What Josh Heupel said Monday about Tennessee's College Football Playoff game at Ohio State

What head coach Josh Heupel said during his press conference on Monday to start Ohio State week ahead of Tennessee’s game in the First Round College Football Playoff game Saturday night (8 Eastern Time, ABC/ESPN) at Ohio Stadium in Columbus:

Opening Statement

“I hope everyone is doing great. It’s been a while. Great opportunity this week, playing a big game against a great opponent. A lot of work has gone on to get to this point. Got started back in January, staff and players together and they’ve earned the right to to play in a game like this. Great opponent, great venue. 

“You look at Ohio State defensively, they lead almost every category in the country. Offensively, they’ve got elite players on that side of the ball. And they tie it together well with special teams. So a huge challenge for us, but one we’re really excited about. 

“Preparation has been good. We’ve got to continue that this week and get ready to go play our best football when we get up to Columbus. So great opportunity. Hope we see a bunch of our fans showing up as well.” 

The importance for the Tennessee football program to be in such a meaningful game this time of year

“One of the goals for our program is to earn the right to to get into this tournament. Proud what our our guys have done the first week of this preparation. We got a lot of young guy work. We’ve been intentional with that throughout the course of the season as well. We’ve been trying to continue that as we’ve shifted our focus to to Ohio State. But this is all the work and energy that you put into it, this is where you want to be.”

To get to the College Football Playoff and have tangible results for the goals that they set with current players during their recruitment process

“(This is) the next step for us as as a program. Two years ago I think we finished sixth in country. There are a lot of guys that have been a part of building this.  You look at the senior class, a guy like Dylan (Sampson) that bought into this vision before there was tangible proof on the field of who we are, what we’re about, and how we’re going to go play together. It only happens because of the guys inside that locker room. It’s a room filled of guys that care about the guys around them. They’re elite competitors. And I’m really proud of what they’ve done again to re-stamp this program.”

The pride he takes in getting Tennessee football into the playoffs, considering what he took over in 2021

“Yeah, again, it happens because of your staff and your players all buying into a vision, competing towards that every single day. We continue to take steps. I’m really proud of everybody that’s involved in that. But this is the next step that we had to take as a program. And it’s a great opportunity, but now it’s about what are you going to do with the opportunity? It starts long before you get the kickoff. It’s preparation and practice the right way to give yourself a chance to go play elite football.”

If he feels like his Tennessee roster is set for Saturday and how crazy the month of December is for coaches at this point

“Obviously the calendar and the way that it’s set up, it’s unique. It might be the only sport that operates this way. Transfer portal, free agency, whatever you want to call it, is right in the middle of your postseason play. But we do feel like the roster is set. This group is ready to go compete and ready to prepare the right way. They have had really good energy and focus last week as we knew who our opponent was going to be and we and we could start our preparation. Had great energy today as well.” 

So many Tennessee fans buying tickets and making the trip to Columbus  

“Not with this fanbase. It’s a nice short drive up there. Christmas is right around the corner. It’s a great Christmas present.” 

The talk about the cold weather for the game

“It’s a June day in South Dakota. It’s going to be great football weather. A couple weeks ago we played in 30 degree weather. We practiced in the morning, still chill. As cold as it will be around this area, and at the end of the day, you get between the white lines, weather doesn’t matter. The temperature doesn’t. And we’ll be ready to go play. It will be a lot of fun.”

His response if anyone thinks Tennessee should just be happy to be in the College Football Playoff

“If you’re just happy to be there, it’s going to be a a quick cup of coffee. And the mindset of this team is get ready to go play our best football. We understand the environment that we’re playing. They have an elite roster, really good coaches, prestigious program. We have to go play good football. Doesn’t take anything extraordinary, at the same time. It’s us doing the ordinary things at a really high level consistently for 60 minutes. Looking forward to continuing our prep to get ready to go play.”

On how much they’ve benefited from the last two weeks off, importance of physicality against Ohio State

“It typically happens in this league. As you go through all those games, every football team in this league is gonna be banged up. Having a couple of extra weeks to heal up, I feel like we’ll have everybody ready to roll when we get up there. The line of scrimmage is gonna be important in this one. It always is in big football games. You got to be able to run the football on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, you gotta control the line of scrimmage. It’s your first and second level and your safeties, in particular, but the line of scrimmage will matter. You want to get people in the predictable third downs and then be able to rush the passer and get off the field.”

On if this team feels like it belongs here more than they did in 2022

“I don’t think anybody in the locker room had whiplash two years ago. But we understand what big games look like, what they feel like. The type of environments that you’re gonna play in. Certainly understand you’re playing great opponents and the preparation, I think they have a great understanding of. And then the competitive makeup that you have to have when you get to game day. There’s going to be ups and downs, back and forths in these types of games. And staying consistent, having elite competitive makeup, mindset, really important.”

What he’s learned about Nico Iamaleava in his first year as a full time starter

“I just think his ability to reset and go play the next play, next drive, next half. His ability to continue to grow and compete throughout the course of the football game as a young quarterback that is really hard to do. He’s done a really good job of that.”

Tennessee’s signing class arriving on campus and going through practice

“Yeah. Got a chance to get on the field with them yesterday and today. So it’s a really good group, athletic traits. I mean, the way they’ve handled themselves just getting into campus for the first time. They’ve done a really nice job. Really excited about what we’ve seen from those guys so far. It’s been a lot of fun having that influx of guys, talent into our roster here as they get an opportunity to experience postseason play.”

Tennessee’s defensive backs against Ohio State’s receivers

“It’ll be a big, big part of it. Can’t give up a bunch of big explosive plays where they create momentum, field position, ability to score points. So it does start with the line of scrimmage for us, but we got to do a great job of playing disciplined and matching people out, playing with fundamentals and technique, and then going and making plays. There’s going to be one-on-one situations. We got to win the lion’s share of those.”

Ohio State being efficient in the red zone both on offense and defense

“Defensively, within the scope of the structure that they’re playing, they’ve got great discipline. Their eyes are in their eyes are the right spot. They match things out. Their front seven makes it tough to run the football. And then offensively from them, they do a really good job in those situations. Dynamic playmakers out on the outside, so when you load up the box, they got guys that have the opportunity to go win in one-on-ones. And when you don’t, they’re efficient running the football. Running backs are elite. For us, defensively, we’ve got to do a great job. And if you can hold them to field goals, it changes the way the game’s played. Offensively, we’ve got to find a way to get seven down there.”

Having incoming recruits on campus for practice helps reinforce the message about making the playoffs to recruits

“Yeah, absolutely. You’re not talking about it. They’re right in the midst of it and they’re part of the preparation. They’re learning what it looks like to be a college football player at this level, but to do it inside of our building. And you’re doing it while you’re preparing for a big game. 

So not a better opportunity to understand what it’s gonna take to play at the highest level.”

If they can have no wrinkles at this point or if they are what they are

“Yeah. We have nothing new defensively, offensively, or special teams. We’ll be exactly what we’ve done.”

How much more intense this week is compared to a year ago given everything the program is juggling right now

“End of the day, you’re always gonna prepare the way that you need to put your kids in the best position. You’re never gonna take away from that. This job, college football in general, is dramatically different than it was two, four, six, eight years ago. The way the calendar is, there’s a lot of things that you’re juggling all at one time. You got to find a way to navigate that. That’s why the people inside the building that help you are integral to your success. On the recruiting side of it, what coaches say is a piece of the puzzle, man, but it’s not the biggest piece. When they get here, understanding the culture, what it looks like to be inside the building. Your players are your greatest attribute when it comes to recruiting.”

If there’s extra excitement to play in a venue they wouldn’t normally get to during the regular season

“Absolutely. You know, one of the goals you have is to get into postseason play, you’re in the tournament and now it’s about preparation and getting ready to go play your best football. You can see the focus in the guys and at the same time, not making it bigger than it is. Meaning it’s just 11-on-11. We’re playing a great opponent, great venue. It comes down to doing ordinary things.”

How he has seen freshman wide receiver Braylon Staley develop throughout the season

“Yeah, Braylon’s done a great job. Young player that just has continued to grow through the winter, through the spring, through the summer. More opportunities, you know, chose to play him in four (games), keep the redshirt. But he’s more than ready to go play in this one.”

What Dylan Sampson has meant to the offense on and off the field

“Dylan, super consistent in how he approaches everything inside of our building. That’s (the) meeting room, it’s in the weight room, on the practice field. A dynamic leader for us as a program. And then as a player, just his growth since he’s gotten here. What he’s done to prepare himself to have the load that he’s carried this year. He watched the tape. He’s done a great job of creating big plays, explosive plays, making people miss, but he’s also done a great job of understanding, you know, when it’s not clean, getting his pads down and going plus-two at the end of the run. He plays great without the ball in his hands as well, and a huge part of our success as a football team.”

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabreil following in the footsteps of several great quarterbacks throughout his career

“I think one of the great traits of Dillon, he’s extremely grounded in who he is, has a great family, but because of that, he’s not worried about tomorrow and what came before him. He’s truly in the present. He’s that way inside of the building. He’s an elite competitor, and that makeup has just allowed him, no matter where he’s at, to be able to garner respect from the guys. And once you gain that, man, everybody sees what type of competitor and how he plays. He’s a dynamic playmaker, man. One of the best that I’ve been around.”

What he has seen from Nico Iamaleava on and off the field

“As a young player, everybody wants the quarterback to be the leader immediately. Smart, young quarterbacks understand that there’s a growth and an evolution to it. Nico has been great in one-on-one situations from the time that he got here. Communicating with wideouts, he grew into communicating and challenging the five guys in front of him, but now you can feel, you know, as he started to play, you can feel his presence in everything that we’re doing every single day. Nico’s got a great understanding of, man, you’ve got to be with the guys. You’re not one of the guys when you’re the quarterback, but you’ve got to be with the guys. You see him at the hotel on Friday nights, he’s eating dinner with the offensive linemen, he’s with the defensive linemen. He does a great job of getting out of his quarterback group, or just the offensive unit, and developing relationships with those guys. That’s a big part of leadership. Those guys have a relationship with you, understanding that you care about them, allows you to lead them.”