University of Tennessee Athletics
Butch Jones Transcript (4/18/15)
April 18, 2015 | Football
(Opening Statement)
"I apologize a little bit for my voice. But very productive day, again, thank you to our students to coming out. Student appreciation day. Anytime you can get into Neyland Stadium, try to simulate game-like conditions, game speed repetitions, people in the stands, crowd noise, it is very, very beneficial in moving forward and to see how your players will respond. We worked a lot on kicking game today but also situational football, two-minute drill, get the ball back, red zone, goal line, different situational football aspects that occur throughout the course of a season. So productive day. I thought our defense did a very good job of keeping the offense out of the end zone for the most part, particularly in the red zone situational where offensively on the flip side of it we need the touchdowns. Like we talk about, third down in the red zone is a four point play, whether you give up a touchdown or have to kick a field goal. I thought it was valuable teaching moments, we will come back on Monday and continue to learn from the situational football aspect of things.
"Again, a big thank you to our student body. Most universities student attendance is down but at Tennessee, ours is up. We talk about all being in it together so to be able to share the day with them, I know it was rewarding, not just for our coaching staff but for our players as well."
(On scripting out the end of practice)
"No we scripted it out a little bit and kind of ad-libbed, have some fun with them. That is what it is all about. We are `One Tennessee.' We are all in it together so to be able to have some fun with them, that was great. I always like sitting back and kind of watching our players interact with our students as well."
(On his skills on the microphone)
"I am working to take John Brice's job. So we will see how that goes. He is very overpaid so I am working on that. Just doing it overtime, it has really been self-preservation with my voice but the ability to communicate with everyone on the field."
(On the offensive struggles)
"A combination of all of that. The ability to make plays. When the offense did score in the red zone, it was usually on a broken play. Containing the quarterback in the red zone is critical for a defense, that is a back breaker when you allow the quarterback to escape the pocket. That is one of the things that we need to improve on, our points of pressure on the quarterback in the red zone. Offensively, it is one out of 11, all 11 individuals have a job and everything is kind of magnified because the field shrinks in the red zone, the timing mechanism picks up, everything is about rhythm and spacing and timing. I didn't think we had very good rhythm when we were in the red zone. We were able to run the ball effectively but particularly in the throw game we weren't able to win on the edges and we have to be able to win."
(On his he has been pleased with the development of the passing game)
"No, we need to continue to develop that. I think it is a combination of not having everyone healthy but it is consistency. We have good days and we have poor days. When we throw the football we have to be consistent. A lot goes into it. It is from a protective standpoint, it is upfront, it is the running backs, it is the tight ends, it is the wide receivers. When you throw the football, a lot of negative things can happen as well, that is why you have to focus on it, you have to concentrate on it. And we have another week to continue to improve that. I think some of it has been our depth at receiver but we have to get a lot better in a hurry in the throw game."
(On the relationship between running backs Alvin Kamara and Jalen Hurd)
"It has really developed from day one. I think they all know, they both know that they need each other. You can never have enough running backs, I think that has been proven over time. Their relationship, they push each other, they coach each other, they help each other, they respect each other. I think they both play off each other's skill sets. So that relationship has been extremely healthy and it has been great to see."
(On the competition at center)
"Yes, it is not just the center it is every position on offense. We spoke about it, I know Coach Mahoney continues to speak about it. It is finding the best five. Who is the right five for us. That is why we have moved some players around at different positions but you can never have enough competition. It is not just center. Marcus Jackson, obviously, as we all know is sitting out this spring so what happens now when he comes back. There is going to be competition across the board but for us it is not just the O-Line, it is finding the best 11 backups, quality backups on offense, on defense and special teams."
(On competition for starting spots)
"Correct, just like everyone else on our football team. When you have competitive depth in your program, you have to earn your spot each and every day. Mack [Crowder] has done a great job. Mack competes every day. Mack is as competitive young man that we have. I have been proud of him that way. But again, it is not just him, it is finding the right five, it is Marcus Jackson when he comes back. It is Jashon Robertson, it is Kyler Kerbyson, it is Brett Kendrick, it is a lot of these individuals. You have to earn your spot each and everyday and you earn it by consistency in performance everyday and continue to improve. Our players have done a good job of that."
(On redshirt junior offensive lineman Dontavius Blair)
"He has taken some steps in the right direction. He continues to be a work in progress, with every day, the nuances, the football endurance, the mental endurance, the mental effort, the mental intensity that it takes particularly to play in the offensive line. But Dontavius [Blair] is very athletic and I can see him making strides."
(On picking spots with running back Alvin Kamara)
"It is picking your spots with him. But he was very, very productive. He had a number of productive runs in the scrimmage. But again, it is picking your spots but it was great to have him back there and he made some big plays for us. We could feel his presence back."
(On sophomore defensive back Emmanuel Moseley)
"I have been very pleased with Emmanuel [Moseley]. Emmanuel stepped up, he has come right in, just like Emmanuel Moseley does, competing everyday. The retention of our defense, done a good job that way. Again, we talk about center but also who is going to be the other corner. That is the other. We have Cam Sutton but who is going to step up at the other corner position. Not just the corner position but the nickel position as well. Then we welcome some recruits in June. So that is as a competitive spot as the offensive line."
(On Emmanuel Moseley maintaining his weight during mono)
"Great discipline. Great self-discipline, really watched what he ate. Allison Mauer does a great job of mentoring our players but really talking care of his body, making sure he was hydrated, getting the mental reps in the film room when he could watch video. Just taking care of himself."
(On concern of Emmanuel Moseley's health after coming back form mono)
"You are always concered with that. Jason McVeigh and our training staff, they do a great job with that and monitoring that. So having him back was big for us as we continue to build that momentum in moving forward this summer."
(On the linebacker position)
"It has altered. That is one of the things that we spoke about is when we finish spring is where we are at at the linebacker position. We all know what Jalen Reeves-Maybin can do, he has been a model of consistency, continues to really transform his game, transform his leadership skills. But who is going to fill the other linebacker position. Right now we lack consistency there, we are getting better but no one person has emerged as that leader as the number two linebacker. But I see progress every day that the other players are making which has been great to see. But not on individual has kind of distanced himself to be named the starter at that other spot."
(On sophomore defensive back Rashaan Gaulden)
"He had a hand injury. He did have surgery, it wasn't a tendon, which is great, that was positive news. So we anticipate him being out about six weeks and then he will, if everything goes according to plan, he will be back being able to go through our summer strength and conditioning program."
(On Rashaan Gaulden's injury)
"Just a hand, he had to have surgery on it. It is something that he played through last year and to his credit, I think it set back his develop a little bit in the weight room but to his credit he played through it. Really did some good things this off season, we were able to gain, obviously, valuable repetitions in spring, which he needed. He had a very productive spring for us. He is going to be a very good player for us. I love what he brings to the table but it was good news when it wasn't tendon oriented. So to be able to have him back, that will help us this summer."
(On if he is concerned about Rashaan Gaulden's size)
"He has put the size on and now with the hand surgery, he will be able to put the size on that is needed. But again, he has matured a lot in our program. Where he is at in one short year it remarkable and he is very intelligent, he knows what he has to do."
(On offensive coordinator Mike DeBord building relationships with player)
"It is very important, not just being he is a new coordinator but it is building that trust. Everything in our culture, we talk about is communication and really getting to know our players, not just as football players but as people. Getting to know their parents, he calls our parents regularly. Like I said before, that office has never seen more people, it is like a revolving door. A lot of times it is not talking about football, it is just talking about life and just generalities. Which is big because it is building that trust. Mike DeBord has a unique way, he has the ability to relate to individuals. That is one of the things that I looked at with a coaching hire. For us, we get older but our audience doesn't get older. We are still dealing with 17 to 22 year old individuals. They don't get older as we do get older. So the ability to relate, to have conversations to understand what they are going through, that is very big in our program, that communication, having that contagious energy and that connection. Being connected with our players and Coach DeBord has been able to do that."
(On if he expected Mike DeBord to build relationships with players so quickly)
"That is something I expected. He has that way about himself. People tend to gravitate towards him because of who he is."
(On the special teams game)
"The big thing was was operation time with the punt game. We wanted to see our punters be able to perform when there is people in the stands, put some pressure situations on them. I thought Trevor Daniel did a very good job. We had some live kicking in terms of one kickoff, one kickoff return, all those things that occurs, from live field goals, just having our kickers kicking Neyland Stadium, with people in the stands. That was very big for us."
(On Evan Berry working at kickoff return)
"Right now he has been running with the one kickoff return. He does a very good job with it. Part of being a good kick returner is having a knack for that, having instincts about it. He has very good instincts and I know he takes pride in that part of his game."
