Hello HOB. Happy Halloween to y’all. I’ve already been “tricked” as I took off from home with a dead iPad battery today. But here’s the video from Mark Stoops’ final presser of the week before the Cats travel to Tennessee. I will update with the written notes when I get back home.
MARK STOOPS Q&A:
* Feels like it's been a "solid" week of practice. Hopefully some improvements have been made. Know it's going to be a big challenge, have to be better.
* On the injury situation... Young guys have their opportunity to step up. We'll see how they respond. It's always a next-man-up mentality.
* This could be a game where Daveren Rayner uses one of his games at LB and keeps the redshirt option since D'Eryk Jackson is out.
* This Tennessee is really explosive, especially in the run game, but the thing that stands out the most is how good they are defensively. Very disruptive. It starts up front with them.
* Auburn's OL kinda pushed us around, so we have to strain more in that area. That doesn't happen to us a lot. It's been an exception with this defense. Have to be more fundamentally sound and in the right spots. When you start getting banged up, you lose some of those fundamentals and execution. We just have to be a better version of who we are.
* On missing a couple of older/leader guys at LB... There's no option. The other guys have to go do it. They're prepared, they just have to go play.
* On BVG's demeanor... Brock is fine. He never really changes. Does the best he can.
* QB situation is still up in the air. "We'll see. I don't see the need to give that information (to Tennessee)."
* On Trayanum and the redshirt possibility.... Says he'll discuss the options with a lot of guys probably next week as they narrow those things down.
* Expects a tough atmosphere as usual at Neyland Stadium. Knows it's a blackout. Thinks it will be pretty hostile. Have to be ready for that.
* On doing well against a tempo offense at Ole Miss earlier this season... Really doesn't mean that much. New team, different circumstances.
* On what he can do to help Bush Hamdan at this point... No. 1 objective is to try go get a victory by any means necessary. Beyond that, there are "program things" that I know I have to get fixed.
MARK STOOPS Q&A:
* Feels like it's been a "solid" week of practice. Hopefully some improvements have been made. Know it's going to be a big challenge, have to be better.
* On the injury situation... Young guys have their opportunity to step up. We'll see how they respond. It's always a next-man-up mentality.
* This could be a game where Daveren Rayner uses one of his games at LB and keeps the redshirt option since D'Eryk Jackson is out.
* This Tennessee is really explosive, especially in the run game, but the thing that stands out the most is how good they are defensively. Very disruptive. It starts up front with them.
* Auburn's OL kinda pushed us around, so we have to strain more in that area. That doesn't happen to us a lot. It's been an exception with this defense. Have to be more fundamentally sound and in the right spots. When you start getting banged up, you lose some of those fundamentals and execution. We just have to be a better version of who we are.
* On missing a couple of older/leader guys at LB... There's no option. The other guys have to go do it. They're prepared, they just have to go play.
* On BVG's demeanor... Brock is fine. He never really changes. Does the best he can.
* QB situation is still up in the air. "We'll see. I don't see the need to give that information (to Tennessee)."
* On Trayanum and the redshirt possibility.... Says he'll discuss the options with a lot of guys probably next week as they narrow those things down.
* Expects a tough atmosphere as usual at Neyland Stadium. Knows it's a blackout. Thinks it will be pretty hostile. Have to be ready for that.
* On doing well against a tempo offense at Ole Miss earlier this season... Really doesn't mean that much. New team, different circumstances.
* On what he can do to help Bush Hamdan at this point... No. 1 objective is to try go get a victory by any means necessary. Beyond that, there are "program things" that I know I have to get fixed.
