UT Receivers And Secondary Ready For Challenge
photo by UT Athletics
As game prep for No. 24/23 NC State continues, wide receiver's coach Kelsey Pope and secondary coach Willie Martinez, along with select players met with the media on Tuesday afternoon following practice at Haslam Field.
No. 14/12 Tennessee will look to carry over its momentum on both sides of the ball from last Saturday's season opener against Chattanooga in which the wide receivers and secondary both put forth stout performances.
UT's wide receiver room accounted for 344 of the team's 414 yards through the air and featured nine different wideouts that had at least one catch.
"Going out and seeing those guys make plays is awesome," Pope said. "I also think that there is accountability with having a deep room that you have to go show up. You've done enough to create an expectation. The satisfying part and the best is really yet to come. We have to continue to work so that on each Saturday we can see those plays being made."
On the flip side, the Vols' new-look secondary held the Mocs to just 153 passing yards on 13 completions and posted six pass breakups on the day.
"We kept saying that you have to come out in midseason form," Martinez said. "Like I said a little while ago, you don't have preseason games where you have a scrimmage. We just scrimmage ourselves. We had to be at midseason form and that had to be with the communication, the alignments, then obviously executing the defense. I thought for the most part we did that."
The Vols and Wolfpack will square off in primetime on Saturday night in Charlotte at Bank of American Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET and the game will be televised nationally on ABC.
On if Bru McCoy did anything on Saturday that surprised him…
"I wouldn't say surprising, but it's really refreshing to see him. He has a step or two that I don't think he had before. He's lost a ton of weight coming back from the injury. It was just awesome to see him back and in rare form from our perspective as coaches. I'm sure from a fan's perspective, you guys watching it, it was great to see No. 5 back out there in Neyland. It was awesome."
On what the most satisfying part of the wide receiver room was against Chattanooga…
"I think the satisfaction. I think that's yet to come. Going out and seeing those guys make plays is awesome. I also think that there is accountability with having a deep room that you have to go show up. You've done enough to create an expectation. The satisfying part and the best is really yet to come. We have to continue to work so that on each Saturday we can see those plays being made."
On if the wide receiver rotations in the first half Saturday are what the staff anticipates moving forward in the season…
"We hope to play more guys. We have a liberty in that room that we have a bunch of guys we trust. It's been the first time we've had that since we've been here. I absolutely want to continue to play more guys. To my previous point. It has to be a trust aspect. Guys have to earn it every single week. As they keep doing that, they'll keep seeing playing time and will keep making plays."
On what he saw from Dont'e Thornton Jr. against Chattanooga…
"He's just able to play fast. He caught one early which led to another. He got off to a hot start, which is awesome for him and for our group to be able to see that because they feed off one another. His biggest deal is staying positive, regarding if there are good or bad things happening. He's done that this offseason and it's led to him gaining a ton of confidence. As long as we keep him trending that way, I think you will continue to see him trend as well as a player."
On if it motivates guys to know that the ball is going to arrive in the right spot from Nico Iamaleava if they work for it…
"I played quarterback in high school and college, and I played receiver at a high level for a long time. I've seen a handful of guys that receivers want to go play for, and you can see it and sense it. They love playing for that guy (Nico). Absolutely love playing for him. It's infectious in practice. It's obviously easy in the game because the crowd is there and there is adrenaline. They absolutely love playing for that guy. As talented as he is, he's an even better teammate and a better leader. That's' a testament to him and the growth that he's shown since coming onto campus. It makes our group, our camaraderie and it makes the chemistry that much better when those guys love each other, and they play hard for one another. They love playing for him."
On what the NC State secondary does well that will challenge the offense and receivers…
"NC State is a veteran group. They have a ton of older guys. They'll present some pictures on the backend where you have to be ready for a ton of different coverages and looks. You have to be ready for a ton."
On the status of freshmen WRs Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley…
"As far as those young guys, they're trending in the right direction right now. We are going to continue to take it day-by-day with those guys. They're trending and they're working hard to get back."
On what Squirrel White and Chas Nimrod were able to do on Saturday…
"I think both of those guys played tremendous without the ball. We keep talking about the depth in the room. There are a lot of things that come with that that you have to be able to handle. There are positives out there, but if there is depth in the room then there is also only one ball. Every day won't be my day. What I challenge these guys to do is that even if they're not a five, six catch guy on that specific Saturday, you have to go affect the game. You have to do it in the run game. You have to go be a great teammate without the ball. If you watch Squirrel White and his tape from this weekend, it was his best game by far of him blocking on the perimeter. It did not matter if we were at the 50-yard line or the plus-two-yard line going in, he was being violent and he was playing hard in the run game. Chas was the exact same way. Both of those guys did a tremendous job. For me as a coach, those things are probably more fulfilling than the touchdown catches, because you don't see it. There is no applause, nobody even notices it. It's a character thing. I enjoy seeing those aspects being played out on Saturday."
On the performance of Chris Brazzell II and Nathan Leacock running down a potential interception return for a TD…
"Chris did an awesome job. Especially with him getting here, he's really the newest guy in the room. He has done an incredible job of getting himself prepared to play. He's always in the building. He's truly done what it takes to learn this offense and learn how we operate and do things. If he continues to operate in that way, you'll continue to see good things from him.
"Nathan Leacock's play, that's what you want to see as a head coach, as a receivers coach, shoot, as an AD because that gives you a glimpse of what your football team looks like. That's a kid who maybe didn't play as many snaps as he wanted to early. I don't think he had a catch at that point, and as soon as the pick was thrown, he didn't bat an eye. He turned and sprinted in the opposite direction to stop a touchdown. They had an opportunity to go kick a field goal that drive also, and I think they missed a field goal. We kept those guys out of the end zone solely from that play. That is a kid who has battled injuries. That is a kid who has gone through adversity. He's fighting like crazy to go make a play and add value on the field. That shows you what type of culture you have when a guy like Nathan Leacock, a young guy, he is exemplifying that. You have to imagine what that building looks like every day. Seeing him do that hypes you up in the team meeting. We praised him on the sideline. That was an awesome play. That was really good by him. That's who Nate is. He is a fighter, and he is going to keep swinging until the very last second. That was awesome to see."
On why he thinks the wide receiver room has such great chemistry…
"They all still want the ball. They are still receivers, but I think they truly love each other. It's easy to go celebrate for a guy you really care about. I know his family, I know what he's been through. It's easy to go celebrate with a guy who I've been in the trenches with, I've sweated with, I've sacrificed with. It makes it really easy. Even if I want personal success, I have to go help that guy celebrate. I think that's what you're seeing on the outside. They all want the ball, which I want them to want the ball. We have to understand that some days are going to be my day, and if it's not you have to go affect the game in a different way. You have to go add value some type of way."
On if he expected the game to unfold for the slot receivers the way it did…
"That's really just how it unfolded. You have no way to predict. You know what coverages are coming, you have beaters at a different position. It really just happens how it happens most of the time. You get designated shots sometimes, you get designated calls sometimes. That's just the way it unfolds sometimes."
On the character of Chris Brazzell II…
"He's a gamer. He is one of the most competitive guys on the team. Right before kickoff, he's screaming on the sideline. I was worried that something was wrong. That's his demeanor. He's in it, he's engulfed. He immerses himself in this game. I think Chris is one of those guys who is all or nothing. He's going to do something 100 percent of the time at full speed. That's why you see him out there so much. He loves the game, which gives him a shot to be really successful and good at this game."