University of Tennessee Athletics
#VolReport: Wednesday Media
October 21, 2015 | Football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. --Tennessee head coach Butch Jones, Alvin Kamara and Kyler Kerbyson spoke to the media on Wednesday about the team's preparation for Alabama.
SOUND BITES
- RS Senior OL Kyler Kerbyson
(On his impressions on Alvin Kamara as a teammate)
"Being able to work out with him in the summer and the spring and just feeling his presence and what kind of leader he is, he really did show me that he's a great guy. He's here for his teammates and that's what's important to him. So I really love that about him."
(On improving the offense as a whole)
"Our offensive scheme has really helped us. Being able to run the ball a lot makes defenses a little bit more aware of it and they aren't looking so much to rush the passer. The ability of Dobbs too, you can't let him escape the pocket because he can do some crazy stuff. So that changes the whole linebacker or defensive lineman's rush to the quarterback, just worrying about him escaping. He's not really a pocket passer, he loves to get out there on the edge. So with all that kind of stuff and with all the running backs that we have, it makes it a little bit harder for defenses."
- RS Sophomore RB Alvin Kamara
(On Alabama RB Derrick Henry)
"One of the things that I tell everybody, he's a hard worker. He's one of the most hard-working guys I know. He got his opportunity and he took advantage of it. Coming in, in the same class, we all got to see him grow from then to now. Just seeing how much he's developed and matured, it makes me happy to see him succeed."
(On patience in running the ball against Alabama)
"It's definitely tested. They have, I think, the No. 1 rush defense. We talked about it the running back room. Some of our runs are going to be two yards, two yards, three yards, four yards, and then you just have to stay the course and a 50-yarder will come. A 30-yarder will come. So, I don't think we will get as frustrated as other teams or maybe as some people think we will because we're mentally trained to just keep chipping away until a break comes."
(Butch Jones Opening Statement)
"Good afternoon. Good to see everyone. Before we get started, I'd like to say that our thoughts and prayers are with Coach Graham Clark of Dobyns-Bennett with the tragedy that his family's going through right now. I know he's meant so much Malik (Foreman), Thomas (Edwards), and Devaun (Swafford) on our football team. Life is very fragile, and it puts things into perspective. I'd like to let him know that we're thinking about him and his family in moving forward.
"In terms of Alabama, as the week progresses, [they are] a very, very difficult football team to prepare for, a football team that has great depth. They challenge you in terms of scout teams. You really don't have the luxury of going scout teams [in practice]. All of our younger players are participating, so we've had to break up practice, have more like an NFL-type practice - with one's versus two's and two's versus one's.
"When you look at a complete football team, that's what they are. I think they really resemble the difference of building a football team and building a football program that has stood the test of time. They're very well coached. When you look at them defensively, [they have] seven seniors, three juniors, and only one true freshman playing. Offensively, four seniors, four juniors, two sophomores, and one redshirt freshman. They have great depth across the board. It's going to be a great challenge, but I know our players are looking forward to the opportunity to compete in this great game and what it brings about.
"We're still fighting the injury bug a little bit. I'll know more, in terms of a lot of these injuries, come tomorrow and Friday, but that's where we're at in our football program. I have really been impressed and I appreciate our players with the resiliency. One individual goes down, the next individual is ready to go. I think that speaks of our character, and I think you'd be hard pressed with the amount of injuries we've had this year that would rival anyone in the country. I think our players have done a great job. They've shown great resiliency, and we're looking forward to getting the second half of the season started here very soon."
KAMARA: FROM CRIMSON TO ORANGE
Redshirt sophomore running back Alvin Kamara will have the unique distinction on Saturday of being the only player on the field to have been on both Tennessee's and Alabama's rosters.
"I'm appreciative of my time there," Kamara said. "I appreciate the coaches and the players for embracing me while I was there. Now here at Tennessee, I'm having a good time and enjoying the success with my teammates and I'm ready to keep enjoying the success."
Kamara signed with the Crimson Tide out of Norcross High School and redshirted his 2013 true freshman year in Tuscaloosa. He transferred to Hutchinson Community College in Kansas where he ran for 1,211 yards and 18 touchdowns over nine games in 2014 and emerged as a five-star prospect and ESPN's No. 2 overall JUCO prospect.
He signed with Tennessee last spring and has emerged as one of the Vols' most versatile players with 363 yards of total offense and five offensive touchdowns to go with a 16.8-yard punt-return average and a 50-yard touchdown return.
Some of the Vols have asked Kamara about his former teammates for scouting purposes.
"Through the beginning of the week, guys have been asking me about the mood over there or, more specifically, about certain (Alabama) guys, matchup-wise, kind of the demeanor of those guys as far as playing," Kamara said. "So, I've been kind of an insider, being able to give (Tennessee) some information about them. It comes down to Saturday, we've got to keep having great practices and put it on the field on Saturday."
