#21 Vols Aiming To Finish Season Strong At Citrus Bowl

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee football seniors Ramel Keyton, Cooper Mays and Omari Thomas met with members of the media Tuesday as the No. 21 Vols wrapped up another bowl practice inside the Anderson Training Center. Their comments had a common theme and tone as the squad looks to finish the 2023 campaign off on a high note at the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against No. 17 Iowa on Monday, Jan. 1.

Keyton will make his 55th and final appearance for the Big Orange in the bowl game and reflected on the significance of his five-year Tennessee career. He also noted an uptick in intensity as the Vols gear up for a clash with the 2023 Big Ten West champion Hawkeyes.

"It's been a great five years," Keyton said. "There's been plenty of ups and downs. The main thing is going out the right way, so hopefully we can go out with a win, and everything is going to be good … I feel like the intensity in practice, because we have a lot of younger guys competing, has been a little higher. I feel like that's good, because when you're out there competing it makes everybody better."

Mays will round out an All-SEC senior campaign at the Citrus Bowl, and recently announced that he will be returning next season and taking advantage of his COVID-19 exempt fifth year of eligibility. UT's starting center detailed his decision to come back for 2024 during Tuesday's media availability.

"Just my family was the biggest thing," Mays said. "I trust my family and all of my teammates to help me out with the process. I love it around here, and I love being a Volunteer. No better way to finish it than to try and finish it the right way and be here with my brothers."

Thomas, a senior leadership council member and starting defensive tackle for the Big Orange, will also use his COVID season and return as a fifth-year senior in 2024. The Memphis product sees the Citrus Bowl as an opportunity to showcase the identity of the Tennessee football program on a national stage.

"Really, I feel like this bowl game is just going to give us a step, to just really go out there and continue just prove who we are every day in this locker room," Thomas said. "That's something that we're really just trying to put out there, is just who we are as the Tennessee football team. This bowl game gives us another opportunity for that."

Full video and select quotes from Tuesday's player availability can be viewed below.

Tennessee Football Press Conference | Dec. 19, 2023

Senior WR Ramel Keyton

On what playing at Tennessee has meant to him…
"It's been a great five years. There's been plenty of ups and downs. The main thing is going out the right way, so hopefully we can go out with a win and everything is going to be good."

On how important it is to finish his career the right way…
"I feel like it's important for me, especially because in my situation I need to go out and have a good game. I'm doing special teams and things like that to make sure my performance is up to par. I need to perform at a high level so we can go out there and win. That's the main thing."

On how he feels like the team has approached bowl practice…
"I feel like we are going to go out there and do what we need to do. I feel like the intensity in practice, because we have a lot of younger guys competing, has been a little higher. I feel like that's good, because when you're out there competing it makes everybody better."

Senior OL Cooper Mays

On what led into his decision to come back for another season…
"Just my family was the biggest thing. I trust my family and all of my teammates to help me out with the process. I love it around here, and I love being a Volunteer. No better way to finish it than to try and finish it the right way and be here with my brothers."

On the offensive line having the potential to be one of the most experienced lines in the conference next year…
"I think it's huge. I'm obviously a little bit biased, but I think there's no better place to start than the offensive line. We are the foundation of any team, so having experienced guys leading the charge is a good scenario."

On how he wants to improve before next season…
"Main thing is staying healthy during the season, start every game and be a really good leader for everybody around me. I think I make people around me better, so just keep doing that and keep getting better in whatever I do. Getting stronger, more explosive and just trying to get better at everything that I do."

Senior DL Omari Thomas

On how his perspective changes regarding the bowl game knowing that he is returning next season…
"Really, I feel like this bowl game is just going to give us a step to just really go out there and continue just prove who we are every day in this locker room. That's something that we're really just trying to put out there, is just who we are as the Tennessee football team. This bowl game gives us another opportunity for that."

On how prep is going for the bowl game…
"Prep is going good. We've been coming in just looking at the film, just coming in and really using this time to get better. It's like we went back to true fundamentals, true day-one type teaching. Everybody is using it like a fresh restart for everybody. It's been good, prep has been going good. The team, the energy on the team is good. Everybody is locked in, having fun, it's been real good."

On the next step for the defensive line going into next season…
"I would say just not getting complacent. We see what we can do, we see who we can be, but we need to keep that level the whole time. I feel like (there were) times throughout the season where we have played on and off, but we showed who we can be, and we can be a good defensive front for sure, good defensive unit. So, we need to be able to play at that level every game."

University of Tennessee Athletics