University of Tennessee Athletics
Media Monday: Players Preview SC Game
October 27, 2014 | Football
Punter Matt Darr, linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin and defensive back Cameron Sutton previewed Saturday's game at South Carolina at the Monday press conference.
Defensive Back Cameron Sutton
(On the difference from the first to second half against Alabama)
"We just settled in a played our game, played our style of defense. Just locking in, not letting the things that we couldn't control get to us and things like that. Like I said, we just played our game."
(On what he expects to see from South Carolina)
"We expect, just with any game with it being a home game and the crowd with their atmosphere in their backyard, they're definitely going to come out with a lot of intensity. As far as confidence, it's a new team so they bring new guys, new things that they do differently from throughout the years. We can't rely on last year. Like I said, we're going into somebody else's backyard where a lot of guys on our team haven't been before. Like I said, we just have to play through the things we can't control, with the crowd and things like that, and just play our game with our style of football."
(On whether Alabama made it difficult to line up properly)
"They ran a couple of guys here and there off different plays. We're a formation-based defense so it's kind of hard to set off fronts and things like that, get lined up when they're running guys in and out."
(On how often he lined up against Amari Cooper)
"I lined up with him a couple of times throughout the course of the game. You know, like I said, their offense does a good job of moving him around throughout the slot with different formations, outside and inside. They work their offense around him and try to get him the ball and they're really good at it."
Linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin
(On what he saw from Alabama in the second half compared to the first)
"I think we kind of got settled in a little more. Early on, they started going kind of fast and I don't think we were prepared for it as much as we should have been. After that, I feel like we got settled in a little bit more, got more calm."
(On whether the team had some anxiety before the Alabama game)
"I wouldn't say that we were too jacked up but they came out and hit us kind of fast. I guess we just weren't prepared for it. We weren't ready to jump on them the way they jumped on us but I don't think there was any anxiety."
(On last week's defensive production and getting back to work this week)
"We definitely didn't like that at all. We pride ourselves on third down and getting off the field. Overall, as a defense, we didn't do a good job as secondary, linebackers, D-linemen. As everybody, we didn't do a good job of containing the quarterback. We let him out get a little bit and make plays so we just have to stay on that a little bit more."
(On the magnitude of the South Carolina game considering bowl eligibility)
"It's definitely a big one. We've got four games to get to a bowl and every week is a new season so, all we can focus on is this one game right now to help us take steps to that bowl game."
Punter Matt Darr
(On what has been different about his punt game recently)
"I'm just hitting the ball with confidence right now. I'm striking through it and making good contact and things are going pretty well."
(On what has led to his consistency)
"Technically, after the Oklahoma game, I really tried to dive into what were my problems, technically and mechanically. I kind of simplified things with my drop and I'm able to strike the ball and hit it with confidence right now. Since the Georgia game, that's just kind of been my focus, to put it out there and try to hit it."
(On how he's been simplifying his drops)
"Basically I just do repetitions all through practice of making sure that when I release it out of my hand, it's staying still and falling flat. If I give myself a good drop, it sets myself up to where I can come through the ball and hit it clean."
(On his confidence level right now)
"Yeah. With each game, we're getting into different situations and I'm doing my best to put the defense in good field position and give them every opportunity they can to have success."
