CLARK LEA OPENING
Big week for them
Exciting to have something at stake
They’re enjoying having back to back wins and seeing the fruits of their labor
Early stages of this but it’s good to see staying faithful to the process pays off and finding belief and the formula to a positive outcome
They’ll be excited for the task
Tennessee has exciting offense and good defense
He hurts for Hendon Hooker who had a season-ending injury
When a guy like that goes down you hurt for someone who has a season cut short
Milton has proven capable in the past and you could see flashes of that at season’s end
They have a good OL and good design
It’ll take an effort over all three phases
They need to control drives and finish them
ST have to create plays and long fields
Fun to have a meaningful game
Regarding Swann, can he go?
He’s working his way back
They expect him to be available and full-go at practice tomorrow
He hasn’t played football in a while
They know his skills
He’s had enough reps to be ready
If he’s healthy the decision tips to who has the best chance to win
When Mike plays they run well and have also had success in the passing game
They’re fighting to extend their season
The magnitude of this game, do they need to message their players to stay grounded or do the team leaders do that?
They have to be intentional about not adding emotion
They have to be disciplined and pull from the learning of previous weeks
The team is committed to the process they use to prepare during the week so nothing’s different except for schemes they prepare for that are unique to Tennessee
In the end it’s about them playing to their identity
There are aspects of their past two games they need to grow from
Turnovers, times when structures break down
Otherwise it’s the normal spirit and enthusiasm
Great celebration coming Thursday
Do you prepare differently for Milton than Hooker?
There are some nuances but it’s a system offense
They’re still skilled on the perimeter
Milton has all the tools to get the ball out there
The way they stretch you helps that vertical puncture
Milton can run also, he has the tools
How do they structure their secondary right now?
They’re used Taylor as field overhang in past, they’ll move him around in third down
That gives them variation and that’s an advantage on third down
Mahoney can cover but has played deep most of the year
With Wright, he’s settled in as the boundary safety, he’s lined up on TE in 12 personnel
They’re got rhythm with those guys, they won’t deviate from that
TN offense forces you to alter leverage on perimeter
They’ll try to create variation
Playing deep is a new role for Mahoney
Worship has been steady
Older players holding younger guys accountable is a powerful formula
That’s a challenge vs. a tempo team
What did the KY game do for the team?
You’d like to believe you’re able to sell vision and message no matter what and they’re shown they’re willing to accept the message every week without the result
It’s a huge deal to recognize the control they have throughout the game
They’ve fallen victim to offloading power to their opponent
When you avoid self-inflicted wounds you can play football and put pressure on an opponent
Once you recognize the rhythm of that, those learning experience you package away
Go back to halftime at the Ole Miss game, they had momentum and rhythm and at half they fell victim to unnecessary emotions and assumptions about the outcome
The opponents don’t just step away and say the game is yours
When they get a setback they have to fight through it
The team has taken that message to heart the last two weeks
The last two games haven’t been perfect but it’s been good enough to win
Earlier in the year when bad things snowballed the next unit steps in to right the ship (presuming he meant non-conference portion)
Special teams have been great connective tissue between offense and defense, especially two punts inside the 10 last week, that was a huge point of execution
Learning all those things and how they stack up and matter and they have to stay that course and play to their potential
Officiating explanation on the last two plays
Laughs, said he hasn’t had one yet
Had the situation tipped the other way, getting feedback would have been more urgent
In that moment you’re adamant it’s being seen one way and then soon thereafter the ball is being snapped
If you’re not focused in that moment then you can give up a TD but the way they defended that snap took away those options
What does this game mean to him given he played here?
Obviously it means a lot
This is a game he grew up interested in and was very interested in when he played here
As a coach he’s interested in but as a coach his focus is on building the program
Rather than defaulting to the emotions he feels around the game, it’s about the fight to extend the season for his staff and players and they’ve done a great job getting them there
Nothing’s guaranteed and they have to earn it
That put shine on what they’re doing
There are personal emotions there but he’s got to be disciplined
Senior Day, does he have a good count of who may be playing their last game?
Good count would be misleading
They’re have conversations after the game
No great answer right now
Those are conversations they’ve entered into in the bye weeks
Dead period early next week
How does this help recruiting?
Obviously there’s visible evidence
That goes in lockstep with the vision they’re seeing as a program
Everyone’s excited about that
They have to use these opportutnies to go further in recruiting efforts
They have to stay focused on the profile of a Vandy FB player: Toughness, part of something bigger than yourself, build a legacy in turning a program around
The last 2 games have shown people they’re at the beginning of something special
For most of the people they talk to that’s a point of excitement
By being committed to who they are they have a chance to build something special
Injuries: Castillo, Wesley
Both out
So is Ben Cox and Devin Boddie
Those are longer-term
Daevion Davis played a little last week
Swann working back, they expect to have him available
Anchor Collective
That’s a chance for them to level up to the resources available to student athletes
They don’t want kids to have compromises in choosing Vanderbilt
You can invest in your education here, to play in a building program in the best league in college football
“There’s the NFC, the AFC and the SEC,” David Culley told him
They want to structure people to their market value
It’ll never be the lead for them
Big week for them
Exciting to have something at stake
They’re enjoying having back to back wins and seeing the fruits of their labor
Early stages of this but it’s good to see staying faithful to the process pays off and finding belief and the formula to a positive outcome
They’ll be excited for the task
Tennessee has exciting offense and good defense
He hurts for Hendon Hooker who had a season-ending injury
When a guy like that goes down you hurt for someone who has a season cut short
Milton has proven capable in the past and you could see flashes of that at season’s end
They have a good OL and good design
It’ll take an effort over all three phases
They need to control drives and finish them
ST have to create plays and long fields
Fun to have a meaningful game
Regarding Swann, can he go?
He’s working his way back
They expect him to be available and full-go at practice tomorrow
He hasn’t played football in a while
They know his skills
He’s had enough reps to be ready
If he’s healthy the decision tips to who has the best chance to win
When Mike plays they run well and have also had success in the passing game
They’re fighting to extend their season
The magnitude of this game, do they need to message their players to stay grounded or do the team leaders do that?
They have to be intentional about not adding emotion
They have to be disciplined and pull from the learning of previous weeks
The team is committed to the process they use to prepare during the week so nothing’s different except for schemes they prepare for that are unique to Tennessee
In the end it’s about them playing to their identity
There are aspects of their past two games they need to grow from
Turnovers, times when structures break down
Otherwise it’s the normal spirit and enthusiasm
Great celebration coming Thursday
Do you prepare differently for Milton than Hooker?
There are some nuances but it’s a system offense
They’re still skilled on the perimeter
Milton has all the tools to get the ball out there
The way they stretch you helps that vertical puncture
Milton can run also, he has the tools
How do they structure their secondary right now?
They’re used Taylor as field overhang in past, they’ll move him around in third down
That gives them variation and that’s an advantage on third down
Mahoney can cover but has played deep most of the year
With Wright, he’s settled in as the boundary safety, he’s lined up on TE in 12 personnel
They’re got rhythm with those guys, they won’t deviate from that
TN offense forces you to alter leverage on perimeter
They’ll try to create variation
Playing deep is a new role for Mahoney
Worship has been steady
Older players holding younger guys accountable is a powerful formula
That’s a challenge vs. a tempo team
What did the KY game do for the team?
You’d like to believe you’re able to sell vision and message no matter what and they’re shown they’re willing to accept the message every week without the result
It’s a huge deal to recognize the control they have throughout the game
They’ve fallen victim to offloading power to their opponent
When you avoid self-inflicted wounds you can play football and put pressure on an opponent
Once you recognize the rhythm of that, those learning experience you package away
Go back to halftime at the Ole Miss game, they had momentum and rhythm and at half they fell victim to unnecessary emotions and assumptions about the outcome
The opponents don’t just step away and say the game is yours
When they get a setback they have to fight through it
The team has taken that message to heart the last two weeks
The last two games haven’t been perfect but it’s been good enough to win
Earlier in the year when bad things snowballed the next unit steps in to right the ship (presuming he meant non-conference portion)
Special teams have been great connective tissue between offense and defense, especially two punts inside the 10 last week, that was a huge point of execution
Learning all those things and how they stack up and matter and they have to stay that course and play to their potential
Officiating explanation on the last two plays
Laughs, said he hasn’t had one yet
Had the situation tipped the other way, getting feedback would have been more urgent
In that moment you’re adamant it’s being seen one way and then soon thereafter the ball is being snapped
If you’re not focused in that moment then you can give up a TD but the way they defended that snap took away those options
What does this game mean to him given he played here?
Obviously it means a lot
This is a game he grew up interested in and was very interested in when he played here
As a coach he’s interested in but as a coach his focus is on building the program
Rather than defaulting to the emotions he feels around the game, it’s about the fight to extend the season for his staff and players and they’ve done a great job getting them there
Nothing’s guaranteed and they have to earn it
That put shine on what they’re doing
There are personal emotions there but he’s got to be disciplined
Senior Day, does he have a good count of who may be playing their last game?
Good count would be misleading
They’re have conversations after the game
No great answer right now
Those are conversations they’ve entered into in the bye weeks
Dead period early next week
How does this help recruiting?
Obviously there’s visible evidence
That goes in lockstep with the vision they’re seeing as a program
Everyone’s excited about that
They have to use these opportutnies to go further in recruiting efforts
They have to stay focused on the profile of a Vandy FB player: Toughness, part of something bigger than yourself, build a legacy in turning a program around
The last 2 games have shown people they’re at the beginning of something special
For most of the people they talk to that’s a point of excitement
By being committed to who they are they have a chance to build something special
Injuries: Castillo, Wesley
Both out
So is Ben Cox and Devin Boddie
Those are longer-term
Daevion Davis played a little last week
Swann working back, they expect to have him available
Anchor Collective
That’s a chance for them to level up to the resources available to student athletes
They don’t want kids to have compromises in choosing Vanderbilt
You can invest in your education here, to play in a building program in the best league in college football
“There’s the NFC, the AFC and the SEC,” David Culley told him
They want to structure people to their market value
It’ll never be the lead for them
