Tennessee squandered a 20-7 halftime lead in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, getting shutout 27-0 in the second half against the Tide.
The Vols looked like a vastly different team offensively and defensively after the break, as Alabama was able to punch Tennessee’s defense in the mouth immediately after halftime, and Tennessee’s passing attack wasn’t nearly as efficient.
Tennessee starting quarterback Joe Milton III met with the media following the loss.
Milton took his fair share of blame and offered many other observations from the gut-wrenching loss.
Everything Milton said is below.
On the feeling of trying to turn the momentum back in your favor:
“Just have to keep going, have to play the next play. This offense, and how we operate, you have to be able to play the next play.”
On what Tennessee has to do differently in the red zone:
“Nothing, just do your job. That’s all that matters when it comes down to it. Just doing your job at a high level.”
On delivering hits while running the ball:
“It’s just me vs. the next guy. Who’s going to win? And who wants it more? That’s how I look at it. You got to be able to have a mindset, to know that you dominated in any time of the game, so I see a guy coming to try and tackle me, I’m running straight up, and it’s just one vs. one, I’m winning that battle.”
On if the first half was the best he’s played at Tennessee and what Alabama did differently in the second half:
“No, still more to come, for your first question. The second question, they didn’t do anything different. They just executed as a team, and I feel like that’s what we needed to do in that second half. Go out there, execute, and just remember that it’s 0-0. Gotta play the 30 minutes.”
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On why Tennessee wasn’t able to recapture momentum in the second half:
“Just wasn’t assignment sound. Certain guys weren’t doing their jobs, taking turns, I take full responsibility for that just because I’m the quarterback but also, I lead this team, this is my team, so being able to take full responsibility for that and having guys assignment sound for the next game is going to be very important.”
On the failed 4th & 1 conversions:
“It can be frustrating, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to be able to play the next play. Or get ready for the next drive. You never know what happens, we have a great defense, so just having full trust in them, knowing that they’ll get the ball back for us, and being able to go out there and execute for them.”
On what he saw on the first 4th & 1 play:
“Just man vs. man. You just have to go get it, to be honest. That’s all I have to say about that.”
On when the explosive passing game went away during the game:
“Never went away. You just have to do your job at a high level. That’s all we’ve been preaching all week. Just do your job at a high level, and we stopped doing our job at a high level, so therefore, we got the result that we didn’t want, because we didn’t play at a high level.”
On if he thought he played a high level:
“No, because we lost. So, I didn’t play at a high level, either.”
On how the connection with Squirrel White helped the team’s confidence early on:
“This team has great confidence. These guys come in no matter if we lose or win, these guys come in every day with the same energy. Pushing me, I push them guys, and they also come in there because they believe in themselves. Every individual in that locker room believes in themselves, that they’ll get the job done, so the confidence is always going to stay high for these guys.”
On why things went wrong in the second half:
“Guys just weren’t playing at a high level. And as a team, you have to take full responsibility for that. You just have to play one team, one assignment, you have to be able to communicate and process it. Nothing changed from the first quarter to the second quarter, just got to be able to go no matter what.”
On what he would do differently if the situation re-occurred:
“Nothing, nothing to do differently. Everybody has a wristband on their left or right wrist that says ‘Take a deep breath. Just breathe,’ Where are we right now? We’re right here, right now. So just being able to look at your wristband, or being able to take a deep breath and understand where you’re at, embrace the moments. We all prayed for moments like this when we were younger. So, being able to embrace the moments and take a deep breath and just do your job, that’s all that matters.”
On how to prevent momentum streaks on the road:
“You’ve got to come out swinging early. You have to put a guy to sleep early. If you do that, then all the momentum will be on our side for the whole game.”
3 Responses
Joe Milton wasn’t and still isn’t SEC starting QB material. This year is what it is, and as soon as he’s gone, we can start with a young QB that can actually lead a team. Unlike Joe Milton.
You got out coached,the players didn’t lose the game,coaches(All of you)failed at half time,bullshit about this and that,What you don’t know at halftime before going to locker they asked saban on tv what he needed to do,and he replied “we’ve got to get a plan”,and they got one 27 of them!
I am glad coach has confidence in his team, offense and defense, to make these fourth down calls. However, discretion remains the better part of Valor, and there is something about understanding the moment that is only learned through experience. Learn and go forward. There are more moments waiting in the future. Go Vols.