What Tennessee offensive coordinator Joey Halzle said during Tuesday's press conference

Tennessee offensive coordinator Joey Halzle met with reporters on Tuesday, looking back at the win at Kentucky, previewing the Homecoming game against UConn and updating the progress of the Vols on offense:

Tennessee’s tempo in the Kentucky game and why the Vols were able to go faster than earlier in the year

“I think it starts with we didn’t have as many self-inflicted wounds. We weren’t getting negatives, we weren’t taking penalties early. That kind of gets you off the tempo and now you gotta get into some different formation-style plays. And then the other thing, we just did a good job communicating, guys getting set out wide, O-line snapping down. Like it’s all about just the continued buy-in of when I’m getting tired and all that snapping down, going, playing at all positions. And it just builds to our advantage. And the guys did that at a really high level, which is why we had that kind of production.”

If Tennessee coaches went into the season knowing the run game could be the strength of this offense

“I think one of those things as a staff, we knew what we had in the running back room, we thought we had one of the elite running back rooms in the country. That and, with being younger at wide out, moving in, like you had a chance to go lean on those guys a little bit, which is what we’ve done. And they’ve taken that opportunity and really made the most of it. So it’s not like shying away or going towards it. We have a really good running back room and those guys have have played well with the ball in their hand. And it’s like, let’s feed them. I think we said that Week 1, when everyone was asking about the run game. It’s like, man, it was hard to stop as a staff to say like, let’s start calling the throw. Like, we’re running for six, seven yards a pop. That thing is keeping us rolling down the field right there. So it’s been fun to watch those guys work.”

Tennessee’s opportunity on Saturday to play younger players

“This one is, it was big because we need to go play the way we need to go play on offense. We need to put together a really good performance handle our business. And like what you’re saying, if other guys get the opportunity to play, that’s great. But it’s all about going and rolling out there with our group and putting together a product on the field, the way this offense can and should play out there. That’s our biggest focus working on this one. So it’s a huge game for us as far as that stands.”

What he saw from Tennessee receiver Dont’e Thornton playing out wide

“Putting him outside, you could see it on tape, he was just more comfortable originally right from the snap with it. 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.”

What made Joe Milton effective in Tennessee’s win at Kentucky

“I think it’s just been the growth throughout the season. Like from one week to the next, continuing to push in his preparation to push in his development. And there’s just, I keep saying there’s no substitute for live reps. The more and more you get, the better you play, the more comfortable you feel. And it has been fun watching him continue to grow and keep diving into how he’s prepping for everything. He did play one of his best games of the season, I think it was. You’re running the ball well, we’re doing what we need to you to control the box. He’s making the right decisions out wide and that’s why we’re putting it together a bunch of good drives in that way.”

The importance of Tennessee not looking past UConn to Missouri next week

“If you watch college football, you do that one time, you’re gonna put yourself in a situation to have a really bad weekend. Everybody’s good. I don’t care what anybody’s record says. These guys have a bunch of one-possession ballgames. That’s the fact of what it is. You better show up and you better play. And we’re at the point now where we’re trying to make a push down the stretch. So every game matters as far as how are we still building, we need t. Coach Heup preaches it every day. You have to still be getting better this time of year. So if you’re still getting better this time of year, it doesn’t matter who’s standing across the ball from you, you’re going out with your own mindset to I’m gonna go take this one. So that’s a huge weekend for us as far as taking that next step forward.”

What has allowed Tennessee left tackle John Campbell to have so much success

“John’s got great energy. He has it Tuesday through Saturday too. As you’re working through it, it’s not just a game day thing for him. He preps really well. He practices really hard. He plays through injury, he’s banged up. He comes out of the game on Saturday night, series later he is right back in the thing and he’s a big part of that drive going down for that touchdown that clenched it up for us at the end. So he’s just been fun to work with. Like he’s been a huge attribute, not just on the field but in our locker room, in our weight room. Like that’s the type of guy you want in your program.”

If Joe Milton running helps him settle in

“I do think it helps him settle into the game. Absolutely. He said that himself, he likes to get a couple carries early and kind of feel like he’s in the flow of the game. So yeah that absolutely has factored into it. And then the other part is just like I’m saying, he’s seeing defenses really well right now. He’s doing a really good job with his eyes. Starts with your eyes now you can get your feet in the right position, throw a call accurately and on top and that’s what you’ve seen in the last two weeks. But I would completely agree that him getting some carries, some runs, some contact early in the game is good for him.”

What Dont’e Thornton moving outside means for Tennessee slot receivers behind Squirrel White

“We got a bunch of guys that have played. The unfortunate part, we’ve had some guys injured so we’ve had to move people around. The positive is we had a lot of guys that have played there. Chas (Nimrod) has played live snips in the slot as well. He was playing there against South Carolina. Dont’e can always kick in. So there’s a bunch of different bodies we can move all over the place and get the right group on the field to go let us be successful.”

Tennessee’s offensive line continuing to have success while dealing with injuries throughout the season

“Coach Elarbee does a great job of preparing these guys to play. We get a good plan in place and the guys do a good job of dialing in and executing that plan. They do a really good job communicating up front, especially with the tempo and getting us all on the same page. And that’s why we’re able to keep hitting these big plays in the running game. But the fact that it’s been guy after guy rolling through there and there hasn’t really been a step down when someone else has had to step in, it really goes to how well Coach Elarbee prepares those guys, one, in the off season but two, like in just a regular game week for the actual game plan and how everything’s being blocked versus looks and they go out and they execute at a really high level.”