Everything Josh Heupel said Monday during the Big Orange Caravan stop in Chattanooga

Everything Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said Monday night during the Big Orange Caravan stop in Chattanooga, talking the NFL Draft results for the Vols, roster management entering the summer and more:

On the new clock rules in college football, the clock not stopping after first downs

“I mean, I don’t (feel strongly about it). It’s not going to change how the game is played for any offense, any style. When (the ball is) set, it will be ready. It shortens the game in some respects. I guess we’ll see more on the back end what type of changes it actually has.”

If it affects tempo offenses more than non-tempo offenses

“It just shortens the length of the game. We’ll see how much of an effect that actually has on number of possessions per game, that type of things.”

If they’ll look for a third quarterback at some point during the offseason

“You guys know my philosophy on the portal. I’ve said it’s a way to supplement your roster. As you look at who is in, you evaluate them. Do they fit? Do they make your roster stronger, deeper, better? So we’ll continue to do that with the names that are in there. I think there are probably another day or so where some names might trickle in over the weekend.”

How he felt about Tennessee third-string quarterback Gaston Moore’s growth over the spring

“I thought he did a really nice job. For our fans, for you guys, it’s the most action you’ve been able to see him have. I thought he handled it in the spring game, but also the other scrimmages extremely well. Communicates, runs it efficiently and effectively. Guys are in the right spot, he’s continuing to grow. He had a really good spring.”

His reaction to the NFL Draft, Tennessee having five players selected

“Man, super excited for those guys. I think five guys in the first three rounds, second most in the country. Excited about taking the next step. You see the wideouts go. Proud of those guys. We’re excited for them.”

The span in the third round Friday night when Tennessee had four players selected over a span of nine picks

“Yeah, wish we could’ve preplanned that and gotten everyone in front of the TV sets across Tennessee to see all that action. Awesome to see all those guys go. You look at all their journeys, different but in some ways similar. Those are all guys that really invested, grew from the time that our staff got here. Where they started their careers out at that point, how they moved forward. Those guys because some of the most prominent names in college football. They put themselves in position to be drafted. I expect all of them to those guys to handle it like a pro as they transition to the next level and have a ton of success.”

If it’s frustrating when people knock Tennessee’s offense as not producing players that have experience in a pro-style system

“Man, 10 years ago I think there was a trickle-down effect form the NFL to college. I think it’s the exact opposite in today’s landscape. Over the last three cycles, or the last three drafts, we’ve had five wide receivers (drafted). I’ve had more wide receivers drafted in the last three years than any other college coach. I think that speaks to what we’re doing, how we’re developing those guys, those guys understanding coverages, concepts, but also how to beat man coverage. That can be press, that can be off-technique. That doesn’t just happen by accident. I think what we do does translate in how those guys developed.”

If Tennessee scoring 46.0 points per game last season is a number that jumps out to him

“Well, we want to score every time we’ve got the ball. At the end of the day, we want to win football games. That’s the most important thing. So the number we pay the most attention to is the record and at the end of the day we’ve got to get to Atlanta. We’ve got to continue to grow as a program.”

Chattanooga having multiple Power 5 players in this recruiting cycle

“Chattanooga has had a long history of great players. You can go all the way back to Reggie White, who is the best defensive lineman to ever play this game. This is a great area. It’s been an area that has been extremely important to Tennessee, our football team, for a very long time. It’s certainly important to myself and our staff. We’ve tried to recruit the entire state, but we’ve been very intentional on how we’ve recruited Tennessee as well.”

Using the NFL Draft as a selling point for his current Tennessee players about working to get to that point

“It absolutely speaks to our current roster. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it. That’s not just while you’re playing with the ’T’ on the side of your helmet. It puts you in position to make a career out of this thing. Those guys that got drafted, it will be a career. I think it speaks (to) all of our young players, but guys that have been around these guys (that were drafted) for two years, saw the work that they put in. It changes behaviors, it changes the habits inside of our locker room. Absolutely it’s important inside of our own roster, not just recruiting new guys to Tennessee.”

Hendon Hooker going in the third round of the NFL Draft, if there’s a chip on his shoulder from that

“Hendon, he’s the same way every single day. Was he disappointed in (going in the third round) in some ways? Probably. At the same time, extremely excited about going to Detroit. That’s a team that he spent a lot of time with, that was very intentional with him. It’s an opportunity for him to grow, get healthy, compete, get on the field and have an opportunity to become the face of that franchise. So he’s super excited, his family is too. My staff, myself, couldn’t be more excited for him too.”

If he’s Switzerland in the debate over eight or nine games in the SEC schedule

“I don’t know if I’m Switzerland, but I have no effect on what is going to happen on that. There has been a lot of debate from the commissioner to the athletic directors. I have no idea where they’re at at this point … I think it’s important you keep traditional rivalries. That you get a chance to play those games that mean a bunch to your fanbase and guys inside your locker room too.”