Tennessee football knocked off Kentucky 28-18 on Saturday night at Neyland Stadium using a pair of second half turnovers and a 13-play, 93-yard touchdown drive to pull ahead and survive against the Wildcats.
Following the game, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel met with the media and discussed a strong night from Nico Iamaleava, needing to start faster and much more. Here’s everything Heupel said following the win.
More From RTI: Kickoff Time, Broadcast Details Finalized For Tennessee Football vs. Mississippi State
Opening statement
“Awesome environment again tonight. Crowd was a huge part of the night man. And excited about the win. Don’t take any any of those for granted. Still a lot left out for us. Just starting fast, offensively, special teams putting them through the uprights, all of the combination of the turnovers, penalties, sacks on the plus side of territory. Some of the shots we were close on. I mean, it’s just felt like we practiced really well. We’re continuing the game. We just we got to put all the pieces of the puzzle together to go play our best football. It’s never going to be perfect either. But again, excited about the win, but there’s a lot of things that we can improve upon.”
On if he thought Tennessee QB Nico Iamleava played with a lot of confidence
“He did. I thought he played with great confidence, great poise. Made plays when they presented themselves. It was close on some deep balls down the football field. Close, man. I thought he saw things really well. So all in all, really, really good command presence from him throughout the course of the night.”
On Tennessee’s 38 pass attempts, if that total surprises him and what dictated that number in the game
“Some of it’s just what they’re giving you. And situational football can dictate that too. End of the night, he gave us an opportunity to move the football.”
On the key to winning games in November when you might not play your best football
“I don’t know who those teams are (that lost on Saturday). Every week is its own season. You have to be good enough to go win on on that Saturday and play all three phases together. But you have to play smart football. Some of the penalties that we’re in control — there’s there’s going to be some playing penalties, that’s just the nature of the game, playing hard. The things that we control, we got to be better in. We got to be better in, we got tie it all together with special teams. Some things we did well tonight, some things we’ve got to be a lot better in. And offensively, the turnovers, you just you can’t have those. And they’re never good in the red zone. Well, they’re never good on the minus side of the territory either, so we just can’t do it. We just we got to be be better in some of those things. Practiced well the last couple of weeks. I do (think) we’re gaining. We just got to put the pieces of the puzzle all together.”
On the Nico Iamaleava touchdown pass to Miles Kitselman, rolling right and throwing back across his body
“Player making a play. Understanding all the traffic that’s going on on the backside of it, too. So that’s a big-time play by him.”
On what he says to Tennessee kicker Max Gilbert after missing five of his last six field goal attempts
“I do have confidence in him. He’s got to find a way to start faster during the course of the football game. He’s kicked it extremely well up until last couple of weeks. Hit a big one late against Bama, too. Kicked it well in practice. The routine, getting re-warmed up after coming to the locker room, whatever it might be, just trying to get him into into the flow of it. And because of some of what we’ve done offensively, it’s not like he’s had chip shots to start it out either. But he’s good enough and confident enough to go put it through the uprights too. So got to keep pushing.”
On if he has an update on DeSean Bishop after he exited the game with an injury
“I don’t have an up update on Bishop.”
On Dylan Sampson having another big game
“DSamp, just an elite night. Obviously, wants the fumble back. But hard yards, hitting the hole, playing with pad level. Solid night from him.”
On Peyton Lewis filling in for Bishop
“He ran really well. He really did. A young guy that just continues to keep coming on. And like I said early in this thing, that every position, but the running back group, like, it can’t just be one guy. You’re gonna need him throughout the course. And got to get Cam (Seldon) back and fully ready to go and just healthy and hopefully DeSean will be ready and keep pushing those guys.”
On the Tennessee offense pushing Dylan Sampson in on his record breaking 19th touchdown of the season
“I think that’s a demonstration of just how hard they’re playing and finishing the play. DSamp, that’s an old record, I think, and a pretty special one. But I said in the locker room too as we recognize some of the guys with big plays and turnovers on defense, that type of thing. Running backs don’t get to do that unless they got 10 other guys doing their job too. And it’s a credit to everybody starting with the five guys up front, the tight ends, and perimeter blocking and quarterback too. So DSamp is the first guy that would say that too. End of the day, it’s a special moment for him and some of the guys. But a lot left out there too.”
On if Nico Iamaleava’s strong performance gives him more confidence to open up the playbook
“I don’t feel like the playbook hasn’t been open. I’m not sure that’s the right way to verbalize it. Situational football, like understanding the scheme, all 11 matchups, like it all goes into how to play the game. But we got great trust in Nico. Quarterback’s not a position of perfect. It’s just not. He’s a young player that continues to get better with every play. You guys heard me say that before the season. But his competitive makeup and ability to make plays, be a good decision maker back there. He had a great night, man, and has probably a lot of good football. Good news for him and for us is the best football still in front of him.”
On Nico Iamaleava being good at pushing the pile
“I’m not sure he had the most important part of that push but yeah.”
On two second half turnovers leading to two touchdowns
“Big part of the outcome of the football game. Brooks, big time play and just overall defensively second half played really good football. Offensively, able to take advantage of it and go finish some the drives off. So big part of finishing the game the right way and keeping us on the right side of scoreboard.”
On Miles Kitselman bouncing back from his performance against Alabama, tight end room as a whole
“I thought there were some really positive things. Thought there were some things they’d want to finish on. Some plays on the perimeter with the illegal formation. You know what I mean? There’s some little things like that that we’re in control of. We can be better. But all in all, I mean, they played and strained hard in the core. Made some plays in the pass game. It was a good night.”
