University of Tennessee Athletics
Opponent Coach Q&A
November 25, 2003 | Football
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| Tennessee vs. Kentucky Nov. 29 - 12:30 p.m. EST (JP Sports) Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, Ky. |
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH KENTUCKY HEAD COACH RICH BROOKS:
1. Talk about the seniors that are leading your team as your season winds down.
A ? ?I think Jared Lorenzen has been an outstanding quarterback in this league for quite a while. Unfortunately we have not been able to reward him with the wins this year. But he certainly is a tough guy. He is mobile for his size and he has been a tremendous competitor over the years, as well as this year. I think Derek Abney is also up there on the career return charts. He has been an excellent receiver for us this year as well. He does a great job on the kickoff and punt returns. We have three offensive linemen, Antonio Hall, Nick Seitze and Big Cat Williams, that have battled through some injuries this year. I am not sure Hall will play. I would say he is doubtful for this game with a concussion from the Georgia game. He suffered that late in the fourth quarter. Chris Bernard has been a big play receiver for us as well. On the defensive side of the ball, Jeremy Caudill and Leonard Burress have been good players for us.?
2. Your team is second in the conference in sacks with 28. What is your defensive approach to this game?
A ? ?Our problem is in the game last week we gave up a bunch of third-and-long situations. We do have some zone blitzes that have been effective getting to the quarterback. Unfortunately against Arkansas and Vanderbilt, we got there but we couldn?t get the guy down. It could be the case this week with Clausen, because he is a big guy just like a lot of people have had trouble getting Lorenzen down this year because of his size. I am not sure I have ever played in a conference with this many big quarterbacks, ours obviously being the biggest. Our pass rush has been very effective, and I think we have done a pretty good job of mixing up the 3-4 front of whose coming and causing a little bit of confusion with some of the offensive blocking schemes.?
3. Your team has made some nice progress with the transition of coaches. What do you see for the future of this team?
A ? ?I think this is a good situation. We obviously lose some talent off of this senior class. We are still dealing with the remnants of the probation as far as scholarship limitations we had last year and we will have again this recruiting season. Then we will be done. I am encouraged by the fan support here. I am encouraged by the facilities. We know what a great conference it is. What we have to do is go out and convince some of the players that have been going to Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas and Alabama and places like that to come here. If we can get a few, more than they have gotten in the past, I think we will be in a position to win some of these games that we have been competing in and have close in.?
4. Your thoughts on playing Tennessee this weekend and what causes you some concern?
A ? ?I see a markedly different team at this stage of the season than what I saw earlier in the season. In looking at them on TV as well as viewing them on game tapes this week, certainly the Georgia game was the turning point for this football team. They have basically dominated everybody they have played since then. The win at Miami gave them a lot of confidence on the road. And to do what they did to Vanderbilt, a team that we got beat by two weeks ago, is very impressive. I thought Vanderbilt had played a competitive conference schedule well. It had lost to everybody but us, but they had competed against every team except Tennessee. I think Tennessee is on a roll right now. Their defense is physical and fast. It is very sound and well-coached. Obviously Casey Clausen has done a great job of not turning the ball over and not making the negative plays. The running game and the speed of the receivers is a concern.?
5. With this being senior day for your team, what do you see for the final home game of the season?
A ? ?I know the student allotment wasn?t picked up because of the Thanksgiving Break. And there still some seats remaining. But I would expect a near sell-out crowd. I am sure whatever the Blue and White don?t take, that the Big Orange will come to town and gobble up and get some tickets for the game as well.?
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