University of Tennessee Athletics
Vol Report: Prep Continues for Final SEC Road Trip
November 07, 2017 | Football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee senior Ethan Wolf, juniors Micah Abernathy and Shy Tuttle and freshman Trey Smith met with the media on Tuesday afternoon to talk about the Vols' final SEC road trip.
UT heads to Columbia, Mo., this Saturday to face Missouri after defeating Southern Miss on Homecoming. The Vols are 2-3 all-time when playing the Tigers, having taken a 19-8 win when the two teams met in Columbia in 2015 and a 63-37 victory at Neyland Stadium last season.
The potential series-tying game will be aired on SEC Network at 7:30 p.m. ET with Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers and Cole Cubelic providing game coverage.
Playing for the Seniors
With three games left in the regular season and a bowl game on the line, the Volunteers are playing for their seniors.
"We are trying to get them to a bowl game," Abernathy said. "Every year they have been here, they have made it to a bowl game. We are trying to continue that legacy and let them continue on."
Tennessee has made it to a bowl game each of the last three seasons and became one of just nine programs to win three consecutive postseason games since 2014 with a 38-24 victory over Nebraska in the 2016 Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl.
Limiting Missouri's Offense
With practice No. 2 of Missouri week in the books, Tennessee continues its preparation to face the Tigers' explosive, fast-tempo offense. An important factor in the Vols' success will be takeaways and tackles for loss.
 "Coach has been stressing that all year really," Tuttle said. "With tempo offenses, you have to get them behind the line and behind the sticks to make them slow down and do something they are not comfortable with."
In 2017, UT's defense has recorded 51 tackles for a loss of 188 total yards, including 19 sacks for 115 yards. The Vols have also recovered 10 of 14 fumbles so far this season.
"We have our work cut out for us, but we are an extremely confident football team and we are going to go out and give our best effort," Wolf added.
