Tennessee football and Vanderbilt are set to meet on Saturday afternoon for one of the biggest installments in the rivalry’s history. A win for the Commodores may be enough to catapult them into the playoff picture. While the Vols are likely eliminated from the playoffs, they’re riding high from a road win at Florida and looking to parlay it with another big win.
Before the in-state rivalry takes place, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel met with the media on Monday afternoon. He was asked about senior day, Vanderbilt’s offense and more.
Here’s what he said.
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Opening statement
“Since I won’t see you guys before Thursday, I wish you, your families, and all of our fans and their families a Happy Thanksgiving. Got an opportunity to come back home, finish the regular season out here in front of our fans, honoring a bunch of seniors that have been a huge part of what we’ve done, for some of them over the last five years. A great group that I love being around. So we’ll have a chance to honor them. Opportunity to play a really good football team and get ready to go play.”
On the play of Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia
“Another year of development, command of what they’re doing offensively. Certainly has the ability to use his feet and make plays. He’s thrown it extremely well. He’s continued to get better throughout the course of the season. And being efficient with the football has created a bunch of big plays. But his ability to be a part of the run game as well is a huge part of what they do offensively.”
On what he’s seen from freshman TE DaSaahn Brame
“Yeah, Saahn’s going to be a great player and I love the growth that he’s had. I think I said last week, a guy that missed a bunch of time early just with an injury coming out of high school, but got great hands, great feel, good route runner, has good speed, so he has the ability to be extremely versatile in what we’re doing offensively. Playing this slot, use him in the pass game, he’s a good perimeter blocker, too, and certainly using him in the core.”
On QB Joey Aguilar’s senior day, resonating with the fan base
“I think because of who he is, that’s where it starts. He’s humble, cares about the people around him. Appreciative of this opportunity to be with his teammates. That’s why his teammates gravitated to him really quickly. And then he plays extremely hard. So you combine all those factors, I think he represents what Tennessee football, but what this fan base is all about, too.”
On how Vanderbilt has changed defensively from last year
“They’re playing extremely hard, physical in their front seven. Defensively, a lot of different structures. In the last two years that we’ve played them, structure-wise, it’s been dramatically different when we got to kick off. And so we have to prepare for the structures that we’ve seen in the past and also what they’ve done this year.”
On defending Vanderbilt’s “pass-heavy offense”
“They got good skill on the perimeter that’s catching the football. They play strong to the catch. We got to match everything out. A lot of shift, trade, motion. You got to communicate and play assignment sound, but a part of that is also applying pressure and not letting them sit back there and pat the football all day long, too. While you’re doing that, he’s got the ability to escape and make plays. We got to do a great job not letting him outside of the pocket, too.”
On what he likes from his defense the past two games
“Just continued growth, getting some guys back healthy has helped, as well, but our young guys have continued to mature throughout the course of the year. And it takes all 11 doing their job. One guy out of the gap creates a big play in the run game. We got to be assignment sound in this football game, too.”
On if he changed practice or execution was better heading into Florida
“Focus and competitive spirit as you walk into the building. I thought defensively the last two weeks they practiced the right way every day. New Mexico State, there were a couple days offensively where I didn’t like our focus.”
On when freshman CB Ty Redmond turned the corner
“Excited about the growth that he’s had, but also what’s coming into his future. I don’t think there was one light bulb moment where it just clicked and triggered. I just think it’s been constant growth from him throughout the course of the year. You know, he got thrust into the middle of the action really quickly. First quarter, first ball game, where he’s going to have to take the load the rest of the way. He’s responded and continued to grow and fight and compete and continue to get better every day and every week. So, really proud of what he’s done.”
On sixth-year DL Dominic Bailey, Bryson Eason
“Man, a huge part of our defensive line culture, competitiveness, physicality, how they approach every day. Those two guys, the growth of who they were as an individual and as a player from day one when I got here to who they are now, how they affect their teammates, their consistency every day, couldn’t be more proud of the steps that they’ve taken. They both got great futures inside of this game and will have a great life afterwards, too. I’m really proud of what they’ve continued to do and grow into.”
On the challenge of defending Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers
“I think they have great trust with each other. He’s got the ability to play in space and recognize and work off of leverage extremely well and plays really strong to the catch.”
On the must-have food he has to have during Thanksgiving
“Mom’s stuffing. Mom’s not around anymore, but sister’s gonna try to replicate it. It won’t be as good, but hopefully it’s pretty good.”
On resetting during senior day for a game, how he did as a player
“Nothing was a challenge for me as a player.
“No, it’s unique because there’s no other game that’s like that one. You know, it’s your last one inside that stadium, but two, it’s unique. After our warm-ups, you usually go in and you’ve got your routine. Your routine is stalled for a little bit. You’re introduced, you see your family. That part is definitely unique. The mental side of it, it’s different. When you walk away from it, you walk back into the locker room. And you gotta flip the switch and get back into your routine, your mindset, to go play and compete. It’s not difficult to do, but it is a unique day.”
On what it says about this senior class that they’ve won so much
“For those guys, they signed up when there hadn’t been a ton of proof yet on the field. We had certainly taken a step, but their trust in our staff, our culture, what we were going to become and compete to be, can’t say enough how much I appreciate them. That group has played at a really high level. There’s been some Saturdays we’ve been disappointed, our fans have been disappointed, but the consistency and the growth of this program is a direct reflection to those guys that came in in that ‘22 class.”
