University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics
#19/16 Vols Turn Page To Homecoming Tilt vs. UConn
October 31, 2023 | Football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Fresh off a gritty, 33-27 victory at Kentucky this past Saturday, Tennessee football took Haslam Field to begin on-field preparations for Saturday's Homecoming contest and non-conference finale against the UConn Huskies, set for a noon ET kickoff on SEC Network.
As the No. 19/16 Vols (6-2, 3-2 SEC) continued to gear up for the Huskies (1-7), defensive coordinator Tim Banks and offensive coordinator Joey Halzle addressed the media on Tuesday — shedding light on the tenacious mindset that contributed to the win in Lexington and previewing the upcoming matchup against UConn.
Banks' defensive front has been stout against the run all season, ranking third in the SEC and 19th nationally in rushing defense (105.1), as well as third in the league and 11th in the FBS in tackles for loss (7.6 per game). Most recently at Kentucky, UT limited the Wildcats to 72 yards on the ground for their second lowest rushing output of the 2023 campaign.
"Stopping the run is a mentality," Banks stated. "It's physicality, it's obviously guys fitting their gaps, and everybody has to play their part … Typically, when we've been good against the run, we've come out on top. That's just kind of something that we believe in."
On the offensive front, coordinator Joey Halzle emphasized the need for focus and resilience as the Vols prepare to face the UConn Huskies. With three consecutive SEC Eastern Division opponents still remaining on the schedule (at Missouri, Georgia, Vanderbilt), Halzle warned against overlooking any opponent in college football and emphasized the importance of constant growth.
"Everybody is good," Halzle said. "We're at the point now where we're trying to make a push down the stretch here. Every game matters as far as, how are we still building? Coach Heupel preaches it every day. You have to still be getting better this time of year. If you're getting better this time of year, it doesn't matter who is standing across the ball from you … It's a huge weekend for us as far as taking that next step forward."
After securing bowl eligibility on the road, Tennessee returns to a sold-out Neyland Stadium looking to continue building momentum into the final third of the regular season. The UConn game will also serve as a chance to honor the legacy of the late legendary coach Pat Summitt with a special commemorative cup available for purchase at concessions stands benefitting Alzheimer's research. November is Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, and a $1 of every Summitt cup sold throughout Neyland Stadium on Saturday will go directly to support Alzheimer's research at The University of Tennessee Medical Center.
Full comments and video from Banks and Halzle can be viewed below, along with select quotes and video from redshirt senior defensive back Wesley Walker, senior offensive lineman Javontez Spraggins and redshirt senior placekicker Charles Campbell.Tennessee Football Press Conference | Oct. 31, 2023
On how Kamal Hadden's replacements did against Kentucky…
"Obviously, Kamal was a big part of what we did the majority of the season. It's obviously a shame the kid won't have a chance to finish what he did. I feel good, the guys played hard. Obviously, there are some things we can all do better, but I thought overall I thought those guys competed and obviously gave us a great opportunity to win the game, which we obviously did."
On making adjustments to pass defense after Kentucky put up better passing numbers…
"We went in the game very deliberate. We knew what they wanted to be. I think they were leading the SEC in yards per carry. We didn't want to allow those guys to do that, so we made a conscious effort to take the run away. You have to give those guys a lot of credit, the quarterback is a veteran player, he made a ton of great throws. Obviously, every game is different from our perspective. We try to identify what their strengths are, and we try to minimize it. Whatever the gameplan needs to be to win the game is always what the gameplan is. We felt like we needed to take away the run, and we felt like we did a great job that way."
On the defensive line can counter teams honing in on the pass rush…
"I tell those guys all the time, it's a sign of respect when they're chipping you on the edges, when they're getting in seven-man protections, things of that nature. There's going to be a challenge, it really is. When you work as hard as those guys have worked, when you're having a season as those guys are having, there are going to be some challenging games that way. Obviously, they did a really good job that way with their protections. At the end of the day, we're going to continue to, like I said earlier, take away the things that we feel they do best and then we'll obviously make adjustments during the course of the game. Again, UConn is a different animal. They have some things that they do extremely well. We're working really had to try and take that away at this point."
On the progress of the young linebackers…
"They're coming along. I thought again, particularly in the run game, those guys are very effective. Obviously, on some passing situations, I know there's some room to improve, but no different from most of the guys on the defense. Again, we had a conscious effort to make sure that we stopped the run. I thought we did that, and the young linebackers were a big part of it."
On what's been so effective in defending the run this season…
"Stopping the run is a mentality. It's physicality, it's obviously guys fitting their gaps, and everybody has to play their part. Whether you're loading the box and asking the corners and the safeties to play man on the edges, whether you're slanting and moving the front, it's just a mentality. We felt like it's a lot of things that can happen when you have to throw the ball. Whether it's a sack, whether it's an incomplete, whether you pick it off. If they're running the ball and we can't stop the run, that's always a formula for disaster. Typically, when we've been good against the run we've come out on top. That's just kind of something that we believe in."
On when he saw teams start to respect the pass rush more…
"I think Bama did a little of it. Obviously, Kentucky showed more in that, showing in the pass. The chipping we saw probably a little bit from A&M, so probably midseason you're starting to see a lot more of it. The seven-man protections is probably a little bit different. Kentucky did a little bit more than what they had shown on tape. At the end of the day, obviously we have to be able to adjust and make adjustments as a coaching staff and obviously the players on the field. That's just how it is. If you're able to affect the quarterback with your four, those guys aren't dumb, they're going to do what they need to do as well to be able to protect their edges. Hats off to Kentucky, I thought they did a good job that way."
On if they anticipated having as much success running the ball this year as they've had… "I think one of the things as a staff is we knew what we had in the running back room. We thought we had one of the elite running back rooms in the country. That and with being younger at wideout moving in, we had a chance to go lean on those guys a little bit, which is what we've done. They've taken that opportunity and have really made the most of it. It's not shying away or going towards it more, it's that we have a really good running back room. Those guys have played well with the ball in their hand and it's like, 'let's feed them'. I think we said that week one when everyone was asking about the run game. It was hard to stop as a staff to say, 'let's start calling the throw when we're running for six, seven yards a pop. That thing is keeping us rolling down the field right there.' It's been fun to watch those guys work."
On how important it is to get younger guys in to figure out what you have during non-conference games… "It was big because we need to go play the way we need to go play on offense. We need to go put together a really good performance and handle our business. If other guys get the opportunity to play, that's great. It's all about going and rolling out there with our group and putting together a product on the field which is the way the offense can and should play out there. That's the biggest focus we are looking at on this one. It's a huge game for us as far as that stands."
On Dont'e Thornton Jr. playing outside against Kentucky and the long reception he had… "Putting him outside, you can see it on tape that he was just more comfortable originally from the snap with it. That's why he played really well out there. He had his best game of the season by far. That one was a scramble drill. He was running that curl, and then Joe (Milton III) scrambled to the left and it directed him back inside because he felt the dead spot. The best part about it was that was a contested catch. The defender was coming outside and on him, and he dove in front of him and took his vision as he was getting ready to catch it. He (Thornton) stuck his hands out and caught it straight vertical. You saw him start to make a big run down the field. It was really good to see the competitive catch in an off-schedule situation when it wasn't how we coached it, planned it or practiced it. He reacted, made a play and had big yards after the catch. It was good to see."
On what made Joe Milton III so effective against Kentucky… "I think it's been the growth throughout the season. From one week to the next, he's continuing to push in his preparation to push in his development. I keep saying that there's no substitute for live reps. The more you get, the better you get and the more comfortable you feel. It's been watching him continue to grow and keep diving into how he's preparing for everything. He did play one of his best games of the season. You were running the ball well, we were doing what we needed to do to control the box, he's making the right decisions out wide and that's why we were putting together a bunch of drives like that."
On what the message is for this week to not look ahead to the next SEC opponent… "If you watch college football, you know you do that one time, you're going to put yourself in a situation to have a really bad weekend. Everybody is good. I don't care what anybody's record says. These guys have a bunch of one possession ball games. That's the fact. It is what it is. You better show up and you better play. We're at the point now where we're trying to make a push down the stretch here. Every game matters as far as how are we still building? Coach Heupel preaches it every day. You have to still be getting better this time of year. If you're getting better this time of year, it doesn't matter who is standing across the ball from you. You're going out with your own mindset that I'm going to go take this one. It's a huge weekend for us as far as taking that next step forward."
On John Campbell Jr. being excited during fall camp and how it's translated into this season… "John has got great energy. He has it Tuesday through Saturday, too, as he's working through it. It's not just a game day thing for him. He preps really well, he practices really hard, he plays through injury. He's banged up, he comes out of the game on Saturday night, a series later and he's right back in the thing. He's a big part of that drive going down for that touchdown that clinched it up for us at the end. He's just been fun to work with. He's been a huge attribute not just on the field but in our locker room and in our weight room. That is the type of guy you want in your program."
On if running the ball more has helped Joe Milton III stay more balanced during a game… "I do think it helps him settle into the game, absolutely, he said that himself. He likes to get a couple carries early and kind of feel like he is in the flow of the game. Yeah, that absolutely has factored into it. The other part is just like what I'm saying, he is seeing defenses really well right now. He's doing a really good job with his eyes. Starts with your eyes and now you can get your feet in the right position. Now you can throw the ball accurately and on time. That's what you have seen the last two weeks, but I would completely agree that him getting some carries, some runs and some contact early in the game is good for him."
On where he is on the slot WR spot behind Squirrel White… "We got a bunch of guys that have played. The unfortunate part is that we got some guys that are injured, so we have had to move people around. The positive is we have a lot of guys that have played there. Chas Nimrod has played live snaps in the slot, as well. He was playing there against South Carolina. Dont'e Thornton Jr. can always kick in, so there is a bunch of different bodies that we can move all over the place and get the right group on the field to go let us be successful."
On leading the SEC in rushing despite having players in and out on the offensive line… "Coach Glen Elarbee does a great job preparing these guys to play. We get a good plan in place and the guys do a good job at dialing in and executing that plan. They do a really good job communicating up front, especially with the tempo and getting us all on the same page. That's why we're able to keep hitting these big plays in the running game, but the fact that it's been guy after guy rolling through there, there hasn't really been a step down when someone else has had to step in. It really goes to how well coach Elarbee prepares those guys. One, in the offseason, but two, in just a regular game week for the actual game plan of how everything is being blocked versus looks. They go out and they execute at a really high level."
"Kamal is a really good player. He was making really big strides this year. It sucks to lose him, but people have to step up. I think we have people in the room that are built for it, too, and approach their situation the right way. Now that they have the opportunity, I know they will fill in his role really well."
On their performance against Kentucky…
"Really just some misalignments. I'm a part of it as well. There were a few plays where I was misaligned and had a wrong assignment. It's football, it's not going to be perfect. There are schemes to scheme certain players that they place out there. I wasn't happy looking at the film. There are a lot of things to correct. It was an ugly win, but we got it done. We're going to learn from it for sure."
"We take pride in it every day in everything we do. We talked a lot last year about how we were a great passing offense, now it's different. Being the best run offense, it's just whatever they put in our face we're going to take that and grind with it every day. Us being the best at the run game right now is what we plan on doing for the rest of the year. It's not going to change from this point."
On what's allowed the offensive line to keep a high level of play with many personnel changes throughout the season…
"It's just how it is every day as a group. We're a family, this team is a family. Every day we go into the meeting rooms, we have each other's back. It's not just a bunch of individuals in there doing work, it's a bunch of guys in there that want to help each other, that want to be better, that want to play the game, that want to help their families in the future, and I want to be something. We just take pride in that stuff, it's not one single person. Everybody in that room has a job and if one guy goes out, the next guy better be ready to do their job."
On his role as a leader this week to make sure the team stays focused in a non-conference game…
"We talked about that Monday. It doesn't change. No matter what team you play, it's going to be the same thing. Every week we step on the field we're going to have the same feeling to go out there and execute to the best of our ability and show that other teams can't play with us. It doesn't change. There's no mindset I have to talk to those guys about. If they are already in that mindset, they're in the wrong place."
"I did want to go out there and kick it. I really thought that I was going to, but at the end of the day time expired, we got the win and that's all that really matters. Personally, I wanted to kick it, but maybe I'll have another opportunity at it."
On his relationship with Head Coach Josh Heupel...
"Coach Heupel and I talk multiple times throughout the game. After our pregame warm-up we have a conversation about distances, kick lines, wind conditions and such, but all during the game we're communicating. It's a pretty good relationship and he, for the most part, really listens to me. It's kind of really cool that he has confidence in me and my word on field conditions and such."
On what he thought about the fourth field goal hitting the post...
"I think Coach Heupel said that I was living right. When I hit the upright and it went in I was super happy. Thank the Lord it went in. I hit the ball and it was just starting straight at that right upright. I was like 'c'mon, fall in, fall in, fall in'. You could see me on film leaning really hard, kind of hoping and willing it to go in. Thank goodness it went in."
As the No. 19/16 Vols (6-2, 3-2 SEC) continued to gear up for the Huskies (1-7), defensive coordinator Tim Banks and offensive coordinator Joey Halzle addressed the media on Tuesday — shedding light on the tenacious mindset that contributed to the win in Lexington and previewing the upcoming matchup against UConn.
Banks' defensive front has been stout against the run all season, ranking third in the SEC and 19th nationally in rushing defense (105.1), as well as third in the league and 11th in the FBS in tackles for loss (7.6 per game). Most recently at Kentucky, UT limited the Wildcats to 72 yards on the ground for their second lowest rushing output of the 2023 campaign.
"Stopping the run is a mentality," Banks stated. "It's physicality, it's obviously guys fitting their gaps, and everybody has to play their part … Typically, when we've been good against the run, we've come out on top. That's just kind of something that we believe in."
On the offensive front, coordinator Joey Halzle emphasized the need for focus and resilience as the Vols prepare to face the UConn Huskies. With three consecutive SEC Eastern Division opponents still remaining on the schedule (at Missouri, Georgia, Vanderbilt), Halzle warned against overlooking any opponent in college football and emphasized the importance of constant growth.
"Everybody is good," Halzle said. "We're at the point now where we're trying to make a push down the stretch here. Every game matters as far as, how are we still building? Coach Heupel preaches it every day. You have to still be getting better this time of year. If you're getting better this time of year, it doesn't matter who is standing across the ball from you … It's a huge weekend for us as far as taking that next step forward."
After securing bowl eligibility on the road, Tennessee returns to a sold-out Neyland Stadium looking to continue building momentum into the final third of the regular season. The UConn game will also serve as a chance to honor the legacy of the late legendary coach Pat Summitt with a special commemorative cup available for purchase at concessions stands benefitting Alzheimer's research. November is Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, and a $1 of every Summitt cup sold throughout Neyland Stadium on Saturday will go directly to support Alzheimer's research at The University of Tennessee Medical Center.
Full comments and video from Banks and Halzle can be viewed below, along with select quotes and video from redshirt senior defensive back Wesley Walker, senior offensive lineman Javontez Spraggins and redshirt senior placekicker Charles Campbell.
Tennessee Football Press Conference | Oct. 31, 2023
Defensive Coordinator Tim Banks
On how Kamal Hadden's replacements did against Kentucky…"Obviously, Kamal was a big part of what we did the majority of the season. It's obviously a shame the kid won't have a chance to finish what he did. I feel good, the guys played hard. Obviously, there are some things we can all do better, but I thought overall I thought those guys competed and obviously gave us a great opportunity to win the game, which we obviously did."
On making adjustments to pass defense after Kentucky put up better passing numbers…
"We went in the game very deliberate. We knew what they wanted to be. I think they were leading the SEC in yards per carry. We didn't want to allow those guys to do that, so we made a conscious effort to take the run away. You have to give those guys a lot of credit, the quarterback is a veteran player, he made a ton of great throws. Obviously, every game is different from our perspective. We try to identify what their strengths are, and we try to minimize it. Whatever the gameplan needs to be to win the game is always what the gameplan is. We felt like we needed to take away the run, and we felt like we did a great job that way."
On the defensive line can counter teams honing in on the pass rush…
"I tell those guys all the time, it's a sign of respect when they're chipping you on the edges, when they're getting in seven-man protections, things of that nature. There's going to be a challenge, it really is. When you work as hard as those guys have worked, when you're having a season as those guys are having, there are going to be some challenging games that way. Obviously, they did a really good job that way with their protections. At the end of the day, we're going to continue to, like I said earlier, take away the things that we feel they do best and then we'll obviously make adjustments during the course of the game. Again, UConn is a different animal. They have some things that they do extremely well. We're working really had to try and take that away at this point."
On the progress of the young linebackers…
"They're coming along. I thought again, particularly in the run game, those guys are very effective. Obviously, on some passing situations, I know there's some room to improve, but no different from most of the guys on the defense. Again, we had a conscious effort to make sure that we stopped the run. I thought we did that, and the young linebackers were a big part of it."
On what's been so effective in defending the run this season…
"Stopping the run is a mentality. It's physicality, it's obviously guys fitting their gaps, and everybody has to play their part. Whether you're loading the box and asking the corners and the safeties to play man on the edges, whether you're slanting and moving the front, it's just a mentality. We felt like it's a lot of things that can happen when you have to throw the ball. Whether it's a sack, whether it's an incomplete, whether you pick it off. If they're running the ball and we can't stop the run, that's always a formula for disaster. Typically, when we've been good against the run we've come out on top. That's just kind of something that we believe in."
On when he saw teams start to respect the pass rush more…
"I think Bama did a little of it. Obviously, Kentucky showed more in that, showing in the pass. The chipping we saw probably a little bit from A&M, so probably midseason you're starting to see a lot more of it. The seven-man protections is probably a little bit different. Kentucky did a little bit more than what they had shown on tape. At the end of the day, obviously we have to be able to adjust and make adjustments as a coaching staff and obviously the players on the field. That's just how it is. If you're able to affect the quarterback with your four, those guys aren't dumb, they're going to do what they need to do as well to be able to protect their edges. Hats off to Kentucky, I thought they did a good job that way."
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Joey Halzle
On how the team was able to go faster against Kentucky than in previous games… "It starts with we didn't have as many self-inflicted wounds. We weren't getting negatives, we weren't taking penalties early. That kind of gets you off the tempo and now you got to get into some different formation style plays. The other thing is we just did a good job communicating, guys getting set out wide, o-line snapping down. It's all about the continuous buy of when I'm getting tired and all that, snapping down, going and playing at all positions. It builds to our advantage, and the guys did that at a really high level, which is why we had the kind of production we did."On if they anticipated having as much success running the ball this year as they've had… "I think one of the things as a staff is we knew what we had in the running back room. We thought we had one of the elite running back rooms in the country. That and with being younger at wideout moving in, we had a chance to go lean on those guys a little bit, which is what we've done. They've taken that opportunity and have really made the most of it. It's not shying away or going towards it more, it's that we have a really good running back room. Those guys have played well with the ball in their hand and it's like, 'let's feed them'. I think we said that week one when everyone was asking about the run game. It was hard to stop as a staff to say, 'let's start calling the throw when we're running for six, seven yards a pop. That thing is keeping us rolling down the field right there.' It's been fun to watch those guys work."
On how important it is to get younger guys in to figure out what you have during non-conference games… "It was big because we need to go play the way we need to go play on offense. We need to go put together a really good performance and handle our business. If other guys get the opportunity to play, that's great. It's all about going and rolling out there with our group and putting together a product on the field which is the way the offense can and should play out there. That's the biggest focus we are looking at on this one. It's a huge game for us as far as that stands."
On Dont'e Thornton Jr. playing outside against Kentucky and the long reception he had… "Putting him outside, you can see it on tape that he was just more comfortable originally from the snap with it. That's why he played really well out there. He had his best game of the season by far. That one was a scramble drill. He was running that curl, and then Joe (Milton III) scrambled to the left and it directed him back inside because he felt the dead spot. The best part about it was that was a contested catch. The defender was coming outside and on him, and he dove in front of him and took his vision as he was getting ready to catch it. He (Thornton) stuck his hands out and caught it straight vertical. You saw him start to make a big run down the field. It was really good to see the competitive catch in an off-schedule situation when it wasn't how we coached it, planned it or practiced it. He reacted, made a play and had big yards after the catch. It was good to see."
On what made Joe Milton III so effective against Kentucky… "I think it's been the growth throughout the season. From one week to the next, he's continuing to push in his preparation to push in his development. I keep saying that there's no substitute for live reps. The more you get, the better you get and the more comfortable you feel. It's been watching him continue to grow and keep diving into how he's preparing for everything. He did play one of his best games of the season. You were running the ball well, we were doing what we needed to do to control the box, he's making the right decisions out wide and that's why we were putting together a bunch of drives like that."
On what the message is for this week to not look ahead to the next SEC opponent… "If you watch college football, you know you do that one time, you're going to put yourself in a situation to have a really bad weekend. Everybody is good. I don't care what anybody's record says. These guys have a bunch of one possession ball games. That's the fact. It is what it is. You better show up and you better play. We're at the point now where we're trying to make a push down the stretch here. Every game matters as far as how are we still building? Coach Heupel preaches it every day. You have to still be getting better this time of year. If you're getting better this time of year, it doesn't matter who is standing across the ball from you. You're going out with your own mindset that I'm going to go take this one. It's a huge weekend for us as far as taking that next step forward."
On John Campbell Jr. being excited during fall camp and how it's translated into this season… "John has got great energy. He has it Tuesday through Saturday, too, as he's working through it. It's not just a game day thing for him. He preps really well, he practices really hard, he plays through injury. He's banged up, he comes out of the game on Saturday night, a series later and he's right back in the thing. He's a big part of that drive going down for that touchdown that clinched it up for us at the end. He's just been fun to work with. He's been a huge attribute not just on the field but in our locker room and in our weight room. That is the type of guy you want in your program."
On if running the ball more has helped Joe Milton III stay more balanced during a game… "I do think it helps him settle into the game, absolutely, he said that himself. He likes to get a couple carries early and kind of feel like he is in the flow of the game. Yeah, that absolutely has factored into it. The other part is just like what I'm saying, he is seeing defenses really well right now. He's doing a really good job with his eyes. Starts with your eyes and now you can get your feet in the right position. Now you can throw the ball accurately and on time. That's what you have seen the last two weeks, but I would completely agree that him getting some carries, some runs and some contact early in the game is good for him."
On where he is on the slot WR spot behind Squirrel White… "We got a bunch of guys that have played. The unfortunate part is that we got some guys that are injured, so we have had to move people around. The positive is we have a lot of guys that have played there. Chas Nimrod has played live snaps in the slot, as well. He was playing there against South Carolina. Dont'e Thornton Jr. can always kick in, so there is a bunch of different bodies that we can move all over the place and get the right group on the field to go let us be successful."
On leading the SEC in rushing despite having players in and out on the offensive line… "Coach Glen Elarbee does a great job preparing these guys to play. We get a good plan in place and the guys do a good job at dialing in and executing that plan. They do a really good job communicating up front, especially with the tempo and getting us all on the same page. That's why we're able to keep hitting these big plays in the running game, but the fact that it's been guy after guy rolling through there, there hasn't really been a step down when someone else has had to step in. It really goes to how well coach Elarbee prepares those guys. One, in the offseason, but two, in just a regular game week for the actual game plan of how everything is being blocked versus looks. They go out and they execute at a really high level."
RS-Senior DB Wesley Walker
On losing Kamal Hadden and the guys that are going to step up in his absence…"Kamal is a really good player. He was making really big strides this year. It sucks to lose him, but people have to step up. I think we have people in the room that are built for it, too, and approach their situation the right way. Now that they have the opportunity, I know they will fill in his role really well."
On their performance against Kentucky…
"Really just some misalignments. I'm a part of it as well. There were a few plays where I was misaligned and had a wrong assignment. It's football, it's not going to be perfect. There are schemes to scheme certain players that they place out there. I wasn't happy looking at the film. There are a lot of things to correct. It was an ugly win, but we got it done. We're going to learn from it for sure."
Senior OL Javontez Spraggins
On how much the offensive line takes pride in leading the conference in rushing…"We take pride in it every day in everything we do. We talked a lot last year about how we were a great passing offense, now it's different. Being the best run offense, it's just whatever they put in our face we're going to take that and grind with it every day. Us being the best at the run game right now is what we plan on doing for the rest of the year. It's not going to change from this point."
On what's allowed the offensive line to keep a high level of play with many personnel changes throughout the season…
"It's just how it is every day as a group. We're a family, this team is a family. Every day we go into the meeting rooms, we have each other's back. It's not just a bunch of individuals in there doing work, it's a bunch of guys in there that want to help each other, that want to be better, that want to play the game, that want to help their families in the future, and I want to be something. We just take pride in that stuff, it's not one single person. Everybody in that room has a job and if one guy goes out, the next guy better be ready to do their job."
On his role as a leader this week to make sure the team stays focused in a non-conference game…
"We talked about that Monday. It doesn't change. No matter what team you play, it's going to be the same thing. Every week we step on the field we're going to have the same feeling to go out there and execute to the best of our ability and show that other teams can't play with us. It doesn't change. There's no mindset I have to talk to those guys about. If they are already in that mindset, they're in the wrong place."
RS-Senior PK Charles Campbell
On how badly he wanted to kick a final field goal to break his career high..."I did want to go out there and kick it. I really thought that I was going to, but at the end of the day time expired, we got the win and that's all that really matters. Personally, I wanted to kick it, but maybe I'll have another opportunity at it."
On his relationship with Head Coach Josh Heupel...
"Coach Heupel and I talk multiple times throughout the game. After our pregame warm-up we have a conversation about distances, kick lines, wind conditions and such, but all during the game we're communicating. It's a pretty good relationship and he, for the most part, really listens to me. It's kind of really cool that he has confidence in me and my word on field conditions and such."
On what he thought about the fourth field goal hitting the post...
"I think Coach Heupel said that I was living right. When I hit the upright and it went in I was super happy. Thank the Lord it went in. I hit the ball and it was just starting straight at that right upright. I was like 'c'mon, fall in, fall in, fall in'. You could see me on film leaning really hard, kind of hoping and willing it to go in. Thank goodness it went in."
Players Mentioned
PK
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
OL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DB
/ Football
WR
/ FootballFB | Joey Aguilar & Mike Matthews Postgame at Mississippi State (9.27.25)
Sunday, September 28
FB | Josh Heupel Postgame Press Conference vs. Mississippi State (9.27.25)
Saturday, September 27
FB | Cinematic Recap vs. UAB (9.20.25)
Wednesday, September 24
FB | Braylon Staley Media Availability (9.23.25)
Tuesday, September 23
