Aug. 30, 2010

"Well, thank you guys for coming. Certainly there's a lot of excitement in the air this week. First game, there's been a lot of questions about our team over the last eight months, seven months, and we'll finally get to a point we can start finding some of the answers.

"I want to start by crediting Coach (Jason) Simpson and UT Martin for the job they've done. When you look, they've won a championship. They've gone to the playoffs, and they do a great job of coaching. So right there you know because of their success, you're going to be up against something, and I've been on the other shoe.

"This will be their biggest game of the year. I know there's a lot of players on their team that probably are not happy that Tennessee didn't want them, and it's a very similar situation to what I've been through. So we expect them to play their best; and their best is good enough to beat us if we don't come ready to play, that's for sure. I have a lot of respect for what they've done.

"Probably the two biggest concerns on our team right now are first time and first game, and I'll start with first game. Anytime you go into a new season, the first game brings a lot of anxiety. You're always concerned about turnovers. You're always concerned about big special teams plays. I think it happens every year. You know the first few games, you turn on the TV and that's the first thing you see -- guys coughing up the football, a big return on teams or a blocked punt. So all that first game stuff is there, whether you have a young team or a veteran team.

"And then the first time part is really about our young team. When you look at our two-deep, I think we have 18 freshmen in the two-deep, and about 20 or 21 guys who this is going to be their first time stepping out on that field, and with that comes a lot of anxiety, a lot of pressure. And if anybody can think about their first time at doing anything, you know it's not your best. So we have to do a great job as coaches to help manage our first-timers to get through the game and play as good as they can play.

"No new real update on injuries. Brent Brewer, Kevin Cooper and Ben Bartholomew have all been kind of hobbled the last week or so with some nagging injuries, and we expect them to be back and ready to go. So we're a pretty healthy team other than the first two guys we lost early in camp, and I hope we'll be that way come Saturday."

Anything new on Justin Hunter?
"Well, he hasn't up to now, but we expected him to be. I was hoping before practice today. The indications we're getting are we're going to get an answer soon. So I still don't have any resolution on that. Obviously, if he's not cleared, he won't be our two. But y'all know my frustration with this, and there's not much I can say more about it."

On moving Gerald Williams to defensive tackle.
"Well, it's been a couple things, Jimmy. One is our lack of depth and experience at defense tackle. We have a lot of depth and experience at defense end, and so we find ourselves with five or six defense ends who we're not afraid to put in the game and yet only a couple of tackles who consistently performed to where we feel comfortable with them.

"So it's just a big-picture philosophy, put a better guy in, put a better player in. Will Gerald be a better tackle than he will an end? No. But he'll be better playing probably than, you know, the next defensive tackle. What it's really going to amount to is more of a committee on the d-line, and it's going to be based on what the other team's running and what their personnel is in the game and what we anticipate them doing.

"So we're going to play a lot of guys. We'll play some big guys in there, and we're going to put some little guys in there and try to hold up when we can."

How has he taken to the position?
"He's been great. Gerald wants to play, and he's going to play end, too. He's still going to play end. He's going to be kind of one of those back-and-forth guys like Corey Miller -- he'll probably be the other guy that moves back and forth. But Malik's (Jackson) been pretty steady at defensive end, and we think he brings something for us. But when we've got to get some better pass rushers and faster guys in the game and we can hold up on the run, that's when we'll move some of those ends inside."

On Williams' attitude about the move.
"Gerald's been great. He's been great all summer. Been a team guy, and I know he's probably had a lot of issues prior to us coming here, but I think he's been like a lot of these guys. It starts with communicating what the expectation is, and not looking the other way when they don't meet the expectation and then buying into the team concept. And I think Gerald has been phenomenal at that, and he wants to play. His attitude has been great and because of that, he's gotten better every day. He really has, and in the last scrimmage was our most productive d-lineman."

On Greg King not being listed on the depth chart.
"He's just so far behind. It doesn't mean that we're not going to try to work him in and catch him up, but he didn't go through spring practice or training camp. His injuries have really set him back."

On earning trust of his players.
"I think we've made progress, yeah. I think, again, you can blow it one day. So you don't ever arrive when it comes to trust. You're never, `OK, I trust you, we're done.' It's day-to-day relationship building. I think that we've made a lot of progress in that area, and I think the players understand what our expectation is. I think they appreciate what we're trying to do for them. But you'll have to ask them that."

What did you tell the staff, the assistants, about that process of building trust?
"It's the same philosophical way of relationships. Communication is so important, and I told the staff that every player when they look at a coach, you got to show two things for them. You've got to show, No. 1, that you care about them as people, and that's the most important thing. If they don't think you care about them as a person, you may as well forget about it right then. You're not going to get them to do anything. You show you care about them as people every day, whether it's something related to school or their family or just how they're doing, it doesn't matter what it is.

"And then, two, you've got to show them that you can help them play better by your competency as a coach. And if you have those two things, I think they'll do anything you ever ask them to do. As long as our coaches keep those two things in sight, and every day they know, No. 1, I got to show them that I care about them as people - and they care about them as people - and No. 2, I've got to be a good football coach. I've got to be able to help them. Everybody I hired, you can't fake caring about people. You can't fake that, so everybody I hired, they're good people. They're genuine people, and they care about the kids."

Do you feel any anxiety? You always seem even-keel.
"I'm not always even-keel. You just see me when I am. That's why we closed practices, so you guys can always see me even-keel. I won't be even-keel in the games. I'll have anxiety. I hope I have it if I'm coaching 20 years from now. I think it's healthy to be a little nervous and to be a little on edge because your mind's working. I don't have it right now because I'm really worried about today's practice and that's all I'm concerned about, but I'm sure I'll have some. But you also have to maintain a cool head. Learning how to control your fears and anxieties is important as a coach, just like it is as a player."

On Vince Dooley's habit of building up opponents in his public comments, do you remember that?
"I do remember that. We used to joke about that as kids, until you get into coaching, and you realize he was right. For every time that you overlook somebody or you don't take them seriously, you get embarrassed.

"I think the biggest thing that my dad always did, you always have to prepare for their best because that's what you should expect them to bring. If they don't bring their best, there's nothing you can do about that. But if you prepare for their best, and you expect their best, then you're going to be ready. I think that's what he emphasized. I think that's what lot of people blew it into, well he's just blowing smoke, making them better than they are. But really when you look at it, if they play their best then they are good at these things and they can beat us. We do the same thing here. We're going to prepare for Martin's best, and Martin's best is good enough to beat us if we don't come ready to play."

But as a kid, you thought that was funny?
"Yeah, I made fun of him all the time, but that's part of being an immature 11-year-old. Just like my son, he does the same thing with me."

You talked about a committee approach on the defensive line. A similar approach on the offensive line for you?
"It's not. In fact, it's the exact opposite. And I'm not a big committee guy, just philosophically. Committees are what slow everything down. We have a lot of committees here at UT. A lot of people, a lot of committees. So the committee approach at d-line is not what you would want structured. But the offensive line, we have five guys who really have performed consistently well together, and we're going to try to keep that continuity as best we can. That doesn't mean we won't play some of the young guys, and that doesn't mean we're afraid to, but it's just a little different on the offensive line."

On Ja'Wuan James at tackle.
"I'm as comfortable as probably any coach could ever be with a true freshman starting at right tackle. Ja'Wuan could barely breathe in the mock game from anxiety, and there was nobody in the stands. So you can't forget he's a true freshman. We laughed about it in the staff meeting today. We act like the guy's a junior because he's like one of our veterans. He's been here seven months, not two months. But he's extremely mature. He's very balanced. He's intelligent. He's going to be a really good player. I don't know how he's going to perform Saturday.

"And so I'm not going to be surprised if we go in a little rat trapping, you know. That's what happens. I go back to just think of the first time you did anything. The first time you tried to ride a bike, you fell down. First time you tried to walk, boom. This is the first time they're going to play major college football on the big stage, so there's going to be some rat trapping going on. But that's OK. That's OK. We coach through it. We work through it. We stay calm, go to the next play, go to the next drive, and that's what's going to be important.

"We've got to do a good job as coaches not to panic and scream -- and I always say that and then I'm the first one who breaks the rule."

Anywhere in your career, have you had a freshman start in the opener on the offensive line.
"We had a freshman at Tech start about the fourth or fifth game of the year. Never the first game. I'm trying to think back of all my years of watching, a true freshman to come in, it's a rare deal. I'm sure there's been some. Don't forget Schofield's a freshman. He's a redshirt, though, so we act like he's a senior. Dallas is a sophomore, and he's a letterman, which means he's like an old man. Cody Pope's never played center in his life. Can't say that after next Saturday."

How far has the offensive line come?
"I think they scare them (the defense) now in a different way because they come out and butt them in the mouth when we go team run. I think they've come a long way. But you know if y'all remember, I've always never had a lot of concern about our offensive line, other than the lack of experience. And I can't fix that. But as far as the talent level and the willingness and the work ethic and the size and the toughness, I feel good about those guys. The only thing I don't feel good about is the thing that only Saturday will start fixing, and that's experience. Now I may have a different view next Monday. Because you never know how they're going to perform."

Would you rather play an opening game early in the day rather than late?
"I wish we could kick off at like nine in the morning every game. But I've gotten used to this night stuff, five years in Baton Rouge, that's what you did. I loved it in the NFL because we kicked off at one. I was like, `Holy smokes.' You're home for dinner, which is incredible. We had some night games at Tech early on. I think the early night games are good for the heat, John, because it is hot, and when you've got a thin squad. But I kind of like those day games, especially as you move later in the year."

On Marsalis Teague being bracketed as a starter with Eric Gordon at corner.
"Well, it has, and we needed him to. So it's good to have three corners that you feel good about, and it helps you in nickel. You know, when we go nickel we might move Art in or somebody else in the nickel spot and put those two guys out there, and it's good for competition. He's done great."

You've been so complimentary of Eric. Is Marsalis playing just as well?
"They're different, too. They're two different guys. Eric is a real physical guy. He's got a lot of energy. He's a feisty competitor. Marsalis probably plays a little bit better the deeper the field goes, if that makes sense. I think his experience on offense with ball judgment, the deep part of the field, his ability, his hips, those kinds of things. Eric is a little bit riskier. He takes some risks. Marsalis is a little bit calmer, so they bring two different things at corner."

Is Art head and shoulders above those guys?
"I wouldn't say head and shoulders because you'll see Marsalis can play both sides. You know we just put `or' in there, really, to show that Marsalis, we consider him a starter. It's not a knock on Eric. We consider Eric a starter. We consider those three guys as three corners, and Teague can go either one."

Is Victor Thomas being listed at No. 2 at defensive tackle a reflection on the state of defensive tackle or how he's been since he moved back there?
"Both. The committee."

How many guys will play there?
"I have no idea. We're going to go in there and let it rip and see who's playing well. You mean at tackle or the whole defensive line?"

At tackle.
"We may play five or so guys inside."

When's the last time you started a 250-pound defensive tackle?
"I think we had one at Clarke Central, when I was in high school. But you know if you're not big, you've got to be quick and smart. So it's OK. You're already telling them what to do. (Looking at roster) Six-three, 250."

Do you think he's bigger than that?
"I think that's soaking wet. Got to be quick. You know, back in the old days some of the greatest d-tackles ever were about that size. So we're going old-school."

Were offensive linemen 300 pounds then?
"No. Offensive linemen were about 220. We're going to be OK. The first play of the game, if they're in some heavy formation we may not have Gerald in the first play. I think this is really an indicator of who's performing the best, if that makes sense. Gerald's a defensive end, and he's going to play some tackle depending on the situation. I wouldn't overanalyze that. Ya'll are scouring that depth chart. I'm looking for other things on there. I didn't realize that was as big a deal. I'll spend a little more time next time."

Does what the team went through in the offseason help prepare them for the season, the anxiety of it?
"I wish it did, but you can't prepare yourself for the anxiety that hits you when you run out on that field. You really can't. Sitting in a room trying to hash out an incident that occurred on Cumberland Avenue, I mean, that's no different than going to your parents' bedroom and talking it up. Out there, there's a lot of eyes on you. There's a high expectation to perform. And you've got to think quickly. You've got to react quickly. There's no time. Every move you make could be the devastating move that puts us in a bad position for the game."

Does what they went through prepare them in any way for a football season?
"I think there's an argument that it can hurt or help chemistry, certainly. I hope that what it does prepare them for, Beth, is that when it does get a little tough out there, which it will, that we stay together and we support each other and we play out of it. Just like the kids have done with every little piece of adversity that's hit them here the last couple years. They've hung together, the ones that are here, have hung together and they go on to the next thing. When Coach Fulmer wasn't here, they rallied together and played for the last coach. When he left, they stayed together, and they're rallying for me. That's a tribute to those guys, and I do hope that keeps them together no matter what happens out there on the field.

"All right guys, thanks for coming."

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