennessee's senior linebacker Curt Maggitt (56) in action against Oklahoma. Maggitt could be out anywhere from six to 10 weeks after sustaining a "freak" hip injury against the Sooners. According to Head Coach Butch Jones, Maggitt does not need surgery at this time.
Tennessee's senior linebacker Curt Maggitt (56) in action against Oklahoma. Maggitt could be out anywhere from six to 10 weeks after sustaining a "freak" hip injury against the Sooners. According to Head Coach Butch Jones, Maggitt does not need surgery at this time.
photo by Dennis Norwood

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.  -- Tennessee football head coach Butch Jones held his Wednesday press conference to discuss the team's preparations for Saturday's game against Western Carolina.

(Opening Statement)
"Good to see everyone. We had a couple days of very good practice, working to improve in everything: the fundamentals, the technique, the fine details to winning.

I've liked the mentality of our players. I know we're looking forward to competing Saturday evening in (front of) 102,455 (fans). So, I'll answer any questions you may have."

(On the updated status of senior LB Curt Maggitt)
"With Curt Maggitt, he continues to be evaluated. He does not, as of today, need surgery which is a positive. It could be eight weeks. It could be six weeks. It could be ten weeks. It's all based on his body and how his body heals.

"Curt is an integral part of Tennessee Football and will always be an important part. He's part of the building process. He's our leader. I know he hurts right now. I know he's disappointed. I love him to death, but I know he's very resilient. He's been resilient ever since he's been here, and he's a great representative. He has a great, great future ahead of him.

"I don't want to sit here and speculate when he'll be back. We hope he's back. All goals are that he will be back at some point in time, but it's all based on how his body heals."

(On Jalen Reeves-Maybin’s improvement)
"I think the best thing I could say is just an overall maturation process. He has really worked himself into what I feel is one of the best linebackers not only in the SEC, but in the country. He's very active, athletic. He's improved his strength levels. He's been committed to the weight room. He's developed into one of our team leaders. He works very hard at his craft. Not only is he excelling on defense for us, but on special teams as well. He would start on every single unit, but obviously we need him also on defense, so we pick our spots with him in terms of the special teams’ game. He takes his role and his responsibility very seriously. You could see that, a number of tackles on our punt team last week. He means everything to our football team and to our defense. I can't say enough of his development. He's one of the guys I greatly admire and respect, just because of his attitude, his character, and everything he brings to Tennessee football."

(On balancing a hurry-up offense with protecting a lead and keeping the defense fresh)
"It's a balancing act. Sometimes you do have to protect your defense. Sometimes if they've been on the field for an extended period of time, you have to keep them on the sideline. That's when we talk about playing complementary football. It's all three phases. When you look at our special teams game in Trevor Daniel and the ability to flip field position, I thought he was one of those unnoticed, unspoken about advantages that we had in terms of flipping field position Saturday night. We're going to need more of that. But also, you can never sacrifice just your overall execution and playing to your style of play offensively. So it is a balancing act."

(On why Kyle Phillips has not played more to this point)
"Kyle was set back a little bit with some nagging injuries that really kind of setback his growth and development. Again, we have to be not so quick to anoint 17, 18 year-old kids. They're working to be adults. This is a different world. It is not high school football. This is football at the highest level. And all the things that go in to it, these are kids growing up. There is so much more in their lives than just football. There's academics. There's study hall. There's life off the field. There's football life, which we talk about all the time. I think everyone wants to look at recruiting rankings and was he a three star, four star, five star ... and I think really that's blown out of proportion. Kyle has done a phenomenal job. His attitude is outstanding. His work ethic is outstanding. But you're competing at the highest level, and to his credit he's worked very hard every day, and he's going to have an opportunity with the absence of Curt [Maggitt] to insert his will on this football team and to earn playing time. He will play a lot Saturday and we’re going to need him.”

(On fans underestimating Western Carolina)
"I will tell you this, and I think everyone should understand this: winning is fragile. Winning is hard to do in college football, and we need everyone's support. It's a nationally televised game. The last I heard, there were only, I believe, a hundred tickets left for this game, which is a tribute to our fans. It's a tribute to their passion, and we're going to need them, just like we do every home game.

"I have a big sign in my office that was signed by our student body, promising to be the 12th individual on the field, promising to never take any win for granted, promising to be there with us through the highs and the lows of a long football season, and I look at that each and every day. They've done that.”

(On throwing downfield)
"I think a number of things go into that. First of all, we had some throws in the first game. We were able to do that. We also made a decision to run the football to protect our defense a little bit. We had two running backs that were performing at a very high level. We also did throw the ball own the field. This past week, we didn't throw the ball down the field and execute as much as we would like. It's all eleven. It isn't just one individual--not the quarterback, not the receiver, not just the tight ends or running backs or offensive line. I thought being all eleven playing as one, we struggled with that consistency. One play, it was a breakdown on one position group. The next play, it was at another position group. Next play, it may have been a dropped football. Everything in a game is rhythm, spacing and timing. It may be running a 12-yard post, and we run an eight-yard post. Those are the disciplines and small details at the schemes in terms of doing it. Some of it was they are a good football team defensively.”

(On Austin Smith’s opportunity)
"Austin continues to grow and develop. We spoke about the development of Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Kyle Phillips. If you look at Austin, he is the same way as Kyle. He didn't have any spring football. I believe we had 26 practices leading up to the Bowling Green game then four more, so that is 30 practices that they have had at the collegiate level with an expanded playbook, everything to goes into playing the position--fundamentals, details, knowledge. Then, couple that with a special teams playbook as well. The volume becomes very large. He has done a very good job. He is very explosive, can run, has worked hard in the weight room. He wants to compete like all the freshmen and all the players in our program.”

(On Quiten Dormady)
"Any time you can get reps, it is paramount and critical for growth and development. He has gained numerous repetitions in practice. He had a very good day yesterday throwing the football and managing. The repetitions are critical. The thing I have been really proud of and pleased with Quinten with are the physical and mental side of it, and his leadership. He is much more vocal than he has ever been. He is holding everyone accountable around him. He has been very confident. His body language, the way he presents himself, he commands the line of scrimmage.”

(On if seeing other quarterback injuries around the country inspire him to make on a concerted effort to get Quinten Dormady in-game repetitions)
"It registers greatly here because we've lived it, we've lived for the last couple of years. I think that's the state of football whether it is any level high school, college, or the professional ranks. That's all part of it and it's always preparing your No. 2 quarterback to be the starter. He is one play away and the No. 3 is two plays away, and that's not coach speak, that's real. I love the way Quinten has competed, the way he's worked. Sheriron Jones is the same way with a workman like mentality every day. That quarterback group has done a great job. I think them being able to watch the workman-type approach that Joshua Dobbs brings to the table every day from a meeting room perspective to on the field, has (encouraged them) to grow and elevate their play."

(On how he assesses the current state of the program)
"As someone who has lived the program for three years, the strides we have taken in two and a half to three years is monumental. It's a tribute to our players and our coaching staff to even be playing in that type of game last week in terms of what's gone on here in building that program. I believe in being positive and I said it Monday, a year ago we weren't even competitive against that program. They have recruited to their system, I believe, for 16 or 17 years. Unfortunately, we came up short. It's football. We have to get better. That's on me as the caretaker.

"I said we are going to be in games that are close, decided by two or three plays from here on out, but really that's because we've started to become competitive. We still have long ways to go. It's all about development and recruitment, recruitment and development. Our players are resilient and now we have to come out and play our best football game to date against Western Carolina. We have to coach our best game to date. I haven't listened to outside voices because I'm confident and I know what we're building here. I am proud of our players because they continue to work and grind it out each and every day."

 (On the impact of LaDarrell McNeil's return)
"Having LaDarrell back is a big boost to us. It's a big boost to us in terms of the special teams game but also just the experience factor in the back end of our defense. I spoke with Coach [Willie] Martinez earlier today, we just have to make sure that we slowly ease him in. This is an individual who hasn't played competitive football here in a couple weeks. So from a conditioning standpoint, just getting back into the rhythm and flow of a game and the communicative process that's involved and the physicality - we just have to pick our spots with him. But it's great not only just having his presence on special teams and in the back end, but just his leadership and everything he brings to the table."

(On Chance Hall's increased presence on the OL)
"We've zeroed in on his position and he is a tackle in our program. Chance is one of those individuals that works at it every day. So he continues to improve each and every day, improve on his conditioning levels. Is he a finished product? No. He'd be the first to tell you. But with his attitude and his character, he's going to help us win football games around here for a very long period of time.

"It's the entire freshmen O-line. I think they're doing a tremendous job. Drew Richmond continues to grow and develop. I see him making strides every day. Venzell Boulware is the same thing. And that's the most difficult position for a true freshman to play. I want to say there were 60-some-odd signees on the offensive line in our conference and only seven played the first week of the season. And I think if you did a nationwide survey it would be really astonishing. That's the most difficult position to play as a true freshman, but those individuals continue to grow and develop and get better and better and better. And we're encouraged by all our signees, all of our young offensive linemen."

(On Marquez North's physical recuperation and his early play)
"I think it's a combination of all that. I just spoke with Marquez prior to the press conference and he's a very prideful young man and you want that. And I love his work ethic, love everything. I think he's just going back to getting into that rhythm, you know, the route running, winning in transition, being able to create separation. And his time's going to come. As a wide receiver - I've coached the wide receivers most of my coaching career. They want the football and you want them to have that mentality. But also they understand the different things that they need to do.

"Everyone thinks that to play in the National Football League you have to catch a ton of footballs. That's the biggest myth there is. It's your style of play; it's how you come off the football; it's how you block. You know, one of the biggest evaluation tools is what does that receiver do away from the play, away from the point of attack, when it's a run play opposite him. Marquez is going to catch his share of footballs. And I appreciate Marquez because he's selfless. He doesn't allow that to affect him, just like all the wideouts. And I understand what they've been through because I've been a receiver coach so I understand they dynamics."

(E-mail Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @larryfleming44)

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