University of Tennessee Athletics
Postgame Quotes: Florida 28, Vols 27
September 26, 2015 | Football
Sept. 26, 2015
Recap | Box Score | Notes
Butch Jones, Tennessee Head Coach
Opening statement:
"Well what can I say. Yeah, I think the whole thing is fourth down. Three critical fourth down conversations that we get off the field and we win the football game. It's particularly when it is fourth and long, fourth and 13. You have got to close the game out, you have got to get off the field and run victory formation milking the clock and the game is over. We had an opportunity to come back and win the game at the end. You just have to keep grinding as a football team and a football program. That's all I can say. Our players work exceptionally hard. I know that doesn't help matters, it stings. But with anything in life, the ability to preserve and show resiliency, you keep grinding, you keep pounding the rock every day and you keep going."
On the last touchdown you decided to go for the extra point not the two-point conversion...
"Well a number of reasons and we were discussing that prior to the drive. If we did score whether we go for one or two, we have a chart that is pretty standard in football first of all and maps it all. We just felt like at that stage in the game that we had great confidence in our defense of getting off the football field and allowing them to push the ball down the field so we felt very comfortable with the decision."
On calling timeouts during a critical time for Florida on fourth down...
"We thought they were going to do a fake field goal so that is the one time that we did it. Another time is making sure we had the right personnel on the field in some different things we had seen from scouting."
On the response of his team...
"Well, obviously, they all hurt. Everybody hurts, especially, the ones that invested in every single day and put so much into it. But I know we have great character in our football program and you want them to hurt. But then we have to come back and get ready for Arkansas and it is a long, long football season. You have to keep that in mind. There is a 24-hour rule just like I would expect if we won the football game. But I expect our players to come back and bounce back and continue to work that is all you can. You look at anything in life that's worth anything that you gain. You have to go through perseverance you have to be able to show resiliency. Is our resiliency being tested right now? Absolutely, but it is only the fourth game of the season as well and we have to keep grinding it out that is the only way I know that's the only way these kids know."
Senior DB LaDarrell McNeil
McNeil on the outcome of the game:"The outcome is very hard to deal with but you have to look past it and you have to keep moving forward. Every conference game is going to be difficult and we just have to keep pounding the rock."
Getting off the field after fourth down:
"Some of those fourth downs we wish to get back but you just have to keep playing ball, and that's what we're going to do. We are going to keep playing ball and keep moving forward."
Feeling "snake bit" against Florida:
"No, we try not to think like that. We try not to let those kind of thoughts creep up into our minds. We just want to go out there and play out there -- it is football - that's what we were trying to do tonight and we just came up short. We have to keep moving towards our ultimate goal."
Junior QB Joshua Dobbs
On if Tennessee's last touchdown and extra point that made the score 27-14 was enough:
"No, when you come on the road in the SEC the game's never over."
On how difficult the loss was after how well they ran the ball:
"It is always difficult when you lose. No matter what."
On feeling "snake bit" after losing two games in three weeks:
"SEC defenses play relentless as I said. We don't have time to feel sorry for ourselves."
Redshirt Sophomore RB Alvin Kamara
On what the team can take from the loss:
"It hurts, but we are just going to learn. It's a long season and it's only the fourth game. We talk about it every day. SEC play is tough and we are just going to square back up on Monday and go to work like we always do."
On being outspoken and taking a leadership role:
"Keep everybody going. Everybody has to keep their heads up, and keep grinding. We talk about it every day and we have each others' backs. That's the motto going into the week. I got your back, Coach Jones' got everybody's backs, we got the coach's backs and we are just going to keep working."
On placekicker Aaron Medley:
"He worked really hard during the week. We would like to have that field goal; it's not going to define us. We all love up on him, we will get on the plane and hug up on him. Just get back to Knoxville and keep working."
Jim McElwain, Florida Head Coach
Opening Statement:
"That was a lot of fun and really something special. I want to give credit to the people that stayed here to root on the Gators; it was pretty awesome and it looked pretty cool out there. It was a great atmosphere. I talked to them (the team) during halftime to discuss if it was us or if it was them, were they that much better that we couldn't wrap up and tackle? We kept getting on the edge and pass protection or trying to run the football and I think the guys responded a little bit. I love the fact that these are some of the situations that we work on and you've heard me talk a lot about the situations in football. Our guys didn't panic and that was good to see. They played their hearts out for the Gators and the fans and previous Gators (alumni). You just don't lose to Tennessee and they didn't. I don't know if we deserved it or not, but I prefer this way. It was pretty cool, wasn't it?"
Coach McElwain on Will Grier's performance and health:
"He (Grier) is sore. If you're playing in the SEC, you're going to get sore. I loved his courage and he played with some bruises. In this league, when you play in that position, you're going to get some bumps and bruises. We are going to have him take care of his body and have him ready for next week."
Coach McElwain on the fitness of UF's defense after being on the field for 12 straight plays:
"What I talked about earlier this week was winning on first downs, and they did. They (Tennessee) won on first downs and we didn't win on first downs. It makes calling a game real easy when you are on schedule. You have multiple choices when you win the first down. They (Tennessee) did a very good job of that. Their quarterback (Joshua Dobbs) is a warrior and he was fun to watch. He (Dobbs) made a ton of plays for them and we need to learn to wrap up and tackle."
Coach McElwain on Antonio Callaway:
"I like him a whole bunch and I'm so glad that he's a Gator. We knew there was something special in this kid when we were recruiting him and I think he has proven that. I don't think he's even scratched the surface and he is still learning how to play. It's a shame he got his punt return called back since that changed the field position."
