“Another huge contest here for us,” head coach Josh Heupel said in his Monday press conference. “It’s a rivalry game and college football as good as it gets here with these two teams playing, so looking forward to seeing our fans on Saturday.
“We need a great week of practice and preparation. Really good football team that we’re playing, talented as everybody knows.”
Last Saturday’s win over the Gators featured another stout performance form the Volunteers’ stingy defense, which has been once of the nation’s best halfway through the season, allowing just 10.7 points per game, a mark that ranks fourth in the FBS. The Big Orange rank second in the country in total defense, as well, giving up only 249.8 yards per contest.
UT will need to continue its stellar defensive play this week despite the loss of one of its veteran leaders at linebacker in Keenan Pili, who left the Florida game early with a knee injury and will miss the remainder of the season, it was announced on Monday.
“Keenan — I said it after the (Florida) game — there’s nobody that represents Tennessee better than him,” Heupel said. “He’s a great leader and will continue to be that inside of our building. Just heartbroken for him and his family. A guy that does absolutely everything right, a special player but special person too. He’s got a great future.”
The Vols’ young linebackers proved more than up for the challenge against the Gators and will look to keep improving throughout the second half of the year.
“We’ve played some of those guys throughout the course of (the season) and have rotated there,” Heupel said about the linebacker position. “Feel good about all of those guys that you’ve seen in action already. (Kalib Perry) and (Jalen Smith), those guys will continue to play.”
Tennessee’s defense will be tasked with the difficult challenge of containing Alabama’s explosive attack that ranks fourth nationally in plays of 30-plus yard (22) and is led by Heisman contender Jalen Milroe at quarterback.
“He’s been extremely accurate with the football. He’s been a pretty sound decision-maker,” Heupel said. “While you’re trying to apply pressure to him, so these…
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