Josh Heupel, Eli Drinkwitz preview Tennessee-Missouri on SEC teleconference

What Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel and Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said Wednesday on the SEC coaches teleconference, previewing the fifth-ranked Vols (8-1, 4-1 SEC) hosting the Tigers (4-5, 2-4) on Saturday (Noon Eastern Time; TV: CBS) on Senior Day at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville:

Tennessee Coach Josh Heupel

OPENING STATEMENT

“Good afternoon, everybody. Got a big one this week here. For us, an opportunity to celebrate our seniors, their last time in Neyland Stadium this week. Will be great to recognize this group of guys that have poured so much into this program. Stuck it out here in tough times and have helped this program continue to rise here over the last two years, since myself and my staff got here. Appreciative of what those guys have done and what they’ve meant to this football program and the Power T during their playing career. Obviously in the future, too. 

“Playing Missouri. A good football team that, I think, continues to get better, in particular on the defensive side of the ball. They’ve gone through this year with a new defensive coordinator. They’re physical, they to the football extremely well, they do a great job of tackling in space, too. For us defensively, the line of scrimmage will be extremely important in this one. Handling all their shifts, motions, all their eye candy that they do on the offensive side of the ball. (Have to) have great gap integrity. Looking forward to going and competing with our guys one more time inside of Neyland.”

THE IMPROVEMENT FROM MISSOURI’S DEFENSE SINCE LAST YEAR

“In some respect, they have some different personnel from the previous year, just on their roster, who they’re using and where they’re using them at. Guys that were there a year ago have done a great job of really developing. I think they do a great job with their eyes. And I say that meaning they have great gap integrity. They handle everything that offenses are throwing at them extremely well. Their front seven are extremely difficult. Difficult to run the football. They’ve been really efficient against the pass as well. Defensively they’re playing at a really high level. Third down, they do a great of affecting the quarterback with their pressures. They’ve made it uncomfortable for everybody we’ve seen on tape. We’ve got to control the line of scrimmage and, for us, got to stay out of third-and-longs and doing a great job of being extremely efficient on first and second down.”

IF THEY SPEND ANY TIME LOOKING AT LAST SEASON’S GAME WHILE PREPARING FOR THIS ONE

“Both programs continue to grow, change. Defensively, with the new coordinator, they’re so different. In some of your personnel cutups, you may revert back to some of the things, our guys versus their guys at certain spots where there is carryover, playing again the year. But for the most part, new scheme, new coordinator, new defense, new attitude. And playing extremely physical. So you focus on what’s in front of you.”

BOUNCING BACK FROM THE PERFORMANCE AT GEORGIA

“Obviously extremely disappointing in the outcome of the game and, in a lot of respects, some of the things we did during the course of the game. Wasn’t because we didn’t prepare the right way. But reset on Monday. Opportunity to grow, opportunity to learn. No matter whether you win or lose, you have to reset. Our guys have been great inside the building. Very intentional. The reason our program has climbed, in particular this year, is the consistency of our habits and how we approach every day. Our guys have been true to that .These guys are competitors. They understand what’s in front of us. They only one that matters is the one we’ve got Saturday at Noon. They’re excited. We’ve got to win the preparation battle here the next 72 hours. The lead-up to kickoff has to be good for us.”

IMPRESSIONS OF MISSOURI QUARTERBACK BRADY COOK

“I think he’s been smart. He’s got a good command of what they’re doing. Takes good care of the football. As much as anything, he’s a relentless competitor, man. No matter what the scoreboard says, no matter what the situation, he continues to compete at a really high level. And I think he’s grown throughout the course of the season.”

MEMORIES FROM HIS TIME AT MISSOURI AS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR 

“I don’t know, I think first of all you think about the relationships with players that were there, staff members. Still stay in touch with some of those guys. While I’ve been here recruiting, just gotten a chance to get with some of those guys that played for us. Proud of what we did, what we built, from when we got there. What the roster looked like, competed, how we handled everyday, to where we finished. Really proud of what we did there.”

WORKING WITH TENNESSEE OFFENSIVE LINE COACH GLEN ELARBEE AND TENNESSEE QUARTERBACKS COACH JOEY HALZLE DURING HIS TIME AT MISSOURI

“Some of those guys I knew before I got to Missouri. Some of them, Missouri was our first time together. Smart, tough, competitors. Guys that are great teachers, guys that developed great relationships with our guys that helped guys reach their goals and dreams. Really proud of the collective team. Those guys were going to work hard. So were some of the attributes we saw in some of those guys.”

Missouri Coach Eli Drinkwitz

OPENING STATEMENT

“Obviously excited about the game. Good Tennessee football team. Coach Heupel has them playing at a really high level. Defensively they’re a veteran group, a lot of older players that play really fast. Offensively, Hendon Hooker is playing at a Heisman level. They’ve got some really good skill positions around him. It’s going to be a really difficult task and our team is accepting the challenge.”

THE KEY TO THEIR DEFENSIVE TURNAROUND FROM LAST SEASON

“I think there’s a lot of things. Obviously our defensive coordinator, staff, have really got these guys believing and playing hard. I think the continuity of scheme, continuing to adapt last year’s style, but also making sure the guys weren’t having to relearn everything. Some of the calls are the same. It’s just how we present them are a little bit different. I think also the addition of some really good players in the defensive line and at the linebacker position as well as the safety position. Increased depth. Obviously, we’re about six deep at defensive tackle. We’re five to six deep at defensive end. We added a really good linebacker in Ty’Ron Hopper, obviously one of our starting safeties is a transfer, Joseph Charleston. So we were able to not only improve technique, some scheme stuff, but also with our players.”

IF THEY TALK TO THE TEAM ABOUT LAST YEAR’S TENNESSEE GAME OR IGNORE IT

“Well, it definitely happened. It definitely was something that, as a coach, you always remember being embarrassed like that. But it’s not something we’ve discussed this week or this year. Has no bearing on this game from our standpoint. They don’t get to carry any of those scores into this year’s game. We don’t get to carry any of our turnovers into this year’s game. So it’s a new game. A new opportunity. Last year really doesn’t have any bearing on this year.”

THE AVAILABILITY OF DARIUS ROBINSON

“Yeah, Darius was out at practice yesterday. Look forward to him playing against Tennessee.”

HOW MUCH THEY LOOK AT LAST YEAR’S TENNESSEE GAME TO PREPARE FOR THIS OFFENSE 

“Well, we did an offseason study on all the teams that gave us issues on both sides of the ball. So we’ve obviously looked at that game. Then you try to make connections. Again, they’re a different team. Obviously Hendon (Hooker) is playing at a really high level. Some of the wide receivers, I don’t even think Jalin (Hyatt) played against us last year very much. So I think you’ve got to see what their offensive style is and see if what they did last year, there were some things they did differently because of a different defensive scheme that we trotted out there in the first quarter. We’re aware of what they did to us and what we need to try to do to stop it. I’m sure they will try it and see if we did.”

THIS TENNESSEE DEFENSE BEING DIFFERENT THIS SEASON

“I think the first thing that jumps off the page to me is the veteran group. I think everybody in the two-deep is either a redshirt senior, senior or redshirt junior, minus one defensive tackle. They are guys with a lot of experience. They’ve got experience in this league. They play downhill. They play really fast. Coach Banks has those guys playing really fast, really aggressive. And when they get a lead, they seem to be more aggressive and more downhill. So they play really complementary football, and that’s a tip of the cap to Coach Heupel and the style he’s been able to build on both sides of the ball. Because they really complement each other well.”

WHERE HIS TEAM HAS IMPROVED THE MOST SINCE EARLY IN THE SEASON

“I think overall, the effort and intensity that we play with. The preparation that we put into each week is really improving. I think when you look at the totality of our team, we’re still a young football team that is going to have a lot of guys come back. We’ve got some veterans in key spots. But some of the mistakes that we’re making are younger players that are just growing up and continuing to develop and you’ve got to go through some of those growing pains. So I’m not disappointed or dismayed by the effort or intensity and competitive spirit that we present every game.”