University of Tennessee Athletics
Postgame Quotes: Kentucky 29, Tennessee 26
October 29, 2017 | Football
Tennessee Head Coach Butch Jones
Openings Statement:
"I think the first thing when you look at it, we didn't capitalize on our turnovers. We were able to generate four turnovers and only get six points off of it. We weren't able to capitalize on our great field position, missed two field goals. You know, lead in time of procession, controlled the ball, you know, couldn't stop the quarterback at the end of the game on the zone read, and didn't make the plays that we needed to at the end. But, you know, nine penalties is inexcusable. That's on myself and that's everyone taking responsibility and accountability. We talk about details and accountability and toughness, it starts with me. It starts with our coaching staff, and it's everyone in our organization, but it all falls on my shoulders. Again, I thought we did a good job defensively, taking the ball away, but we weren't able to capitalize on that. Couldn't capitalize on field position. Didn't make the plays that we needed to down the stretch."
On turnovers:
"Well, we always talk about turnover margin and that's the greatest indicator of wins and losses. You know, our defense did a really good job of taking the football away, but then it's complimentary football. It's what do you do with the football once you get it. And to come away with six points is inexcusable, it's unacceptable."
On the explanation on the field when every player received penalty:
"Yeah, I guess 'cause it happened early in the game, so they said if you get an unsportsmanlike conduct, it's just going to be an automatic dismissal. So, that happened I want to say in the early stages of the game on kickoff. So again, we have to be poised and we have to make good decisions and you know, we have to be disciplined and not let ourselves get into those types of situations."
On putting the quarterback on the center at the one yard line:
"Just something we wanted to get on center that's always been in. We liked what we had in terms of numbers, angles and grass and the leverage that we had. You know, we're two-for-two. You know, I thought our running backs really stepped up. I thought all three running backs really did a great job. I was really proud of them. Ty Chandler, Carlin Fild-aime, Tim Jordan, I thought all three of these individuals ran exceptionally hard tonight."
On importance of Ty Chandler tonight:
"It was important and we've seen it and we said we need to get him more touches and you know, again, our margin of error is very small. And again, we have a touchdown taken off the board, which can't happen. You know, all of those things are cumulative over an entire game."
On the unsportsmanlike penalty affecting the play tonight:
"I don't know, I'll go back and I'll watch the video and we'll do our due diligence. It doesn't matter, you know, it's not going to help you in terms of moving forward in terms of the game. There'll be tremendous teach points, but I want to see from the video of what exactly went on."
On this team, the locker room and health of program:
"Well, I think all you got to do is look. Was that a team that quit? No. That wasn't a team that had given up. No, that team hung together and that team battled and I think it is a testament to them, but again we are making way too many mistakes in critical stages of the game. This team has not given up. It's very important. There's a lot of pride in that room, there's a lot of pride in this coaching staff of getting back to a bowl game. That's what we want for our fans, that's what we want for our football program. It's one of those years, I've never been through this in 30-plus years with how many games have come down to the wire. You just got to keep grinding. There's still a lot of football left to be played and I know it's kind of become redundant, but that's the truth. This football team had a very, very good week of preparation. I thought they were mentally and physically ready to play tonight. Again, it comes down to two to three plays that make the difference."
On difference in those two to three plays:
"I think there's a lot of difference. I think, first of all, we can't beat ourselves. The penalties are inexcusable. You have [the ball] on a one-yard line, and all of a sudden we have a pre-snap penalty. Pre-snap penalties are catastrophic. Can't have it. Cannot have it. You know, I don't know what else to tell you. You know, being able to run the ball effectively in the second half, especially when you need to. You know, things like that, that you can point to throughout the course of the game."
On what to attribute penalties to:
"You know, every situation is different in and of itself. It's something we talk about in everything we do in our program. We take great pride in it, and we'll continue to work it."
On having support going forward with regular season:
"Absolutely."
On shuffled offensive line:
"I'll know a little bit more, but those kids battled and we didn't have very many on the trip. I get it, but when you talk about the state of the program, you got guys that are laying it on the line for this program, that doesn't go unnoticed because of the other things. But I give those kids credit because they battled."
On coaching for your job:
"Nah, I coach for my job every single day. That hasn't changed since the minute I walked in here year one. That's always the mindset that I've had."
On frustration level as head coach:
"I believe in our kids. I believe in our program. I believe in what we're recruiting and its one of those years and the only way I know is to keep working and driving. I will tell you this, there's nobody who takes more ownership in this football program than Butch Jones. I can assure you that because I take it personal. I want to win for our fans, I want to win for our players, I want to win for everyone, but you just got to keep battling and lessons and move forward."
Senior DL Kendal Vickers
On their mindset on the last drive of the game:
"Yeah, at the end of the day we wanted it to be on the defense's shoulders. We wanted to be in that position. If I had to do it over again, I would want to be in that same position we were in. We didn't execute the last drive, and we paid for it."
On communication involving all players receiving unsportsmanlike conduct:
"Yeah, at halftime they said that. During the game, I know it happened kind of early, I didn't realize that that was the case until halftime. Coach had come in the locker room and told us that we can't have any unsportsmanlike penalties."
On how they are feeling still being winless in the SEC:
"Very frustrated. The guys in the locker room are frustrated, but they're going to keep working and keep going. All we know is work. That's all you can do at this point: keep working, keep going in every week and keep grinding. That's all you can do."
On what forced the turnovers tonight:
"We just wanted to be physical. We put our face on the ball. I know we watched film all week, we felt like we can get some turnovers and some fumbles being physical. I feel like as a defense we were pretty physical for the most part."
Senior TE Ethan Wolf
On personal health during tonight's game:
"I had a little injury in the UMASS game and have been kind of recovering from that. It's progressing and getting better and better each week. I'm just staying in rehab and getting it back to normal. I feel great right now."
On missing some seniors tonight and how that affected leadership:
"I wouldn't say alone. You know, obviously those are some senior leaders, and you know John [Kelly]'s a team captain. It definitely hurts to not have some of those guys in the locker room. I mean, I just saw tonight we had some young guys step up and make some plays that we needed in a crucial time, and we're going to continue to need more out of those guys and continue to demand accountability and leadership out of the rest of the seniors and juniors. I was talking to the tight ends today after the game – freshman, sophomore, junior, I don't care who says what as long as you're trying to lead. Me and the other seniors are going to have your back and help you hold others accountable because we can't do it by ourselves."
Redshirt Freshman QB Jarrett Guarantano
On how he feels about his missed opportunities:
"Just got to capitalize. There was opportunities where we needed to score. I missed a big throw. I went a little high with it, and we throw that every single day and I make that throw every single day. I missed it today, and it hurts. It hurts me because I know what I can do and how I can play, but there's missed opportunities. There's mental errors and we just got to continue to get better."
On his confidence in leading the team while they have yet to win a conference game:
"Talked about it last night to the team. I just stood up and said, 'Listen, I'm 0-2. As a quarterback, my job is to win games and I'm 0-2. I've failed you guys.' I thought today was going to be the day, and it wasn't the day. I'm going in 0-3 again and we have another week. We have Southern Miss and then we have another three games. I've got to end on the right note and continue to play ball."
On how personally he takes conference games:
"It's SEC games. I want to win for my coach. I want to win for the guys around me. I just take a lot of ownership just being the quarterback, just being a quarterback at the University of Tennessee. And I just expect so much out of myself. I just want to play great every single time, every opportunity that I get. When we lose I definitely feel it, and when we win I'm definitely going to feel that. So I've just got to take it for what it's worth."
Senior LB Colton Jumper
On who is usually responsible for containment of the quarterback:
"It depends on the coverage. I can't remember what coverage we were on, so I can't really talk about whose guy that was. It depends on if we're blitzing, depends on the coverage, just various things, if we're starting the line. So it's never just one single guy that has the quarterback for that."
On the unsportsmanlike conduct call in the first half:
"That's something new to me. I'd never heard about that, but it's just something you've got to have in the back of your mind and you've just got to stay composed."
