Latest / The Mike Keith Show / The Mike Keith Show | JOSH HEUPEL, RICK BARNES, SAM PENDLETON (11.2.26)

Transcript

The Mike Keith Show | JOSH HEUPEL, RICK BARNES, SAM PENDLETON (11.2.26) · The Mike Keith Show

0:00
SPEAKER_07: From the peaks of the smokies to the banks of the Mississippi.
0:06
SPEAKER_07: This is your hall for the University of Tennessee.
0:21
SPEAKER_07: It's the Vault Network.
0:26
SPEAKER_07: Inside Access, the IT.
0:29
SPEAKER_07: From Rocky Top, direct from the coaches.
0:32
SPEAKER_07: Inside from the players, the inside track.
0:36
SPEAKER_07: Mike Keith starts now.
0:41
SPEAKER_06: Welcome to the show.
0:42
SPEAKER_06: Hope you're rested from the football by weekend, but we have a lot coming at you on this edition of the Mike Keith Show.
0:50
SPEAKER_06: Rick Barnes is here to get us ready for November basketball.
0:53
SPEAKER_06: Brent Hobbs is here to get us ready for November football.
0:57
SPEAKER_06: We have not one, not two, but three Tennessee offensive linemen on the show, including starting center Sam Pendleton.
1:05
SPEAKER_06: But the first block, get it, block, goes to Tennessee head football coach Josh Heifel, sponsored by Calhounes.
1:14
SPEAKER_06: Sorry for the dad joke.
1:17
SPEAKER_06: Talk to me about how you balance rest during a bye week and then needing to put the pads on and still get this team to work in a way that they can improve.
1:28
SPEAKER_17: Yeah, there's a certain amount of work, volume, intensity that they need to be prepared uh for the next week, too.
1:35
SPEAKER_17: So we got uh two days uh on the grass, uh getting after it in practice, uh, opportunity to focus uh again, not that we don't uh on a normal game week, but you get a little bit more time, uh, fundamental and technique, um, introduction into uh you know the opponent for the following week.
1:53
SPEAKER_17: Uh there's a lot of things that in all three phases of the game we got to clean up.
1:56
SPEAKER_17: And you know, we debriefed the the game a day ago, uh, went through it series by series, all three phases, how it all ties together and uh the things that we're in control of that we got to be better at.
2:08
SPEAKER_06: For you with this football team heading into November, with Derek Owings now in charge of your strength and conditioning program, uh have you noticed a sort of change in how you're going to make the approach and what in the air the way he's taking you, I guess I should say.
2:22
SPEAKER_17: Yeah, absolutely.
2:23
SPEAKER_17: Uh our guys are still uh hitting heavy weights, uh reps might be lowered this time of year.
2:28
SPEAKER_17: Um, but we feel like we have an opportunity uh late in November to still uh you know hit our peak uh uh as far as in the weight room uh um you know explosiveness, power, and uh that goes into playing the way that you need to in November.
2:42
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, the team has certainly continued to be physical.
2:45
SPEAKER_06: I mean, you had five straight physical games into the bye, and yet while things didn't go the way you wanted at South Carolina, that physicality still showed up.
2:54
SPEAKER_06: So it seems to be working.
2:56
SPEAKER_17: Yeah, the the physicality did show up.
2:58
SPEAKER_17: It showed up uh uh in the fourth quarter.
3:01
SPEAKER_17: Uh obviously offensively weren't able to sustain the drive.
3:04
SPEAKER_17: Um, you know, that's in plus territory there to go finish the game off.
3:08
SPEAKER_17: Um I love the way our guys compete.
3:11
SPEAKER_17: Um, you know, you're down 14-0 early in the football game, seven minutes in, uh, no panic, no fear, reset, go play the next play.
3:19
SPEAKER_17: Um, the middle of the football game, uh, you know, it's a 24-3 run.
3:23
SPEAKER_17: There's a lot of things that have an opportunity to change that game uh and tilt the scoreboard even more.
3:29
SPEAKER_17: Um physically, uh, we were still ready to go compete and play and finish the football game.
3:35
SPEAKER_17: Uh we just gotta finish in a smarter way.
3:37
SPEAKER_17: Yeah, but ready to take that team into November.
3:40
SPEAKER_17: Yeah, absolutely.
3:41
SPEAKER_17: Um this football team's um you know, disappointed in the result.
3:46
SPEAKER_17: Whether you win or lose as a competitor, uh, you gotta flush it and uh and grow from it and get prepared for the next one.
3:54
SPEAKER_17: Uh uh everyone else around you're gonna talk about the previous one.
3:58
SPEAKER_17: Um we're only as good as our next one, and uh you gotta be in the moment when you're in the building.
4:02
SPEAKER_06: And the next one is Kentucky, which certainly gets everybody's attention because they're having an outstanding year.
4:08
SPEAKER_06: Could you just give us a little bit of an idea here at the start of the week, kind of what you think of the Wildcats as you've started to break them down?
4:15
SPEAKER_17: Yeah, they're playing playing really good football.
4:17
SPEAKER_17: Um, you know, I think two stats pop out at you.
4:20
SPEAKER_17: Uh they're plus twelve, I think, in turnover margin in SEC games.
4:24
SPEAKER_17: Uh and I think the the second least penalized team in SEC games.
4:28
SPEAKER_17: Uh so uh they've played in a lot of tight football games.
4:32
SPEAKER_17: Uh they've been down, they've battled back.
4:35
SPEAKER_17: Um it's a really good football team in all three phases of the game.
4:38
SPEAKER_17: We're gonna have to be at our best.
4:40
SPEAKER_17: And uh we're gonna need our fans to be at our best too when we get to the following Saturday.
4:44
SPEAKER_06: All right, so let's talk about just a few guys in particular.
4:48
SPEAKER_06: Tell me about Quay Moss and what he has meant to this football team from the time that you went and got him to the time that you have a chance to see what he's done through eight games.
4:57
SPEAKER_17: Yeah, you you look at his his lineage of college football, you know, JUCO, small college, Kansas State, uh here.
5:07
SPEAKER_17: Um I think that represents the type of competitor, his inner drive, um, and how he competes in everything that he's doing every day.
5:16
SPEAKER_17: Um and that's what we've seen from him.
5:19
SPEAKER_17: Uh he's a dynamic playmaker, uh, he's got coverage skills like a corner, um, but he is extremely physical.
5:25
SPEAKER_17: He's ready to put his face on people, he destructs blocks, tackles well, um, and uh extremely competitive through the week and certainly on game day.
5:35
SPEAKER_06: So you saw Javen Gordon get dinged at Georgia Tech.
5:38
SPEAKER_06: South Carolina was the first time it felt like we saw him back as Javen Gordon.
5:44
SPEAKER_06: How big a factor can he be in November?
5:46
SPEAKER_17: Yeah, tough uh running back knee injury early in the year.
5:49
SPEAKER_17: Uh he's worked his butt off to get back.
5:52
SPEAKER_17: Um last week he gets in the game.
5:54
SPEAKER_17: I was talking with him uh early part of this week, and you can tell he was just a little bit apprehensive on the first play, and then kind of went, Man, I'm I'm feeling good.
6:03
SPEAKER_17: I'm I'm able to take the contact and um played really good football.
6:07
SPEAKER_17: And we're gonna need him uh a week from now, but uh down the stretch here, and uh need him playing at his best.
6:14
SPEAKER_17: And uh we believe he's a dynamic playmaker.
6:16
SPEAKER_06: Another sack for Marion Dye, five sacks on the year.
6:20
SPEAKER_06: Are you seeing the development out of him in year two that you hope to see?
6:24
SPEAKER_17: Yeah, we we felt like in year one uh he continued to mature physically, mentally, understanding the game fundamentally, and we had high hopes for him this year.
6:34
SPEAKER_17: Uh he's uh continued to grow throughout the course of the year.
6:37
SPEAKER_17: He's playing really good football, able to get to the quarterback.
6:40
SPEAKER_17: He's done some really good things against the run, too.
6:42
SPEAKER_17: And uh, we need November to be his best month of football that he's played so far.
6:46
SPEAKER_06: You and the staff put together a very impressive sophomore class from the start last year as freshman to now.
6:53
SPEAKER_06: You saw coming into the year, you said, Boy, there's some guys like Marion Dye who can really be special.
6:58
SPEAKER_06: A lot of those guys have stepped forward, and now because of their production, it feels like they can take more leadership roles down the stretch.
7:07
SPEAKER_06: Talk to me a little bit about that sophomore group.
7:09
SPEAKER_17: Yeah, uh highly talented, um, a group that uh has grown a lot in the I don't know, 24 months that they've uh almost been here now.
7:19
SPEAKER_17: Um they have continued to make an impact, grown in their impact on on Saturdays, which our fans see, but uh I think they've grown a lot just in how they prepare and how they practice, and uh that's you know given them the ability to go play at a really high level level.
7:37
SPEAKER_17: There are guys are gonna be dynamic leaders in that group.
7:41
SPEAKER_17: Uh they're following the lead of uh Arian Carter, a T Lander, a Bishop.
7:46
SPEAKER_17: Um, and as they continue to grow inside of this program, we're gonna need them to thrust into those roles.
7:51
SPEAKER_06: So here we go.
7:52
SPEAKER_17: Down the stretch, it has a chance to be a lot of fun.
7:55
SPEAKER_17: Yeah, they remember what you do in November.
7:57
SPEAKER_17: Uh, we need to go finish uh in a great way.
8:00
SPEAKER_17: Um, you know, everything's out in front of us, uh, but we have to be in the present one week at a time.
8:06
SPEAKER_17: Uh, but you gotta win when you're in the building that day.
8:09
SPEAKER_06: Next on the Mike Keith Show, delivered by Uber Eats, Tennessee head basketball coach Rick Barnes, ahead of Tuesday's home opener with Wofford.
8:19
SPEAKER_06: Stay tuned.
8:20
SPEAKER_07: This is the Mike Keith Show.
8:22
SPEAKER_07: Inside access, delivered by Uber Eats.
8:26
SPEAKER_11: Today's show sponsored by Pilot, official travel stop of the vault.
8:30
SPEAKER_11: See you out here by First Horizon, Big Bank Muscle, Small Bank Hustle, by Food City, the official supermarket of the Tennessee Volunteers.
8:40
SPEAKER_11: Duty Medical, the official health care provider of the vault, Rackley Roofing, let us fix your lead, the proud official roofer of the big horn.
8:49
SPEAKER_11: By Farm Euro Insurment, the official insurance of the vault, Tennessee Insurment for Tennessee Life.
8:56
SPEAKER_06: At Rackley Roofing, we are not a one-man team.
9:00
SPEAKER_06: We're actually not a two-man team.
9:01
SPEAKER_06: Everyone is a critical part of the journey.
9:04
SPEAKER_11: Championship teams are not built by one person.
9:07
SPEAKER_11: Great companies aren't either.
9:09
SPEAKER_09: Like the VALs, coaches and players need to learn to handle the pressure, including the pressure of success.
9:16
SPEAKER_07: We invest in the next generation.
9:17
SPEAKER_20: We invest in our community.
9:19
SPEAKER_07: And most importantly, we invest in our employees.
9:22
SPEAKER_01: Want to change the world?
9:24
SPEAKER_01: Change it one roof at a time.
9:46
SPEAKER_17: Hello, and welcome to Ask Coach Hipel.
9:48
SPEAKER_17: I'm your host, Josh Hippel.
9:50
SPEAKER_17: Jim as Coach Hypel.
9:52
SPEAKER_17: Got any tailgating tips?
9:54
SPEAKER_17: Boy do I.
9:57
SPEAKER_17: Jim, did you know Foods Today's gourmet burgers are handmade in store by a certified butcher?
10:03
SPEAKER_17: Saturday is almost here.
10:04
SPEAKER_17: Are you game day ready?
10:07
SPEAKER_17: This has been Ask Coach Hypel with me, Coach Hyper.
10:12
SPEAKER_14: What does the$7 big deal meal get you at Sonic?
10:15
SPEAKER_14: The real question is, what doesn't it get you?
10:18
SPEAKER_14: Enjoy a full meal plus premium chicken bites for just$7.
10:22
SPEAKER_14: It's the$7 Sonic Big Deal Meal.
10:25
SPEAKER_14: You want to live free?
10:27
SPEAKER_17: When you travel across the great state of Tennessee, one thing you're sure to find is big orange passion.
10:33
SPEAKER_17: You see it throughout every inch of the volunteer state, just like you see First Horizon.
10:38
SPEAKER_17: Serving communities big and small, offering big bank products with small bank passion.
10:43
SPEAKER_17: What else do you need?
10:45
SPEAKER_13: Big bank muscle, small bank hustle.
10:48
SPEAKER_17: That's First Horizon, the official bank of the vault.
10:51
SPEAKER_17: Proudly serving Tennesseans for over 160 years.
10:57
SPEAKER_15: In the heart of every community, caring comes naturally.
11:01
SPEAKER_15: At Farm Bureau Health Plans, we're not just a health plan provider.
11:04
SPEAKER_15: We're your neighbors, your friends, and your partners in health.
11:09
SPEAKER_15: Our Medicare supplement plans offer the flexibility you need to keep seeing the doctors you already know and trust.
11:15
SPEAKER_15: With us, you are more than just a member.
11:18
SPEAKER_15: You are a valued part of our Farm Bureau family.
11:21
SPEAKER_15: Farm Bureau Health Plants, where your health is our commitment.
11:25
SPEAKER_15: Plan on us.
11:59
SPEAKER_06: From the roar of Nealand Stadium to the energy of the tailgate, one thing belongs on every game day menu.
12:06
SPEAKER_06: Calhoun's.
12:07
SPEAKER_06: Whether you're dining at one of Calhoun's nine-area restaurant locations, taking the feast to your tailgate, or grabbing a bike from one of Calhoun's locations inside Nealand Stadium, Calhoun's makes it easy so you can focus on curing the balls to victory.
12:23
SPEAKER_06: Calhoun, a taste of dynasty.
12:42
SPEAKER_06: Wafford.
12:43
SPEAKER_06: Coach Barnes is ready to get to the real thing and talk about all that is to come.
12:54
SPEAKER_12: I think anything he wants to be, uh, but it's it's not gonna be just a guy that's gonna shoot the basketball.
12:59
SPEAKER_12: I think I think Juke has the potential to be uh just an all-around good basketball player.
13:06
SPEAKER_12: Uh you know, our wings on this team, we it it's an absolute must that they rebound.
13:12
SPEAKER_12: We have to win that battle.
13:13
SPEAKER_12: Uh our guards have got to rebound to basketball.
13:16
SPEAKER_12: You go back, that was a you can look at a lot of things in the Duke game.
13:20
SPEAKER_12: That was the one stat that I emphasize more than any was how much their guards out rebounded our guards.
13:26
SPEAKER_12: And uh it was significant, you know, 10, 12 more rebounds.
13:30
SPEAKER_12: And we can think about it, we're getting out rebounded by 15.
13:33
SPEAKER_12: And it's the guards have to, it's their responsibility.
13:36
SPEAKER_12: So Juke along with Jalen Harrelson, all of them.
13:39
SPEAKER_12: I mean, I I'm talking point guards.
13:41
SPEAKER_12: When that shot goes up, I expect five guys to go get that ball.
13:44
SPEAKER_12: Uh and on the offense, we want to go get our misses, but uh defensively we have got to pursue the basketball, all five spots.
13:52
SPEAKER_06: Jalen Harrelson has a tremendous amount of versatility.
13:56
SPEAKER_06: In some ways, does that kind of make it harder for him to figure out how he fits into what Tennessee wants you to wants him to be this season?
14:05
SPEAKER_12: Well, he definitely has a dual responsibility to learn a lot, you know, and and uh I thought he showed that he he made one of the great plays we've had all year on an offensive rebound that he went and saved the ball, that we were able to throw it, throw it back in, broken play, and we end up getting a three-point play out of it at the rim because of his effort.
14:24
SPEAKER_12: He he I like to see Jalen decide he wants to be one of the best all-around, most complete, versatile players in the country, uh cuc because he's he's strong.
14:35
SPEAKER_12: Uh he can do a lot of things, and uh, you know, he's obviously continuing to work on his shot.
14:40
SPEAKER_12: But Saturday he showed the versatility that you're talking about, and he is the guy that we should be able to guard anybody on the court.
14:48
SPEAKER_12: It doesn't matter.
14:49
SPEAKER_12: So he's a guy in the game when you want to maybe switch it all out, you put a team out, and with our length, I think we should be able to do that with with uh juke.
14:58
SPEAKER_12: I think we need to do it with Tyler.
15:00
SPEAKER_12: Uh and uh if we can get there we'll we'll we'll have something.
15:05
SPEAKER_12: How much of a difference does Tyler Lundblade make in the offense?
15:11
SPEAKER_12: Huge, huge, because uh he understands basketball, very, very bright uh basketball IQ, uh understands movement, in great shape.
15:23
SPEAKER_12: Even that that was probably the most impressive thing.
15:25
SPEAKER_12: I think that going into the game Saturday scrimmage against Davidson, I think they had wanted to limit him to I think twenty-five minutes, which I didn't pay any attention to it.
15:36
SPEAKER_12: You know, I didn't care.
15:37
SPEAKER_12: I you know, I let the call even up to him, but I think he played twenty-five-forty, something like that.
15:43
SPEAKER_12: But I wasn't sure 'cause we it was a it was a pretty wicked pace.
15:47
SPEAKER_12: You know, both teams are very similar in their approach.
15:49
SPEAKER_12: Uh he he handled that part of it extremely well, I thought.
15:53
SPEAKER_12: Defensively, uh first of all, where he's you know, when you're a player, you know, some guys have the ability to really get up and guard the basketball.
16:04
SPEAKER_12: The key for guys, some guys that um and Tyler would be one of 'em.
16:08
SPEAKER_12: Uh you you don't have to be a guy that is maybe considered a necessary stopper, but you can't hurt your team.
16:17
SPEAKER_12: And that means you gotta understand positioning, you gotta know, you gotta really know the schemes that are going on and get where you need to go and and let the system help you.
16:26
SPEAKER_12: Uh but Tyler uh and he and he I talked about his IQ, he's got it on both ends.
16:32
SPEAKER_12: I do think that as he continues to get back in shape where he I mean he was in elite shape before uh the injury, and once he gets back there, uh I mean he he played hard on both ends, and that's uh but I think when you're a shooter like he is, I think if you go into games thinking, I gotta make shots, that's that's wicked pressure you're putting on yourself.
16:54
SPEAKER_12: He understands he's gonna impact the game in different ways, not just and I can make a case, arguably the best screener on the team, because we all know if you screen you're gonna get yourself opened.
17:06
SPEAKER_12: If you set a good screen because your guy's gonna have to help somebody for a split second.
17:10
SPEAKER_12: But he does see the game, and uh he uh where he made a huge difference, Mike, Saturday was uh, and we haven't had this.
17:19
SPEAKER_12: Uh something would happen in a game, uh uh something that it could be a uh yeah, we didn't turn it over a lot, but a simple turnover.
17:26
SPEAKER_12: He would go over and tap somebody on the butt and say, Hey man, forget it, let's go.
17:32
SPEAKER_12: Just constantly talking to his teammates.
17:34
SPEAKER_12: So you you know right then and there he's not into his self.
17:38
SPEAKER_12: That comes with maturity, it comes with age, and very few guys understand that early, you know, because they're just it's hard.
17:48
SPEAKER_12: They all want to play.
17:50
SPEAKER_12: They all want to play.
17:51
SPEAKER_12: But I we're at the point now I hope guys understand what it means to play on a good team.
17:56
SPEAKER_12: You know, guys are used to scoring 18, 20 points.
18:00
SPEAKER_12: I don't think there will be a lot of guys on this team that will do that, I don't think.
18:04
SPEAKER_12: But like Tyler had 19 very unassuming points Saturday and you didn't realize it, you know, because the way he was going about his business, because he took uh I don't I know he didn't, I don't think I'm thinking here right now.
18:17
SPEAKER_12: I don't think he ever took a bad shot and uh actually missed two free throws, which I don't think he would do.
18:23
SPEAKER_12: You know, he was seven for nine, but he got to the line nine times.
18:27
SPEAKER_12: Right.
18:27
SPEAKER_12: That tell yeah tells you something, right?
18:29
SPEAKER_12: And but his maturity was a big deal.
18:32
SPEAKER_12: Um we're hoping if we can get Jalen Washington cleared that he's gonna bring some of that too, especially to the front line, because you know he's been around.
18:39
SPEAKER_12: Uh I think him not playing has probably affected Dwayne more than anybody because he and Dwayne have built a pretty good thing together and uh they play against each other.
18:50
SPEAKER_12: They play together in practice, but uh you can tell when they're together there's a little bit something different about Dwayne.
18:56
SPEAKER_12: And uh hopefully we can we it can work out for Jalen.
19:00
SPEAKER_06: The freshmen Clark and Green caught your attention at Duke when they got to play a good bit of the second half.
19:07
SPEAKER_06: Have they continued to make progress?
19:09
SPEAKER_12: Really impressed with both of them.
19:11
SPEAKER_12: Uh again, both of them played minutes.
19:14
SPEAKER_12: Uh really impressed with uh Manny's developing.
19:18
SPEAKER_12: He and he's learning, he's a typical freshman still trying to learn uh what he's doing.
19:22
SPEAKER_12: But Marquise uh probably been the biggest surprise.
19:26
SPEAKER_12: Uh, you know, Marquise uh came in, um at least heralded guy in the recruiting class, but he came right off the bench Saturday, uh ran the offense, came off a curl, threw it up for a lot.
19:39
SPEAKER_12: You know, uh he's starting to understand that.
19:42
SPEAKER_12: We think that in time, uh, and it's really interesting too because uh uh Brown Lynch told me the Davison staff was impressed with him because you know he's doing what he what he needs to do.
19:52
SPEAKER_12: And uh I think Chris Washington will get it, you know, as he continues to learn what what he needs to do.
19:58
SPEAKER_12: And there's some things that this his effort is getting there, but he and Manny uh are two guys that are learning that some of the things we've discussed about understand there's more to the game in offense.
20:13
SPEAKER_06: Tennessee senior center Sam Pendleton is up next as the Mike Keith show delivered by Uber Eats continues.
20:20
SPEAKER_08: It's time for the Rackley Roofing recap.
20:23
SPEAKER_08: Rackley Roofing, transforming the roofing industry and the proud official roofer of the Tennessee Volunteers.
20:30
SPEAKER_01: Hey Vol Nation, it's Sarah Detweiler, and it's time now for the Rackley Roofing recap.
20:35
SPEAKER_01: Tennessee Soccer closed out the regular season in winning fashion on Sunday afternoon, taking down Oklahoma 3-1 at Regal Soccer Stadium.
20:43
SPEAKER_01: Freshman Emerson Moore led the way with the first two goals of her collegiate career, while Cora From Knight added another to help secure the victory.
20:51
SPEAKER_01: Elsewhere, Tennessee volleyball faced a tough pair of SEC road losses, falling to number 17 Texas AM in four sets Friday before a five-set battle with Missouri on Sunday.
21:02
SPEAKER_01: Despite the results, fifth-year center Caroline Kerr reached a major career milestone, becoming just the fourth player in program history to record 4,000 career assists.
21:13
SPEAKER_01: And Kennedy Rogers continued her impressive season, recording a career-high 24 kills against Texas AM before adding another 20 against Missouri.
21:24
SPEAKER_01: That was the Rackley Roofing recap.
21:26
SPEAKER_01: Rackley Roofing transforming the roofing industry in the proud official roofer of the Tennessee volunteers.
21:46
SPEAKER_06: Monday visit with Brad Hub from the Ball Radio Network and TalkQuest.com.
21:51
SPEAKER_06: And of course, TalkQuest.com is everyday job.
21:59
SPEAKER_06: It's everyday.
22:00
SPEAKER_06: Yes.
22:01
SPEAKER_06: From your column, I'm pulling directly from your Volquest column, what Tennessee must do for November success.
22:09
SPEAKER_06: And so I want to hit these as we hit November.
22:12
SPEAKER_06: Number one is stay healthy, which would seem obvious, but for you it's more about depth.
22:18
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, I mean, I don't think Tennessee has enough.
22:20
SPEAKER_19: And I don't know that anybody in college football has enough.
22:23
SPEAKER_19: And you heard Kirby Smart talk about this over the weekend.
22:26
SPEAKER_19: And when you get into November, you're hoping through the first couple of months you've built some more depth and you've really put yourself in a position that you feel more comfortable with bodies.
22:36
SPEAKER_19: But when you start looking at this team, there's really nobody new.
22:40
SPEAKER_19: You know, nobody really emerged in October on the offensive line except for Nick Moore.
22:45
SPEAKER_19: But that was out of necessity.
22:46
SPEAKER_19: They suddenly don't have eight guys.
22:48
SPEAKER_19: They're still basically playing with six offensive linemen that they feel comfortable with.
22:53
SPEAKER_19: They have six defensive backs if you count Tevis Metcalf, but really they're leaning on five DBs all the time.
22:59
SPEAKER_19: Play smarter.
23:01
SPEAKER_06: When you say that, what are you talking about specifically?
23:04
SPEAKER_19: Well, I obviously offensively they can't make the mistakes they made at South Carolina.
23:08
SPEAKER_19: Uh when you look at the penalties that they had and uh just the different things that they, you know, didn't do well.
23:15
SPEAKER_19: The fourth down decision not to hand the ball off, and uh then defensively they you know they did some out-of-character things, had a couple of busts that we've not seen that they got away with, uh, but South Carolina got behind them, and then they had obviously had a huge bust at the end zone that the North Sellers could not complete.
23:32
SPEAKER_19: So you you really have to do all the little things right for a sustained period of time, and that's where Tennessee's got to be smarter.
23:39
SPEAKER_06: Start faster is your next one.
23:42
SPEAKER_06: Pretty self-explanatory, but how does Tennessee get more from their offense in the first quarter?
23:47
SPEAKER_19: Well, I mean, again, I think you've got to go back to eliminating the mistakes.
23:50
SPEAKER_19: You you can't make the mistakes that Tennessee has made.
23:53
SPEAKER_19: Uh, red zone offense is hard.
23:56
SPEAKER_19: When you look at Tennessee from a run game standpoint, the run game has gotten better throughout the game, which is normal.
24:01
SPEAKER_19: I think when you look at college football or NFL football or anybody's football, good running teams are better running teams in the first half than they are in the first quarter.
24:10
SPEAKER_19: So when you get in the red zone, where's your creative, you know, where's your creativity?
24:13
SPEAKER_19: How do you generate points in the red zone when maybe you're not at the point you can just line up and run it at right at somebody?
24:19
SPEAKER_19: So they've got to execute better in the red zone, and when they get into that window, they've got to finish with touchdowns instead of field goals because Tennessee has just been okay at best in the first quarter.
24:33
SPEAKER_19: I mean, aside from the Alabama game, they really haven't scored any points.
24:36
SPEAKER_19: They don't have a first quarter touchdown in SEC play on offense, which is a pretty remarkable stat.
24:42
SPEAKER_19: Point four tackle well, limit explosive play.
24:45
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, and I think that's you know, this defense has done a tremendous job of that all season long.
24:50
SPEAKER_19: It popped up in the South Carolina game, and it was you don't want to panic and give a big red flag there.
24:56
SPEAKER_19: This is a team that tackled at an elite level against Alabama, four missed tackles for the entire game.
25:02
SPEAKER_19: A week later, they had 13 missed tackles on defense.
25:05
SPEAKER_19: Tennessee's got to tackle well, particularly in space starting this week against Kentucky.
25:10
SPEAKER_06: All right.
25:11
SPEAKER_06: So your final thoughts, point five, ends up being about 12 thoughts.
25:15
SPEAKER_06: You're the biggest cheater with you could never do just like five thoughts.
25:19
SPEAKER_06: Closing thoughts.
25:20
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, closing thoughts ends up with an S.
25:22
SPEAKER_06: All right, so I picked a few of them.
25:24
SPEAKER_06: All right.
25:24
SPEAKER_06: This guy can't count.
25:26
SPEAKER_06: Uh find more ways to get the ball to Mike Matthews.
25:29
SPEAKER_06: How best to do that?
25:30
SPEAKER_19: Well, I think you move him around.
25:32
SPEAKER_19: Uh move him around, summon the slot.
25:34
SPEAKER_19: We've seen Tennessee do that.
25:35
SPEAKER_19: I just think you have to continue to be creative.
25:38
SPEAKER_19: He is your best playmaker.
25:39
SPEAKER_19: He is the he is your best guy, ball in hand in terms of being dynamic and explosive.
25:45
SPEAKER_19: You've got to continue to try to get him the ball in different ways and lean on him because he's your most explosive guy.
25:52
SPEAKER_19: Take more shots because they're there.
25:54
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, I think I think listen, what w everybody keeps talking about you know George McIntyre and the vertical passing game.
26:00
SPEAKER_19: Look, I mean, Braylon Staley stepped out of bounds against Arkansas.
26:03
SPEAKER_19: There was nothing wrong with that throw.
26:05
SPEAKER_19: Uh you look at the throw to Braylon Staley that was called back for a touchdown.
26:09
SPEAKER_19: Um, nothing wrong with that throw.
26:11
SPEAKER_19: Mike Matthews.
26:12
SPEAKER_19: Mike Matthews.
26:13
SPEAKER_19: I mean, George has shown you he can throw it.
26:15
SPEAKER_19: Now, does that mean you throw it every series of downs?
26:17
SPEAKER_19: No, but when you've got something set up and you think you can get by somebody, stretch the field.
26:23
SPEAKER_19: You hit a couple of those and it'll back a defense up and it'll change and it'll get your offense maybe jump started even more.
26:30
SPEAKER_19: Everybody's going to dwell on the one play or two with George at South Carolina, and rightfully so.
26:35
SPEAKER_19: You take those two plays out, which you can't do.
26:37
SPEAKER_19: He played really well.
26:38
SPEAKER_19: He did a lot of really good things.
26:39
SPEAKER_19: I I think you have to continue to let him grow, and that's vertical in the passing game for me.
26:44
SPEAKER_06: Kicking game may win you one in November.
26:47
SPEAKER_06: I like that.
26:48
SPEAKER_06: Tennessee has been good, sometimes very good in the kicking game.
26:52
SPEAKER_06: Brent Hubbs, how can the Tennessee special teams be elite in November?
26:58
SPEAKER_19: Well, I think Quay Moss has to continue to make good decisions.
27:01
SPEAKER_19: Um he's had some moments where he's made great decisions.
27:05
SPEAKER_19: He's had some other moments where the ball's bounced on the ground and and maybe missed an opportunity there.
27:11
SPEAKER_19: I think you've got to be aggressive within reason to to go after and make some plays.
27:16
SPEAKER_19: Uh and maybe, you know, maybe you have a trick somewhere along the way.
27:19
SPEAKER_19: Maybe something happens.
27:20
SPEAKER_19: I I think your field goal kicker's been good.
27:22
SPEAKER_19: I think your punter's been good.
27:23
SPEAKER_19: You can win field position.
27:25
SPEAKER_19: All of those things are involved in winning in the kicking game.
27:28
SPEAKER_19: And Jackson Ross has been good.
27:30
SPEAKER_19: I think he's gonna have to be great in November when you look at some of the teams that Tennessee's play.
27:34
SPEAKER_06: We end with Brent Hubbs's hot take presented by Firehouse Subs.
27:38
SPEAKER_06: Remember for a limited time only the Thanksgiving Turkey Sub, you got turkey, you got cranberry sauce, you got stuffing.
27:46
SPEAKER_06: It's delightful.
27:48
SPEAKER_06: It's even good.
27:48
SPEAKER_06: I had one and then put the other half in the refrigerator, and just like Thanksgiving food, it's good cold the next day.
27:54
SPEAKER_06: Brent Hubbs, give me a hot take.
27:56
SPEAKER_19: I I think it's Javin Gordon.
27:58
SPEAKER_19: I think Javin Gordon's emergence to help and be a compliment for Deshaun Bishop is is my hot take.
28:05
SPEAKER_19: I I think that he found himself a bit at South Carolina.
28:09
SPEAKER_19: I think Tennessee's got some confidence in him.
28:11
SPEAKER_19: I think Tennessee's mindful of how much they beat up Deshaun Bishop in the month of October.
28:16
SPEAKER_19: I think you're gonna see Javin Gordon in throughout the entire game, but I think his work in the first half is gonna be a guy that, you know, when we talk about depth, he's the one that may be your depth piece on offense that emerges here in the month of November.
28:31
SPEAKER_19: So give me the guy who generated the buzz in August that was put on the shelf because of the injury.
28:36
SPEAKER_19: I think he's gonna be back generating some buzz in November.
28:39
SPEAKER_19: Good stuff.
28:39
SPEAKER_19: Thank you, sir.
28:40
SPEAKER_06: Brent Hubbs with his Firehouse Subs Hot Take.
28:42
SPEAKER_06: He's back with us on Thursday for his Built Ford Tough report as well.
28:47
SPEAKER_06: We've got more of the Mike Keith show delivered by Uber Eats coming up right after this.
28:52
SPEAKER_11: You're one-on-one with Mike Keith, sponsored by Food City, the official supermarket of the Tennessee volunteers.
28:59
SPEAKER_11: By Farm Bureau Insurance, the official insurance of the vaults, Tennessee Insurance for Tennessee life.
29:05
SPEAKER_11: By First Horizon, Big Bank Muscle, Small Bank Hustle.
29:10
SPEAKER_11: By Pilot, official travel stop of the vault.
29:13
SPEAKER_11: See you out here.
29:14
SPEAKER_11: By Rackley Roofing, let us fix your lead, the proud official roofer of the Big Orange.
29:20
SPEAKER_11: And by UT Medical, the official health care provider of the vault.
29:25
SPEAKER_17: In Big Orange Country, we live for big moments, but we know there are surprises along the way.
29:31
SPEAKER_17: When you need help with auto, some peace of mind for your home.
29:53
SPEAKER_06: Not funny, guys.
30:03
SPEAKER_06: Bring on the tension ball made.
30:21
SPEAKER_06: Your local Ford dealer, proud sponsor of Testing Athletics.
30:26
SPEAKER_09: The future isn't only about what we build, it's about how we power the lives around us.
30:31
SPEAKER_09: Cleaner technology, greater efficiency, and smarter ways to meet the energy demands of a growing state.
30:38
SPEAKER_09: That's the power of natural gas, helping deliver reliable, efficient energy across Tennessee every day.
30:46
SPEAKER_09: Because progress should move communities forward while helping protect the places we call home.
30:52
SPEAKER_09: Natural gas, fueled for the future.
30:55
SPEAKER_00: Being at the Valls game saved my life.
30:58
SPEAKER_00: It was a normal day going to the game with my son, but this time it felt like a sledgehammer hit my chest.
31:05
SPEAKER_00: The UT medical team knew exactly what they needed to do and just kept me calm throughout the process.
31:11
SPEAKER_00: It was probably the most serious heart attack that you could have.
31:15
SPEAKER_00: The team took care of me, worked quickly, efficiently, and I did catch the end of the game.
31:22
SPEAKER_13: These are the stories of the region's academic health system.
31:25
SPEAKER_02: Valvine Instant Oil Change Technicians train hard.
31:30
SPEAKER_02: As a proud sponsor of the Tennessee Volunteers, we gave Bitch Walco a jump, honing their speed, accuracy, and efficiency.
31:40
SPEAKER_02: To be a champion, you have to train like one.
31:49
SPEAKER_02: Valvaleen Instant Oil Change, Expert 20.
31:58
SPEAKER_10: Out of here.
32:06
SPEAKER_10: Out of here.
32:13
SPEAKER_10: Out of here.
32:24
SPEAKER_10: Let's see out of here.
32:28
SPEAKER_04: Some talent it's okay.
32:31
SPEAKER_04: Stop talent, it's holding the water.
32:33
SPEAKER_04: Some talent make it there, no one is protecting.
32:37
SPEAKER_17: We protect each other.
32:38
SPEAKER_17: We protect to stay ready.
32:40
SPEAKER_17: Protection looks different depending on where you stay.
32:42
SPEAKER_17: Whether it's protecting the quarterback or protecting what matters at all, the responsibility is to detect the best five methods.
32:49
SPEAKER_10: Designed to inspire, made to protect, driven to serve.
32:58
SPEAKER_06: So glad to have Sam Pendleton, Center for Your Tennessee Volunteers with us here on the Mike Keith Show.
33:04
SPEAKER_06: His visit is brought to you, and you'll love this, by the Tennessee Beef Industry Council.
33:11
SPEAKER_06: Is there anything more fitting than to have the Tennessee Beef Industry Council sponsor an offensive lineman?
33:18
SPEAKER_06: That is so fitting.
33:20
SPEAKER_04: I think so.
33:21
SPEAKER_06: Yes.
33:21
SPEAKER_06: Do you get to make appearances with them, the Beef Council?
33:24
SPEAKER_06: Do you hang out?
33:25
SPEAKER_06: Do you get uh hopefully soon.
33:27
SPEAKER_04: Hopefully I get to go out there and uh get along get uh get to meet some of the people soon.
33:31
SPEAKER_06: That's good.
33:32
SPEAKER_06: Good to see you.
33:34
SPEAKER_06: Um you've just had a break.
33:36
SPEAKER_06: Getting ready to play Kentucky.
33:39
SPEAKER_06: Talk to me about how you think the growth of this offensive line has come along through the course of the season.
33:46
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I think, you know, starting out with, you know, having those first couple games, getting to know each other, getting the chemistry, especially coming through fall camp, uh, you know inserting guys here and there.
33:58
SPEAKER_04: It's been uh definitely been a process, but I think the longer we play together and the longer we've gone through these games and these stressful situations, whether it be good or bad, I think that's really helped us um develop into a more, you know, uh connected unit, you know, because it's not necessarily about being the best unit, it's about being who's playing the best together.
34:19
SPEAKER_04: You know, it's about how how well we understand each other, play to play, how well do we play together in the stress of the two situations, both mentally and physically.
34:28
SPEAKER_04: So I feel like we've come a long way and we still have a long way to go, but it's been good so far.
34:33
SPEAKER_06: Correct this if this is the wrong statement.
34:36
SPEAKER_06: It's been said that when a center has guards shifting in around him consistently, the center's job is considerably harder.
34:44
SPEAKER_06: Do you buy that?
34:46
SPEAKER_04: Um, I think with our circ our circumstances and the way that Coach Ellaby approached it going into fall camp, uh rotating those guards as much as they did, I think it was a little bit easier, but definitely does make it a little bit harder just filling not necessarily the guys, but just the spacing in there.
35:02
SPEAKER_04: You know, you're in you're in the you're in there beside inside of two guys now, you know, and you're in there squeezed in there, so you know, everyone splits a little bit different.
35:09
SPEAKER_04: How people take their steps are a little bit different.
35:11
SPEAKER_04: So just knowing where you have space and where you don't is a little different each time.
35:15
SPEAKER_04: You get you get a new guard.
35:16
SPEAKER_04: But you know, with the guys I've been playing with recently, it's been it's been good.
35:20
SPEAKER_06: Nick Moore is a guy who had never repped at guard before.
35:25
SPEAKER_06: You know, he wasn't even a center until he got to Tennessee.
35:28
SPEAKER_06: So I wonder, you've played some guard in your career.
35:31
SPEAKER_06: What kind of advice specifically have you given to Nick to try to help him as he adjusts to stepping in at the guard spot?
35:39
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I think you know, everyone just you know, from the outside in, it's just you're moving over three feet, but it's a it's a completely different game.
35:46
SPEAKER_04: Your perspective of the defense changes completely.
35:49
SPEAKER_04: My I think the only advice I really gave him was, you know, see it for what it is, take your footwork, absorb as much as you can through the week from the guys that play guard in our offense, you know, coming from center to guard, there's a lot of different uh sm you know, small differences in your technique and a lot of differences in how you execute blocks and with the tackle or you're with the center.
36:11
SPEAKER_04: You know, with the center, you're always moving left or right with the guards, you know, you're really you're never really changing there.
36:15
SPEAKER_04: So, you know, just hold them, all right, just shift your focus completely from what we're doing at center.
36:20
SPEAKER_04: You know, you're you you're pretty solid there.
36:22
SPEAKER_04: You have a good understanding there, and now get your perspective to change into like, now I'm at guard, now I'm doing this, this is how my sets have to be.
36:31
SPEAKER_04: Now that I'm on the edge a little bit more, I'm working with now I'm not now I don't have two guys I'm working with, now I'm working with the tackle and our protection.
36:38
SPEAKER_04: So, you know, really just giving that kind of advice.
36:41
SPEAKER_06: Why is Nick Moore a guy who has the chance to be special wherever he plays on the offensive line as he grows?
36:47
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I mean, who's his build and his genetics in general?
36:52
SPEAKER_04: He's he's a sh stocky guy, he's got long arms.
36:55
SPEAKER_04: One of the most and you can ask anyone on the offensive line, one of the most surprisingly athletic people I've been around uh in terms of strength.
37:02
SPEAKER_04: You know, he gets in these weird body positions and just muscles his way out of it.
37:06
SPEAKER_04: And it's I tell him every day, I'm like, I don't know how you got there.
37:09
SPEAKER_04: I for sure don't know how you got out of there, but it's impressive.
37:13
SPEAKER_04: You know, it's it he's a very explosive player.
37:15
SPEAKER_04: I think he brings a lot of power to his blocks and he's smart, he understands things, you know.
37:20
SPEAKER_04: He he he he has appreciation for the game at its finest, so I think he's gonna be a really special player.
37:25
SPEAKER_06: Deshaun Bishop has 957 yards rushing.
37:28
SPEAKER_06: He's got a realistic chance at the season record for rushing, and if he goes there, the all-time record for rushing in the history of the University of Tennessee, which is an amazing thing.
37:42
SPEAKER_06: How seriously do you guys as the offensive line take those possibilities on behalf of him?
37:50
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I think you know, obviously Bish is a is a special player.
37:54
SPEAKER_04: I think everyone in the country knows that, and his perspective on the game is like no one I've ever met before.
38:00
SPEAKER_04: He has a really deep, profound appreciation for the simple things in life and the simple things in the game.
38:07
SPEAKER_04: And I think that's why he's such a good player.
38:10
SPEAKER_04: Um going into the games, it's never about all right, we're gonna get you this number, or we're gonna, you know, this is this is what we have to do.
38:17
SPEAKER_04: It's about and especially talking to him, he'd say that I'm sure he'd say the same thing.
38:20
SPEAKER_04: It's about just, you know, doing what's best in the situation.
38:24
SPEAKER_04: But you know, there's always that in the back of your head, like, alright, dude, so let's like that's our goal every game is to let's put the game in our hands, let's put the game in that guy's hands and let's us do our job so he can be the best he is.
38:36
SPEAKER_04: And you know, give him an inch, he's gonna give you a mile anywhere you're at.
38:39
SPEAKER_04: So if we can just do our job halfway, the bitch is gonna make us right.
38:43
SPEAKER_04: And you know, that's never the the hope, but sometimes it works out that way.
38:46
SPEAKER_04: And most of the time, you know, if we can just get the ball to him and get our guys across the line of scrimmage, he's gonna make something pop, and that's something special to see.
38:54
SPEAKER_04: It's one of the best feelings ever.
38:56
SPEAKER_04: You know, you you you work hard for those five seconds in the block, and all of a sudden you feel D Vas just breeze off you and he's gone.
39:02
SPEAKER_04: You know, and that's one of the best feelings in the world, especially at offensive line.
39:06
SPEAKER_04: You know, that's why you do it.
39:08
SPEAKER_06: Just starting to get into Kentucky now.
39:10
SPEAKER_06: They are the SEC leaders, a completely different Kentucky team than you saw in Lexington last year.
39:16
SPEAKER_06: Saturday night, Nealand Stadium, dark mode, everything going on.
39:22
SPEAKER_06: The the excitement around this game is different than in most years, even though the Kentucky-Tennessee game has significance.
39:30
SPEAKER_06: For you, as you look forward to this game beginning the stretch, what stands out?
39:37
SPEAKER_04: You know, I think it's just the next opportunity.
39:39
SPEAKER_04: You know, Coach Hype talks about it every day.
39:41
SPEAKER_04: We walk into the team meeting and you know, it says your your next opponent is the most important opponent, the next play is the most important play.
39:47
SPEAKER_04: And they're all nameless and faceless.
39:48
SPEAKER_04: You know, yes, they're the ICC leaders right now.
39:51
SPEAKER_04: Yes, they're in a very they're a very good team.
39:53
SPEAKER_04: I'm gonna give them all the credit they deserve.
39:55
SPEAKER_04: Um But at the end of the day, you know, we're in Nealin Saturday night coming off a bowie, coming off not a rough loss.
40:01
SPEAKER_04: You know, that if that's not motivation enough for the team, I don't know what will be.
40:06
SPEAKER_04: Um, and I have no doubt in my mind that they're not gonna need any motivation come Saturday night at seven o'clock.
40:11
SPEAKER_04: Um, because you know, we're gonna do we what we came to Nealin to do, we're gonna do what we all came to the school to do, and that is to play Tennessee tough football, and we're gonna handle business.
40:22
SPEAKER_06: Sam Pendleton, thanks for the visit.
40:24
SPEAKER_06: Yes, sir.
40:25
SPEAKER_06: Thank you.
40:25
SPEAKER_06: Brought to you by the Tennessee Beef Industry Council, Tennessee Center Sam Pendleton with his full cage.
40:31
SPEAKER_06: Still, I love that.
40:32
SPEAKER_06: Still wears the full cage on his helmet.
40:34
SPEAKER_06: Old school.
40:36
SPEAKER_06: Back with more of the Mike Keith show delivered by Uber Eats right after this.
40:39
SPEAKER_07: Mike Key, Mike Key, Mike Keith.
40:41
SPEAKER_07: Back with more Big Orange Insider Access.
40:45
SPEAKER_07: We are the Vall Network.
40:51
SPEAKER_06: Five men start along the offensive line for a football team, but it takes another three to five for the line to fully function.
41:00
SPEAKER_06: Newcomer Ori Williams is a guy who hoped to be a starter this season, but has not been able to claim a spot yet.
41:09
SPEAKER_06: Big number 77 isn't just standing around, however, he's pushing for ways to contribute, hoping it will turn into a starting role.
41:18
SPEAKER_20: What do you love about the Ubrees?
41:20
SPEAKER_20: Oh man, they're just so reliable and quick and easy, you know, and they show up when you need them.
41:23
SPEAKER_20: What do you like to order?
41:24
SPEAKER_20: Oh, I'm I'm more of an in-in-um.
41:26
SPEAKER_20: When I'm back home, I get in and out.
41:28
SPEAKER_20: In and out.
41:29
SPEAKER_20: Okay, that's a Texas thing.
41:30
SPEAKER_20: That is a Texas, a California thing.
41:32
SPEAKER_20: Well, it's now in Middle Tennessee.
41:33
SPEAKER_20: Yes, sir.
41:34
SPEAKER_20: Yes, sir, up in Nashville.
41:35
SPEAKER_20: Um, but I usually go for uh I'll get that's a good question.
41:40
SPEAKER_20: Probably like some uh McDonald's here and there.
41:42
SPEAKER_20: Nice.
41:42
SPEAKER_06: I guess McDonald's here and there.
41:44
SPEAKER_06: All right, Ori Williams, offensive lineman.
41:47
SPEAKER_06: The year is two-thirds of the way over, sir, which is hard to believe.
41:51
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
41:51
SPEAKER_06: How has your year developed?
41:54
SPEAKER_20: Uh it's been good, you know.
41:56
SPEAKER_20: It's been a rough start.
41:57
SPEAKER_20: Not not as not how I wanted it, but you know, we still got a lot of year left.
42:01
SPEAKER_20: Um, but it's been good.
42:02
SPEAKER_20: I feel like I've been trending in the right direction and everything, so it's been going good.
42:05
SPEAKER_06: Where did you have to make the most improvement as you got into Glenn Ellerby's system and this offensive system?
42:11
SPEAKER_20: Yeah.
42:12
SPEAKER_20: So the mo uh the main improvement was just learning the scheme.
42:15
SPEAKER_20: Um and when I when I really got that down, I feel like it's just been playing fast and physical now and just earning the trust of Coach Ellerby.
42:21
SPEAKER_06: And not having a set position.
42:23
SPEAKER_06: So you're you're you play right, you play left, you come in as the jumbo tight end, you're in for whatever they want you to do.
42:31
SPEAKER_06: How hard is it to not have one set spot where you are and you can concentrate?
42:37
SPEAKER_06: You're basically having to be the swing guy.
42:39
SPEAKER_20: Yeah, it's kind of hard on the mental, but you know, you just got to do whatever was best for the team and um, you know, put your head down and grind.
42:45
SPEAKER_20: So I mean, you you can look at it um negative negatively, but I look at it, you know, on the bright side, still on the field.
42:52
SPEAKER_20: You know, they got a little package in for me.
42:53
SPEAKER_20: So you know they still got their eye on me a little bit.
42:55
SPEAKER_20: So it's all right.
42:57
SPEAKER_06: What's your favorite play that you've been on the field for this year?
43:00
SPEAKER_20: Uh we go we go rhino package.
43:02
SPEAKER_20: So when we go rhino package, we run like a little uh arson to the right behind me.
43:06
SPEAKER_20: Uh that's been my favorite play.
43:07
SPEAKER_06: Okay.
43:08
SPEAKER_06: And where did you have that play be the most effective this year?
43:11
SPEAKER_20: Yeah, uh, just short yardage.
43:13
SPEAKER_20: That that's what you know, they call us in a short yardage.
43:15
SPEAKER_20: We need that extra ump, they call me in and we go get it done.
43:17
SPEAKER_06: What do you think when they bring the two defensive linemen in too?
43:20
SPEAKER_06: Is that part of the rhino package?
43:22
SPEAKER_20: No, so that's actually one of our um another jumbo package of ours, and it's it's real good.
43:26
SPEAKER_20: I I love it personally.
43:27
SPEAKER_20: You know, we get them, we get them going.
43:29
SPEAKER_06: Wouldn't want to see Nathan Robinson coming.
43:31
SPEAKER_06: No.
43:32
SPEAKER_20: No, if I was a defender, I would not want to see Nathan Robinson coming for sure.
43:36
SPEAKER_06: How much has this defensive line challenging you in practice helped you improve through the course of the year?
43:43
SPEAKER_20: It's great.
43:44
SPEAKER_20: We got one of the best D lines in the country.
43:46
SPEAKER_20: So just going against them every day has helped me tremendously.
43:49
SPEAKER_20: Um, just in the past game, you know, with Weathersby, he's one of the best air dressers in the country.
43:53
SPEAKER_20: So him going against him every day has helped me improve a lot.
43:56
SPEAKER_06: So you see a lot of Weathersby in practice.
43:58
SPEAKER_06: Yes, sir.
43:59
SPEAKER_06: Okay.
43:59
SPEAKER_06: Uh Die.
44:00
SPEAKER_20: A lot of die.
44:01
SPEAKER_20: Marion die.
44:02
SPEAKER_20: He's real long, so playing against you know him long.
44:04
SPEAKER_20: You know, there's some long competitors in the uh SEC on the edge.
44:07
SPEAKER_20: So him getting that look, that's great.
44:09
SPEAKER_06: The growth of a football player is sometimes different than he thinks it is.
44:14
SPEAKER_06: And obviously, you are not happy with your playing time.
44:18
SPEAKER_06: You'd like to get more playing time.
44:19
SPEAKER_06: But at the same time, having to take this step and having to grow and learn it, has it taught you some patience?
44:27
SPEAKER_20: Yeah.
44:27
SPEAKER_20: Yeah, no, patience is a virtue.
44:29
SPEAKER_20: And I've learned that my whole life.
44:31
SPEAKER_20: And um, you know, when my number's called, I'm I'm gonna be ready to execute for sure.
44:35
SPEAKER_06: All right.
44:36
SPEAKER_06: So uh Kentucky, next opponent.
44:39
SPEAKER_06: Yes, sir.
44:40
SPEAKER_06: They've they have some talented defensive linemen.
44:42
SPEAKER_06: I know just into the study of them a little bit, but as you as you get ready to play this team, night game, kneeling, dark mode.
44:51
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, what do you think of all of this?
44:53
SPEAKER_06: Because you haven't experienced it.
44:55
SPEAKER_20: I have not experienced a dark mode.
44:56
SPEAKER_20: I've experienced a night game in Nealin.
44:58
SPEAKER_20: It wasn't, you know, the biggest of competition, I would say, but it was all right.
45:03
SPEAKER_20: Um, so I'm I'm excited.
45:04
SPEAKER_20: I'm really excited.
45:05
SPEAKER_20: I've heard the stories, I've seen the videos, all that.
45:07
SPEAKER_20: So I'm excited, and especially, you know, against Kentucky.
45:09
SPEAKER_20: They got some of my former teammates on there, uh, the defensive line, Ahmad Bro.
45:13
SPEAKER_20: He's a former teammate of mine at LSU.
45:14
SPEAKER_20: So I'm excited to.
45:15
SPEAKER_20: Who's that?
45:16
SPEAKER_20: A mod bro.
45:16
SPEAKER_20: A mod bro, okay.
45:18
SPEAKER_20: So I'm excited to hopefully get to compete against him.
45:20
SPEAKER_06: Well, they're playing well on defense with all the takeaways.
45:22
SPEAKER_06: Yes, sir.
45:23
SPEAKER_06: 18 takeaways this year, yes, sir.
45:25
SPEAKER_06: Plus 13 in turnover ratio.
45:27
SPEAKER_06: All right.
45:28
SPEAKER_06: Good stuff coming up.
45:29
SPEAKER_06: Looking forward to seeing you play more and continue to develop.
45:33
SPEAKER_06: You continue to help out on the Rhino package or wherever, doing a good job.
45:37
SPEAKER_06: Ori Williams, thanks.
45:38
SPEAKER_06: Thank you.
45:39
SPEAKER_06: Sham Umaroff was a starter for 10 games at guard in 2025.
45:45
SPEAKER_06: Umroff started the first four games this season until an injury sidelined him.
45:50
SPEAKER_06: As he returned to play in October, Umaroff has mostly been a backup, and yet he's often the first lineman off Tennessee's bench.
46:00
SPEAKER_06: Sham Umroff wants to start, of course, but the ball's happy warrior is committed to being ready whenever and wherever his number is called.
46:10
SPEAKER_06: What does a veteran player who's from Atlanta do on the bye weekend?
46:15
SPEAKER_18: Do you go to Atlanta?
46:17
SPEAKER_18: No, so you really just don't leave the weight room or the treatment room because, you know, like if you don't move it, you lose it.
46:24
SPEAKER_18: So it's important to continue moving, whether it's on the field or in the weight room.
46:28
SPEAKER_18: And if you're not doing that, get in the treatment room to, you know, get back to where you were in the beginning of the season.
46:34
SPEAKER_18: And uh, and if you're not in the treatment room, get up in the film room, you know, study a week early before uh for the opponent.
46:40
SPEAKER_06: Now, would you have done that when you were a freshman?
46:42
SPEAKER_18: Man, uh I would have gotten motivated by the older guys to do, but it would have been a little harder.
46:47
SPEAKER_18: But uh, I was for sure trying to, but I guess it's a lot easier to do it now since I really know what it takes.
46:54
SPEAKER_18: And you're setting the example.
46:56
SPEAKER_18: How how seriously do you take that?
46:59
SPEAKER_18: I I try to take it as serious as I can because you know there's a bunch of young guys coming in every year, and if they don't learn from us, they're not gonna know who to learn from because we got to set the example.
47:08
SPEAKER_06: All right, so give me one of the young guys you really like to work with.
47:12
SPEAKER_18: I like to work with a George L.
47:13
SPEAKER_18: We call him Jeremy, and uh, you know, he's a really fierce Jeremy George L.
47:17
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
47:18
SPEAKER_06: From Knoxville.
47:19
SPEAKER_18: Yeah.
47:20
SPEAKER_18: Um, well, he's Canadian, but uh yeah.
47:22
SPEAKER_18: Yeah.
47:23
SPEAKER_18: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
47:24
SPEAKER_18: But a Catholic.
47:25
SPEAKER_18: Yeah, and he's a real uh fierce guy.
47:26
SPEAKER_18: You know, he loves to just attack everything at a hundred percent, and he's pretty smart too.
47:31
SPEAKER_18: And uh seeing him go through everything, it's just uh it's like a little brother, I guess.
47:36
SPEAKER_18: Uh it's cool to see him grow, it's cool to see him learn and apply it onto the field and just ask questions.
47:41
SPEAKER_06: Does he remind you of yourself?
47:44
SPEAKER_18: Uh a little bit, yeah.
47:45
SPEAKER_06: Because you approach everything with a lot of fire and a lot of enthusiasm.
47:49
SPEAKER_18: Yeah, and he also has like a smile every time I see him.
47:51
SPEAKER_18: So he reminds me of me a little bit.
47:53
SPEAKER_06: All right.
47:54
SPEAKER_06: You've you've had different roles in the offensive line.
47:56
SPEAKER_06: You've been a starter, you've you've you fill in at different points.
48:00
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, yeah.
48:00
SPEAKER_06: How you coming back from the injury and kind of figuring out where you fit, how hard is it to do that?
48:08
SPEAKER_18: It's a little hard because I want to help as much as I can.
48:11
SPEAKER_18: But uh at times, you know, you got to take a step back and let what's working work, and when it doesn't, you know, be there and be ready because anything can change in a matter of a play.
48:20
SPEAKER_18: Um, but I'm just trying to help uh wherever I can.
48:23
SPEAKER_06: But the the mindset of not knowing where you're gonna be dropped in, right or left, how and when it might happen, how do you keep yourself always ready to go?
48:33
SPEAKER_18: It all starts at practice.
48:35
SPEAKER_18: You know, if you're not attacking practice like that, then when it comes during game time, you're gonna be lost.
48:40
SPEAKER_18: So I practice, I'm taking left and right snaps, and I'm just being used where I can be.
48:45
SPEAKER_18: So when game time happens, it's not like it's the first time happening.
48:48
SPEAKER_18: I repped it over and over and over again during practice.
48:51
SPEAKER_06: Where has this offensive line improved the most since, say, camp started?
48:58
SPEAKER_18: I guess being aggressive.
49:00
SPEAKER_18: Um, started at practice every week.
49:02
SPEAKER_18: We try to ramp it up and just try and be better than we were last week.
49:05
SPEAKER_18: And we're not trying to take just insane massive jumps.
49:09
SPEAKER_18: As long as we're able to put one foot in front of another, we're able to be more aggressive, be better and pass, bro, be better and run, and it's been showing.
49:17
SPEAKER_06: So Kentucky leads the SEC.
49:21
SPEAKER_06: What do you think about this challenge with the Wildcats Saturday at 6.15?
49:25
SPEAKER_18: I think it's gonna be a whole lot of fun.
49:27
SPEAKER_18: It's gonna be real competitive, and the most grittiest team is gonna come out uh with the win.
49:32
SPEAKER_06: All right, so what do the players think of dark mode?
49:35
SPEAKER_18: The whole dark mode thing.
49:37
SPEAKER_18: I mean, it adds so much more intensity, whether it's just this dark mode or just the black unit unis.
49:43
SPEAKER_18: And uh, we all love it.
49:44
SPEAKER_18: It just makes us feel more aggressive, feel more alive when we're out out there at night.
49:49
SPEAKER_18: You know, it makes them more fun.
49:51
SPEAKER_18: No kidding.
49:52
SPEAKER_06: I mean, it really it has that much of an impact on the players themselves.
49:56
SPEAKER_18: I don't know why.
49:56
SPEAKER_18: I feel like that's all around college ball.
49:58
SPEAKER_18: Anybody that has black unis just they turn it up a little more with it on.
50:02
SPEAKER_18: I don't know why.
50:03
SPEAKER_18: It feels more aggressive.
50:04
SPEAKER_06: Well, and they're sweet black unis.
50:05
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, we're not gonna be able to do that.
50:06
SPEAKER_06: We got the best one.
50:07
SPEAKER_06: We got the best one without a doubt.
50:08
SPEAKER_06: It's not even close.
50:09
SPEAKER_06: But you know, the the crowd takes it so seriously, too, because it's like they have a mindset that we somehow are gonna make this place even tougher.
50:19
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
50:20
SPEAKER_06: We're I mean, they go to they go to 11.
50:23
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, you know?
50:24
SPEAKER_18: Yeah.
50:24
SPEAKER_06: It's a it's a whole thing.
50:25
SPEAKER_06: Your your friends, like the people you go to class with, your you know, your buddies everywhere, they like it too, right?
50:31
SPEAKER_18: Oh, they love it.
50:32
SPEAKER_18: That's all they talk about when that week comes.
50:34
SPEAKER_18: They talk about blacking out, putting uh face paint on, wearing every black jersey they got.
50:38
SPEAKER_18: You know, they're basically a part of the 13th man.
50:41
SPEAKER_06: You go strong with the face paint.
50:42
SPEAKER_18: Yeah, I do.
50:43
SPEAKER_18: Do you go stronger with the face paint for this week?
50:46
SPEAKER_18: No, I just keep it usual.
50:47
SPEAKER_18: I mean, I might find a different way to change it out, but I just think it's pretty cool sometimes.
50:52
SPEAKER_18: Look like the Road Warriors.
50:53
SPEAKER_18: Yeah.
50:54
SPEAKER_06: I love the Road Warriors.
50:56
SPEAKER_18: You knew them, right?
50:57
SPEAKER_06: Honestly, no.
50:58
SPEAKER_06: No, no, but that's who you look like.
51:00
SPEAKER_06: I'm gonna have to Google it.
51:01
SPEAKER_06: You're gonna have to Google it.
51:02
SPEAKER_06: Okay.
51:02
SPEAKER_06: Legion of Doom, Road Warriors, anyway.
51:04
SPEAKER_06: Okay.
51:05
SPEAKER_06: All right.
51:05
SPEAKER_06: So I gotta ask you, you go to pilot, you're gonna do your snacks.
51:10
SPEAKER_06: Pilot known for snacks.
51:11
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, for sure.
51:12
SPEAKER_06: Okay.
51:13
SPEAKER_06: If if Derek Owings doesn't exactly know, or you're having a cheat day.
51:17
SPEAKER_06: He's not here.
51:17
SPEAKER_06: He's not here right now.
51:19
SPEAKER_06: He's not watching right now.
51:20
SPEAKER_06: Okay.
51:21
SPEAKER_06: What are the pilot snacks that Sham Umaroff is going for?
51:24
SPEAKER_18: Okay, I'm gonna start off with the drink.
51:26
SPEAKER_18: Yes.
51:27
SPEAKER_18: You gotta have a water, just just water stuff down, but you gotta have a slushie as well.
51:31
SPEAKER_06: Ah, slushy and a water.
51:33
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
51:33
SPEAKER_06: Strong.
51:33
SPEAKER_18: So I'll do a coke slushie if they got it, but if they don't, I'll do blue or red.
51:37
SPEAKER_18: Okay.
51:37
SPEAKER_18: Snacks-wise, like uh sweet, I'll do like a Reese, 3C cups.
51:42
SPEAKER_18: Nice, you know?
51:43
SPEAKER_18: And then for the saltiness, I'll do like a beef jerky or like any types of lay's chips.
51:49
SPEAKER_18: You know, any flavor, any flavor.
51:52
SPEAKER_06: Remember, if you miss an episode, you can always catch it by going to the Tennessee Athletics YouTube channel and subscribe while you're there.
52:02
SPEAKER_06: Our show is also available wherever you get your podcasts.
52:06
SPEAKER_06: Please subscribe, rate, and review.
52:10
SPEAKER_06: For our five staff, Mike D says, thanks for joining us, and we'll see you next time.
52:17
SPEAKER_07: All the way welcome to the latest from the NFC campus.
52:20
SPEAKER_07: Mike Disco.
52:22
SPEAKER_07: Delivered by Uber East.