Syracuse head coach Fran Brown will lead the Orange into Atlanta this Saturday afternoon as they take on the Tennessee Volunteers to kick off the season from Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Excitement is high on both sides leading into the contest. Tennessee linebacker Jeremiah Telander says that he has dreams of kicking off the season every night while he sleeps, and Brown said on Monday that the opponent could be anyone from Tennessee to even a rowing match, and his team is just ready to go out there and compete.
While speaking to the media for nearly half an hour on Monday afternoon, Brown was asked what type of statement it would be to go out there and beat Tennessee on national television. Brown deflected the Tennessee part of it and put the attention on his own team and preparing for the game one day at a time. The answer wasn’t disrespectful, but just standard coach speak.
“I’m just worrying about one day at a time, really,” Brown said. “For me, I’m not even really thinking about Saturday right now, honestly. I’m just trying to focus on the day. I’m trying to make sure we’ll be ready for practice today. We’ll get the chance to walk a little bit. We’re going to be off, so the guys get the chance to make sure they take care of their bodies and we’re chilling and we’re not doing nothing today like that. For me, I’m just focused on the day and making sure we prep the right way as a coaching staff. Make sure everybody is ready to go so we’re ready to play.”
Brown was then asked in a follow-up question about how much the Tennessee game was a point of motivation for his team throughout the preseason.
“I’m just motivated that I wake up every day,” Brown said. “I’m not sure. Some of the questions that ya’ll are telling me, they’re like setup questions. I’m not trying to give anyone else ammo to be happy about us playing them or us happy to play — we’re happy to play football. Ya’ll could’ve put rowing on the schedule and we’re going to make sure that we practice the same way and I’m going to be the same person all the time. I’m motivated that Mr. Wildhack picked me to be the head football coach here and I get to represent the ‘S’. I get to go out and speak for Syracuse and who they are and what the tradition of this program has been.”
Later in the press conference, Brown was asked a follow-up question about not being motivated by Tennessee or any of the other opponents on the schedule. Brown cut off the question, making sure to clarify exactly what he meant earlier in the interview.
“I didn’t say that,” Brown said, clarifying the question being asked and his previous comment to not get things twisted. “So, watch how she said that and don’t try to mark that and have them all ‘Fran said he ain’t motivated by ya’ll.’ I said I am self-motivated and I said that Tennessee is one of the better programs to be in college football. But for me and the way I grow, I don’t allow other stuff to get me to go. I wanted to get a college degree so I could be successful and make money and do things of that nature. When it comes to this school, they’re a really good program. I’m just saying, I’m trying to focus on the day because they’re entirely too good for us to try to focus and worry on playing them all week long.”
More From RTI: The Small Connection Between Syracuse HC Fran Brown And Tennessee Football
Brown’s comments never came off as dismissive of the Tennessee program. In fact, he sounded like most coaches at this time of the year, keeping the spotlight on their own program and what its been doing to prepare for the game and the season ahead. Brown said later in his answer that Tennessee is a team known for putting up monster offensive numbers early in the season, and the best way for his team to prepare for the game ahead is “to be where our feet are.” Brown is simply doing what he’s likely telling his players to be doing leading up to the game. Stay prepared, stay focused, and do the job you set out to do.
These comments also came after several minutes of praising Tennessee for its coaches and players at the beginning of his press conference. He spoke about linebacker Arion Carter being a “beast” in the middle of the defense, the good job that Joey Halzle does as the offensive coordinator, what he thought made Joey Aguilar a “really good” quarterback at App State, and more. In fact, Brown mentioned 18 different Tennessee players while giving his rundown on the Vols’ roster before the game. He’s done his homework, and that sounds pretty motivated to put his best foot forward for his team.
For a look at everything Fran Brown said about Tennessee on Monday, click here.
No. 24 Tennessee will take on Syracuse in the Aflac Kickoff game on Saturday, Aug. 30, at Noon ET. The game will take place in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
