Watch: Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks' Tuesday press conference

Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks met with reporters Tuesday morning, previewing the 19th-ranked Vols (4-1, 1-1 SEC) against Texas A&M (4-2, 2-1) on Saturday (3:30 p.m. Eastern Time, CBS) at Neyland Stadium:

What Tennessee coaches have seen from Texas A&M with Max Johnson at quarterback and if it differs from what the Aggies were doing earlier in the season with Connor Weigman 

“No, I think they’re the same. You know, honestly, I didn’t even realize, I mean, I knew another quarterback got hurt, but I didn’t realize how many snaps that Johnson has played in his career. He’s a veteran. He’s extremely poised. Everybody, they’re running their offense and some of they plays that he’s made under duress just kind of speaks to his confidence and the confidence they have in him as a quarterback. So I don’t think they really missed a beat. I think they’ve obviously tried to play to his strengths — he’s a lefty. But at the end of the day, I think they’re very similar.”

If he was confident that Tennessee’s pass rush would be this productive this quickly this season

“Obviously every year you try to figure out where you could be better at and obviously that was an area we knew we needed to improve on. And yeah, we always feel confident that the things that we work on, we’re gonna see some returns on it. And pass rush isn’t any different, pass coverage isn’t any different. Those guys have really worked extremely hard in their crafts and you guys have obviously seen the fruits of their labor.”

What Texas A&M does in terms of scheme under offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino that will present challenges for Tennessee’s defense

“I think all the gap schemes that these guys run, all the pin and pull plays, they’re a physical group. They want to run the ball downhill. They got a pretty healthy amount of running backs that are interchangeable that they’ll bring in there. And you don’t see a lot of two-back run games from a lot of people and those guys have the ability to get into some two-back situations and try to out-gap you, so to speak, with a true fullback if you will. So it is a tough scheme to get ready for, particularly this day and age in football, because you don’t see a lot of that. So we know we’re gonna have our hands full. And we need every single practice to be able to get ready for it.”

Arion Carter’s extra work in the film room and how he’s seen that play a part in the growth of the Tennessee freshman linebacker

“It is tremendous, because he is that kid, he’s a kid who wanted to be great all the way back to the recruiting process. And every kid thinks they’ll just show up and take over with their athleticism. But the reality of it is at this level, it’s the small margins that you’re going to win in and that’s obviously the film study. And that’s taking care of your body, that’s doing all those little things and he’s really committed to that lifestyle at this point. So we’re very pleased with where he is is and we know he’s really now, being honest, (just) scratching the surface on how good he can truly be.”

How much being able to rotate players at different positions on Tennessee’s defense has helped the group be more successful this season 

“I think anytime you can rotate guys, it’s great for the long term. We’re starting to come down the back stretch of the season and you know, obviously nobody’s as healthy as they were at the beginning of the season. So the more guys you can play and take some of those licks off of them, the better. And then I think the second component of it’s just great for morale. Guys work extremely hard and they get so many opportunities. So any chance you get to get those guys in the game to let them feel the energy and feel a part of it is always a benefit for us. So that’s tremendous.” 

How Tennessee defensive backs Gabe Jeudy-Lally and Kamal Hadden have progressed

“I think both of those guys are playing well. They’re confident in what they’re doing. I think just like anything, you gotta have thick skin to be able to play corner. It’s very similar to quarterback, everybody sees you. A lot of times they don’t see the really good things that they do all game, but they’ll always recognize the bad plays. So Gabe has been solid all year. He’s been physical when he needed to be, in terms of tackling. And I think Kamal’s starting to come along. He obviously has really good ball skills as he continues to work through his technique, which he does, you know, I think the sky is the limit for both of those guys.”

The challenge Tennessee defensive backs will face against Texas A&M’s skill players

“A&M, from the running backs to the skilled guys on the edges, they’ve got really good players that have shown up on tape against everybody, week in and week out. Those guys do a really good job of, A, their coaches putting them in situations for them to be successful. And, B, when the ball is in those guys’ hands, we gotta do a great job of tackling. So it’s gonna be a tremendous matchup, it really is. Feel really good about our backend and our secondary and the direction that we’re headed. And just like every SEC opponent we will see, these guys are a little different. They have tremendous amount of skill over there and we are going to have to play at a high level to be able to be successful.”

What made Eric Berry so special as a defensive back during his All-American career at Tennessee

“Yeah, I mean, from afar, I’ve had a chance to watch him. Then just his passion, the energy that he played with. I don’t know, can you teach instincts? I don’t know. But his instincts were off the board, off the charts and he just played so fast and you could just feel the energy and the passion when he made plays. All the players that have come back and talked about him just talk about his leadership skills as well, particularly on the field. So it’s a tremendous honor, obviously for him. And we talk about him a lot in the recruiting process. He set the standard of what defensive back looks like as a Vol. So we’re trying to recruit those type of guys, but he was definitely a pleasure to watch it. And obviously it’s great to have him on our sideline hopefully this weekend.”

How much freedom it gives him as a defensive playcaller when the defensive front is able to consistently pressure the quarterback

“I think it’s huge because obviously the more guys that you send, the more pressure you put on the (defensive backs). And anytime you get home, your coverage variety starts to expand and gives guys a chance to not just always be in one-on-one situation. So our front has done a really good job of obviously getting to the quarterback. But I would tell guys, like I said last year, I think our secondary has done a really good job of buying some time to get those guys a chance. So it always goes hand in hand, but definitely when you get home. it definitely takes some pressure off the back end and the back seven.”

If Arion Carter and Tennessee’s young linebackers have been able to take on more responsibility in the time since Keenan Pili was injured

“I think the more they play, obviously the better they’ll get, the more comfortable they’ll get. You always want to play the guys’ strengths and put them in the best possible situations to be successful. But there is no substitution for playing. I mean it really is. And I looked out there one time I saw (Jeremiah) Telander and AC (Arion Carter) out there at the same time. It’s just what it is, man, two true freshmen, playing in big football games. But that’s what they signed up for, that’s why we recruited them. So as they continue to grow, we continue to give them more. But I wouldn’t tell you we cut our playbook in half for any stretch. Those guys have to learn it and they have to execute it, and so far they’ve been really up for the task.”