2-Minute Drill: Tennessee coordinators, players look ahead for UConn this weekend
Tennessee offensive coordinator Joey Halzle and defensive coordinator Tim Banks, along with three players, took time with the local media Tuesday morning to reflect on the win over Kentucky and to look ahead to this weekend’s Homecoming matchup with UConn.
On area of growth on the offensive side of the football was the emergence of wide receiver Dont’e Thornton and his move from the slot to the outside.
“Putting him outside, you could see it on tape, he was just more comfortable originally right from the snap with it,” the offensive coordinator explained. “That’s why he played really well out there. He had his best game of the season by far. The one that you’re talking about was a scramble drill. He was running that curl and then Joe scrambled to the left and kind of directed him back inside because he felt the dead spot. The best part about it was that was a contested catch. That kid was coming outside in on him, dove in front of him, took his vision as he was getting ready to catch it, he stuck his hands out, caught it in a straight vertical and you saw him start to make a big run down the field right there. So it was really good to see the competitive catch an off-schedule situation where this isn’t how he coached it and planned it, practiced it, just react, make a play and then go get big yards after the catch. Was good to see.”
On the defensive side of the football, Tennessee wasn’t as sharp defending the pass, something it has done well with over the course of the season. Still, the Vols did a great job shutting down the run and play-maker Ray Davis.
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“We went in the game very deliberate – we knew what they wanted to be. I think they were leading the SEC and yards per carry, and we didn’t want to allow those guys to do that. So, we had made a conscious effort to take the runaway,” Banks said. “And you got to get those guys a lot of credit. The quarterback is a veteran player who made a ton of great throws. But obviously every game’s different. From our perspective, we try to identify what their strengths are. We try to minimize it. So, whatever the game plan needs to be to win the game is always what the game plan is, and we felt like we needed to take away the run and we felt like we did a great job that way.”
Brent Hubbs and Austin Price react to the busy Tennessee Tuesday on Rocky Top on the Exterior Home Solutions 2-Minute Drill.
