Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel met with the local media Thursday morning for the final time before his team leaves to face Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Heupel discussed what he’s learned about the Alabama rivalry, the important of handling the crowd noise and much more.
Here’s everything Heupel said on Thursday.
More From RTI: Tennessee-Alabama Tale Of The Tape
On the future of this game with Texas and Oklahoma joining the league
“I think this is a great rivalry. One that’s important to our fanbase, I’m sure it’s important to their fanbase too and it’s one that’s special, just (a) unique game and unique setting. Obviously, I think the league with everybody that’s coming in there’s a lot of factors that go into how they schedule but I certainly hope so (that the game will continue yearly).”
On containing Alabama QB Jalen Milroe’s legs
“You have to have great gap integrity in normal downs. We have to do that in situational football too, in particular in the red zone. It’s not just designed runs for him too. It’s his ability to escape and make plays with his feet off of a drop back is a huge factor in the game too. You do have to apply pressure to him. You can’t just sit there at the line of scrimmage and they have good skill on the perimeter too. We have to push the pocket but we can’t let him escape it either.”
On what he’s learned about the rivalry in his time at Tennessee
“I just think the fanbase, this is one they’ve circled. I’ve said it multiple times before I even got introduced at the press conference, a couple of former players but donors too— this is a game that matters to everybody in this fanbase. It matters to us too. It has huge implications on your race to try and get to Atlanta as well. This is a big football game for us, huge test against a really good football team but it’s going to be a great afternoon.”
On if the offensive tempo is where he wants it
“For us, it’s always within the scope of what we’re doing. Are we operating as efficiently within the tempo as we can be? Feel like we’re doing a good job but there’s always some things after every ball game that you want to continue to clean up. This football game, you have to win the line of scrimmage and your personnel on the perimeter has to go win one-on-ones. That’s true on both sides of the football.”
On what they’ve done in practice to prepare for the crowd noise
“We’ve actually been doing that since our last road game in portions of practice. Again, for us, you have to settle in and do the ordinary things in this game at a really high level and you have to do them consistently. It’s nothing extraordinary but if we can do that we’ll operate the way we need to.”
On James Pearce’s versatility as a sophomore
“From James and everybody at that position, the versatility of those guys is important to us. What we’re looking for as we bring guys into the program. James is a young football player that continues to get smarter. Just his football knowledge and IQ and then fundamentally he has continued to sharpen his fundamentals. That’s a huge part of why he’s playing the way he is. Huge credit to Coach Garner and Coach Ekeler— in a short amount of time his development. *Pause* Let me just say, (credit) to James too.”
On if his team is getting more comfortable playing in big games
“I think every week they feel like it’s the biggest game of the season. I say that meaning it’s the only one we got. They’ve been great in their preparation. Practice has been good. We have to go finish it the right way to put ourselves in a position to play the best that we can. This football team has great confidence though in who we are and how we’re going to go compete.”
On Alabama pass rusher Dallas Turner
“In protections, you have to do a great job. You have to identify and go win your one-on-one matchups with him coming. But you have to do a great job in the run game too. He’s a factor there.”
