Latest / The Mike Keith Show / The Mike Keith Show | JEREMIAH TELANDER, FATMATA JANNEH (9.30.26)

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The Mike Keith Show | JEREMIAH TELANDER, FATMATA JANNEH (9.30.26) · The Mike Keith Show

0:00
SPEAKER_08: From the peaks of the smokies to the banks of the Mississippi.
0:06
SPEAKER_08: This is your home for the University of Tennessee.
0:20
SPEAKER_08: This is the Fall Network.
0:26
SPEAKER_08: Inside act test, behind the scene.
0:29
SPEAKER_08: From Rocky Top, direct from the coaches.
0:32
SPEAKER_08: Insight from the players.
0:44
SPEAKER_05: My co-host for this show is Jeremiah Lander, all linebacker number 22.
0:49
SPEAKER_05: You didn't know you were going to co-host, did you?
0:51
SPEAKER_05: Not at all.
0:52
SPEAKER_04: Okay, but you're ready?
0:52
SPEAKER_04: I'm ready for the opportunity.
0:54
SPEAKER_05: I'm not going to actually make you do that, but I would.
0:56
SPEAKER_05: I'd love to have you as a co-host sometime.
0:58
SPEAKER_19: That'd be awesome.
0:59
SPEAKER_19: You would be perfect.
1:00
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, maybe one day, way down the line, we could we could do something.
1:03
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, but you've still got work to do.
1:04
SPEAKER_19: A lot of work to do, yes, sir.
1:06
SPEAKER_05: All right.
1:06
SPEAKER_05: So um give me a wrap-up of September for Tennessee football in Jeremiah Tatlander's mind.
1:14
SPEAKER_19: Yes, sir.
1:15
SPEAKER_19: So first four games behind us.
1:17
SPEAKER_19: It's gone extremely fast.
1:18
SPEAKER_19: I just told somebody, I can't believe we've already played four games.
1:21
SPEAKER_19: Um been having a blast, man.
1:24
SPEAKER_19: Be able to play football again.
1:25
SPEAKER_19: Uh feel the fall weather start to turn a little bit, the leaves falling a little bit.
1:29
SPEAKER_19: This is the best time of the year.
1:31
SPEAKER_19: Um, get to play football every single day, like I said.
1:35
SPEAKER_19: Um, and we get to play in the best stadium in the world.
1:38
SPEAKER_19: Uh, we have a great home schedule this year, and we're just looking forward to every single game.
1:42
SPEAKER_05: All right, the atmosphere on Saturday.
1:44
SPEAKER_05: I mean, you've seen some atmosphere since you've been at Tennessee for this is being your fourth year.
1:50
SPEAKER_05: Was that different?
1:52
SPEAKER_05: Did it feel different to you?
1:53
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, one thing is you never really get used to Nealan's atmosphere.
1:57
SPEAKER_19: I swear they keep getting louder and louder every single big game that we have, uh, especially on a couple plays there.
2:03
SPEAKER_19: It was like deafening.
2:05
SPEAKER_19: You couldn't hear anything.
2:06
SPEAKER_19: Um, and my communication out there on the field, I had to be screaming out there to somebody that was five yards away from me.
2:14
SPEAKER_19: Um, but at the end of the day, that's what we love about Nealan Stadium.
2:17
SPEAKER_19: It's one of the hardest places to play at, and we're having a blast.
2:20
SPEAKER_05: All right, I want to ask you about what they're asking you to do, and I know you can't tell us specifics, and that's okay.
2:26
SPEAKER_05: What I what I want to ask though is linebackers generally line up on the right side or the left side.
2:33
SPEAKER_05: And then sometimes you'll do you know a couple of things, but essentially you're always in the same place.
2:41
SPEAKER_05: What they have you doing, I can't figure out where you're gonna line up.
2:46
SPEAKER_05: Obviously, that's a problem for the opposition, but for you, as a guy who's played linebacker for a lot of years, is it tough to get used to now being asked to be so many different places overall?
2:58
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, at first, uh, first day of fall camp, I'm like, holy cow, this is a lot.
3:03
SPEAKER_19: Uh and then I just studied my tail off and got with the other guys, and they've they've been successful at doing it in the past.
3:10
SPEAKER_19: So there's a lot of cut-ups that I've watched and seen people be successful at it.
3:13
SPEAKER_19: At the end of the day, you just got to know your rules and get to where you got to go and can't be late.
3:18
SPEAKER_19: And it is so much fun just moving around pre-snap.
3:22
SPEAKER_19: Um, and it goes to my study process, and you got to be in the right place at the right time.
3:26
SPEAKER_19: And so far, we've been making that happen.
3:28
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, I mean, sometimes you're like a defensive lineman, sometimes you're lined up like an edge, sometimes you're lined up like strong side linebacker, weak side linebacker.
3:37
SPEAKER_05: You're I I mean, I can't figure it out.
3:39
SPEAKER_05: How do you keep up with the rules?
3:41
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, so every week the rules change, and I have a great little study sheet that I have in my notebook, and I'm having to cross things out, write with different colors and everything.
3:51
SPEAKER_19: And um, I'm up late night studying out through the day, studying hard, and I have some good little shortcuts in my brain that I like to use that can help me out big time.
4:00
SPEAKER_19: Now, your dad's a coach.
4:01
SPEAKER_19: Yes, sir.
4:02
SPEAKER_05: How much does that background and even him at this point be able to help you with something like that?
4:07
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, it's just gave me the love of really preparing and studying because you can't just go out there and know all those rules and play.
4:13
SPEAKER_19: It takes a long time of studying.
4:15
SPEAKER_19: And like Coach Knowles says in the classroom, like you can pass a class with a C, but out there on the football field, it's A plus, and that's the standard.
4:23
SPEAKER_19: Um, so I'm studying my tail off, but I love the process, and I every single Monday I can't wait to get the new install because right away I'm I'm on it.
4:31
SPEAKER_05: Why is Ariane Carter continuing to go up and up and up since his return?
4:37
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, if you think about his preparation just from freshman year, he has been a pro level at preparing, and that has never stopped.
4:44
SPEAKER_19: One thing about him, that has never stopped.
4:46
SPEAKER_19: He is consistently trying to get better every single day.
4:49
SPEAKER_19: And when you match that mentality with his particular set of skills, the sky's the limit for that guy.
4:55
SPEAKER_19: And uh, we're just gonna continue to keep getting better, but it is no surprise to me with AC success.
5:00
SPEAKER_05: Why is Amari Campbell a perfect fit in your group in practice, in meetings, and obviously on the field?
5:09
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, his football IQ and knowledge is through the roof, and that fits in with AC, me, and Edwin as well.
5:17
SPEAKER_19: Um, and he just makes everybody better out there on the field.
5:20
SPEAKER_19: Like I said, a lot of things that I do is working with the front and communicating to them, and then he's really communicating with the back end, and when I can trust him and he can trust me to make that happen, uh it takes a lot off of each other's plate, and uh we can play a lot faster.
5:34
SPEAKER_05: Speaking of playing fast, that's a challenge with a defense that asks you to know rules and to understand things of that sort.
5:42
SPEAKER_05: Why is the overall unit being able to play as fast as they are right now?
5:48
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, there's a whole lot of differences with the look and the things that we do.
5:51
SPEAKER_19: And Coach knows talks about all the time.
5:53
SPEAKER_19: You have to figure out how many same as is that you can.
5:56
SPEAKER_19: So this is kind of similar to this, but it's a little bit different.
6:00
SPEAKER_19: But at the end of the day, we're doing the same thing.
6:02
SPEAKER_19: Um, so if you put multiple things into one category, it allows your brain and your body to just go out there and play a whole lot faster.
6:10
SPEAKER_19: It's fun, isn't it?
6:11
SPEAKER_19: So much fun.
6:12
SPEAKER_05: Oh my goodness.
6:13
SPEAKER_05: Uh you don't really get to watch Xavier Gillam because he's busy, but what's he giving to the D-line that's really helping you as a linebacker?
6:23
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, uh penetration.
6:24
SPEAKER_19: He's setting a new line of scrimmage every single time.
6:27
SPEAKER_19: And you know, sometimes at linebacker, you think a gap's gonna be open, and you're like, holy cow, like, where's this gap?
6:33
SPEAKER_19: Where's the gap?
6:34
SPEAKER_19: But it's because Gilliam is just in the backfield.
6:36
SPEAKER_19: And um, having a guy like that makes our jobs so much easier.
6:40
SPEAKER_19: And you he's a guy that you can always depend on.
6:42
SPEAKER_19: And Monday when he gets the install as well, like Tuesday on practice, he's on point.
6:47
SPEAKER_19: Um, so he's definitely that's people might talk not talk about that as much, but he is a great student of the game and he really understands what we're trying to accomplish.
6:55
SPEAKER_05: Jeremiah T.
6:56
SPEAKER_05: Lander with us on the Mike Keith Show.
6:58
SPEAKER_05: We've got a break and be back with more of Power T, number 22 himself, right after this.
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11:12
SPEAKER_05: T.
11:12
SPEAKER_05: Lander, Tennessee linebacker.
11:14
SPEAKER_05: Um, want to ask you about Coach Inge.
11:16
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
11:17
SPEAKER_05: Um, Coach Inge, obviously sick, hospitalized, serious, tons of prayers everywhere for him, you know, continuing to pray for him, feeling some optimism.
11:28
SPEAKER_05: But for you guys as his guys, what has it been like to go through this?
11:33
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, it's been something that I've never experienced before in my life.
11:36
SPEAKER_19: Uh Coach Enge really is the heart and soul of the defense when it comes to just his personality and also his intensity.
11:44
SPEAKER_19: Um, and it has been really hard for me and all the linebackers and really everyone on this team.
11:50
SPEAKER_19: As you know, like his wife and his kids, he has two daughters and a son that used to play on the team.
11:55
SPEAKER_19: It's really just created a family here.
11:58
SPEAKER_19: Um, and it's been extremely hard for us.
12:00
SPEAKER_19: Uh, but I do know the one thing that he wants us to do is go and play for him.
12:04
SPEAKER_19: And the standard is always the standard.
12:07
SPEAKER_19: Um, so that's something that all the guys in the lineback room are holding for him.
12:12
SPEAKER_19: Um, but it really does put a new perspective on things just because it's bigger than football at the end of the day.
12:18
SPEAKER_19: Um uh family comes first, and uh, we have Coach Inches back.
12:23
SPEAKER_05: And for you guys as a room, you have some older players in that room.
12:27
SPEAKER_05: So there's a lot of grown-upness, a lot of maturity, and then you have some young guys, um, especially the freshmen, speaking like uh Braden Rouse and and TJ White.
12:38
SPEAKER_05: How do you help them go through something like this as leaders on the team, knowing that it's tough to go through it for yourself?
12:46
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, like I said, it's bigger than ball.
12:47
SPEAKER_19: So the main thing that we've told the guys, like, hey, is if you want to get together here outside of the ball and just go eat somewhere or hang out a little bit, and it's it's hard for the freshman too, because a big reason why they came here was for Coach H.
13:01
SPEAKER_19: Um, and he's a father figure at some point, uh, because we're together every day.
13:06
SPEAKER_19: So those those dudes have been struggling, but they know that we have their back um and we're doing everything every day to make sure that everybody's okay.
13:13
SPEAKER_05: Okay, so you played as a freshman.
13:15
SPEAKER_19: Yes, sir.
13:16
SPEAKER_05: Rouse and White are outstanding prospects.
13:20
SPEAKER_05: Give the Tennessee fans a little bit of a feeling what you think they're going to be as they develop.
13:25
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, they're going to be a dynamic duo.
13:28
SPEAKER_19: Uh, it reminds me a little bit of AC and I coming in as freshmen, just the willingness to get better every day and humble yourself a little bit.
13:36
SPEAKER_19: Um, those kids are ready to be to go play at any given down.
13:41
SPEAKER_19: Um, they're prepared for their opportunity, and that's the main thing you ask for them.
13:44
SPEAKER_19: They're communicating in the meetings, they're there early before practice and before meetings.
13:49
SPEAKER_19: Um, and that's all we ask out of those guys.
13:51
SPEAKER_19: But Vall Nation is getting two great linebackers uh with particular sets of skills.
13:56
SPEAKER_19: B.
13:56
SPEAKER_19: Rouse can do it all, and TJ is a hard hitter and extremely athletic.
14:00
SPEAKER_05: Well, he's downhill.
14:01
SPEAKER_19: He is downhill.
14:02
SPEAKER_19: And one thing people might not know about TJ, he's incredibly uh football smart as well.
14:07
SPEAKER_19: And that's the thing that's really surprised me the most, and it makes me love working with him.
14:11
SPEAKER_19: Rouse is some kind of athlete.
14:13
SPEAKER_19: My goodness.
14:14
SPEAKER_19: He's long and and he is strong as well.
14:17
SPEAKER_19: And like I said, Rouse is also extremely highly intelligent when it comes to football, and uh the sky's the limit for those two dudes.
14:24
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, circle 28 and circle 51 in your program.
14:27
SPEAKER_05: Those two young guys can play.
14:29
SPEAKER_05: Without a Jeremiah T.
14:31
SPEAKER_05: Lander right now.
14:32
SPEAKER_05: We know you're playing ball, you're playing at a high level, you're doing a good job for the defense.
14:36
SPEAKER_05: What else is going on in your life right now?
14:38
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, um, there's not much outside of the football world.
14:42
SPEAKER_19: Uh, my favorite thing about football is that it brings family together.
14:46
SPEAKER_19: Uh, so football season is when you see some of the family that you haven't seen in a long time.
14:51
SPEAKER_19: So, usually after games, I'll go to my family's Airbnb that they rent out, and it's actually like 25 minutes down Chapman, and it's a little farmhouse.
14:59
SPEAKER_19: Uh so it was a lot of acreage, and we go and usually have a bonfire.
15:03
SPEAKER_19: So that's what I've been doing for fun after the games.
15:06
SPEAKER_05: So you get to be with the family and and just hang out and just sort of get away from it.
15:12
SPEAKER_19: Yes, sir, without a doubt.
15:13
SPEAKER_19: But it's still fall camp with me right now.
15:15
SPEAKER_05: So throughout the week, you're in it, you're still it's almost October, but you're still rolling in it.
15:20
SPEAKER_05: Yes, sir.
15:21
SPEAKER_05: You I mean, for for a guy like you and for so many people who play any sport, the structure of the time is actually freeing in a way because you don't have to think about a lot on the outside.
15:36
SPEAKER_05: You're just so folk, I gotta go to class, I gotta work out, I I gotta eat at this point, all of these things.
15:41
SPEAKER_05: Right.
15:41
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, and that's something I love about playing football is you mean you go look on teamworks and you have your schedule for you every single day, and then you get into a routine, you figure out what works for you, what doesn't work for you.
15:52
SPEAKER_19: And then when you're surrounded by all your brothers all day, man, and you have so much fun.
15:57
SPEAKER_19: Um, and this is what I love to do, and especially just because being in the locker room with the guys.
16:02
SPEAKER_05: The challenge that Derek Owings had for you and everybody else, but for you in particular, of eating more intentionally, working out in a more intentional way, becoming faster, that probably just fit right in your wheelhouse as one more thing to get excited about, didn't it?
16:18
SPEAKER_19: Without a doubt.
16:18
SPEAKER_19: And you talk about God's plan with Coach Owens and Coach Noah was coming in at the same time.
16:24
SPEAKER_19: Um, like I always say, no regrets.
16:26
SPEAKER_19: When I figured out they're coming, I just gave it my all like I always do, but I definitely turned it up a notch.
16:32
SPEAKER_19: Um, and I've been having a great time while I've been doing it.
16:35
SPEAKER_19: All right, let's talk about Auburn for a second.
16:37
SPEAKER_05: Uh obviously, you're an Atlanta guy, so a lot of Auburn fans in the Atlanta area program I'm sure you're familiar with.
16:43
SPEAKER_05: What are you expecting from the Tigers offensively in terms of a challenge?
16:47
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, a high tempo team.
16:48
SPEAKER_19: They want to align on the ball as fast as they can.
16:50
SPEAKER_19: They want to run it with their quarterback.
16:52
SPEAKER_19: They have an outstanding quarterback.
16:53
SPEAKER_19: He can throw it and he can run it.
16:55
SPEAKER_19: He's a big body dude.
16:57
SPEAKER_19: Uh, they got fast wide receivers on the perimeter and a good up front.
17:01
SPEAKER_19: Um, and it's gonna be a challenge.
17:02
SPEAKER_19: I can't wait.
17:03
SPEAKER_19: I know we have some Tennessee ties with some of the staff that they have, and uh that's what you love about SEC football.
17:09
SPEAKER_19: Um, two great SEC teams gonna go battle it out, and I'm glad we're in Nealand and get another opportunity to go out there and play some ball.
17:16
SPEAKER_19: Turn the page.
17:17
SPEAKER_19: Yes, sir.
17:17
SPEAKER_05: And that and that's really what you look to do because last weekend, um disappointing.
17:23
SPEAKER_05: Uh, and yet the defense certainly did some good things, and you've got to be playing with more confidence and ready to get another shot and to try to continue that.
17:32
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, without a doubt.
17:33
SPEAKER_19: And you know, playing the number one team in the country, obviously it didn't fall the way that we wanted to, but defensively, I know that it gave the guys a big confidence boost just because you know we're back into SEC play.
17:44
SPEAKER_19: Um, and I thought we did well um defense, but we obviously didn't do enough, so it keeps us hungry to keep getting better every single day.
17:52
SPEAKER_19: All right, so you're big TV star now.
17:54
SPEAKER_19: I guess so.
17:55
SPEAKER_05: Fox, Farley, Willis, and Burnett Law.
17:58
SPEAKER_05: You're in the TV commercial.
18:00
SPEAKER_05: What was that like?
18:01
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, first of all, go home team.
18:03
SPEAKER_19: Um I like that.
18:04
SPEAKER_19: Yeah, yeah.
18:05
SPEAKER_19: Um, it was fun, you know.
18:06
SPEAKER_19: It was a great opportunity to kind of just let myself go and have a good time with the guys.
18:11
SPEAKER_19: And um, really, I've never done a commercial like that before.
18:14
SPEAKER_19: And you know, it took three hours out of the day.
18:16
SPEAKER_19: I gave it all I had, and you know, my parents love it, and they they still bring it up to this day.
18:22
SPEAKER_19: And I sometimes I forget about it, and then I go back and look at it, and it was awesome.
18:26
SPEAKER_19: They all did a great job.
18:27
SPEAKER_05: Learning your lines was that difficult?
18:29
SPEAKER_19: A little bit.
18:29
SPEAKER_19: They kind of made it easy on me, though.
18:31
SPEAKER_19: They kept the lines a little bit short.
18:33
SPEAKER_19: Um, and like I said, I had fun with it.
18:35
SPEAKER_19: So actually, I told them I need to put a tie on, and y'all look too good right now, and I'm just in my jersey.
18:40
SPEAKER_19: I need to fit in and put a tie on.
18:42
SPEAKER_04: You're looking pretty good there.
18:43
SPEAKER_04: Pretty pretty good shape.
18:44
SPEAKER_19: What about your speed?
18:45
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
18:46
SPEAKER_19: What about this guy running?
18:47
SPEAKER_19: Man, uh, something that I've been intentional on, been working on, and uh, it's easy when you're out there hungry, seaball, get ball, um, run as fast as I can.
18:56
SPEAKER_05: Hey, you're playing with some fast guys too.
18:58
SPEAKER_19: Yes, without a doubt.
18:58
SPEAKER_05: No doubt about it.
18:59
SPEAKER_05: Good to see you.
19:00
SPEAKER_05: Look forward to the game against Auburn.
19:02
SPEAKER_05: Thanks for taking time.
19:02
SPEAKER_05: Yes, sir.
19:03
SPEAKER_05: Thank you, Mr.
19:03
SPEAKER_05: Keith.
19:04
SPEAKER_05: All right, Jeremiah, do you realize it's already basketball season two?
19:07
SPEAKER_05: Oh my god.
19:08
SPEAKER_05: When is their first game?
19:09
SPEAKER_05: Well, I mean, the ladies have exhibitions, men's have an exhibition coming up in 16, 15 days.
19:15
SPEAKER_05: Wow.
19:16
SPEAKER_05: I know, right?
19:16
SPEAKER_05: The baseball team's practicing.
19:18
SPEAKER_05: It's crazy.
19:19
SPEAKER_05: Softball, we got volleyball, we got, I mean, we got soccer, we got all kinds of stuff going on.
19:24
SPEAKER_05: We're back in accent.
19:25
SPEAKER_05: Uh-huh.
19:25
SPEAKER_05: Yes, sir.
19:26
SPEAKER_05: We're going to meet a new lady vol when we continue on the Mike Keith show delivered by Uber Eats right after this.
19:33
SPEAKER_08: This is your home for coaches and players.
19:36
SPEAKER_07: One-on-one from Rocky Top.
19:38
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19:55
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20:16
SPEAKER_05: Welcome back to the Mike Keats Show, delivered by Uber Eats.
20:21
SPEAKER_05: There was future football scheduling news on Wednesday.
20:25
SPEAKER_05: Tennessee has moved non-conference games against Georgia Tech in 2027 and West Virginia in 2028 to the last Saturday in August that used to be known as Week Zero.
20:39
SPEAKER_05: That means the Balls will host Tech on August 28, 2027, and will take on West Virginia in Charlotte in the Duke's Mayo Classic on August 26, 2028.
20:54
SPEAKER_05: By moving those games from September back into August, Tennessee will now have two bye weeks in each of the next two seasons.
21:05
SPEAKER_05: From football to Lady Vol basketball and to Fatmata Jana.
21:12
SPEAKER_05: Fatmata Jana prefers to be called Fats.
21:15
SPEAKER_05: And she has a delightful accent.
21:18
SPEAKER_05: Plus, she's a really good basketball player.
21:21
SPEAKER_05: Enjoy one of the newest Lady Vols on the Mike Key Show.
21:25
SPEAKER_05: Nice to have you here.
21:26
SPEAKER_05: Nice to be here.
21:27
SPEAKER_05: It's uh by the way, your accent.
21:32
SPEAKER_05: You're from England.
21:33
SPEAKER_05: Yes, I am.
21:35
SPEAKER_05: Tell me about uh basketball in the UK and how it developed for you to sort of get into the game and then get to the States and and play college basketball.
21:47
SPEAKER_16: Um when I first started playing in England, like basketball was like not as advanced as it is now.
21:53
SPEAKER_16: We have a lot of um there's a men's league, BBO League, British Basketball League, then there's the women's British Basketball League, and we also have A Division I League, we have a Division III League.
22:03
SPEAKER_16: Um, I played in Division One League at Barcane Abbey, and that's how I got um seen by my first school, St.
22:10
SPEAKER_16: Peter's.
22:11
SPEAKER_16: My head coach um Jen Leedham.
22:13
SPEAKER_16: I played with her sister Jo, which was the assistant coach, uh at London Lions, which was in the WBBL.
22:20
SPEAKER_16: And then we just happened to play for her for two years, the best of like great two years.
22:27
SPEAKER_16: Um they mentored me, helped build me from like what I was when I first got to the States, you know, with like a whole different new scene, but very different from London.
22:36
SPEAKER_16: But it was kind of similar because New Jersey and New London and London is like pretty similar.
22:41
SPEAKER_16: But yeah, they like did a great job, but have nothing bad to say about those guys over there.
22:47
SPEAKER_16: Um and yeah.
22:50
unknown: Yeah.
22:51
SPEAKER_05: So okay, so you get to the states to play at St.
22:53
SPEAKER_05: Peter's, which is in Jersey City, yes, New Jersey, right?
22:57
SPEAKER_05: Okay.
22:58
SPEAKER_05: In terms of your game, what do you lack, if anything, when you get to St.
23:05
SPEAKER_05: Peter's?
23:05
SPEAKER_05: What do you have to learn?
23:06
SPEAKER_16: I had to learn a lot.
23:08
SPEAKER_16: Like I'm not the player I am today.
23:10
SPEAKER_16: Um, like I I came like I was lacking a lot, like, discipline.
23:17
SPEAKER_16: Um, they fine-tuned like a lot, a lot, like a lot.
23:20
SPEAKER_16: Like I'm a very, I'm a completely different player then to what I am now.
23:27
SPEAKER_16: Um it was, but they did a great job like helping me manage that again.
23:31
SPEAKER_16: Like I'm a long way away from home.
23:32
SPEAKER_16: Sure.
23:33
SPEAKER_16: Um, the first time I ever left my family behind.
23:36
SPEAKER_16: But they understood that, and I think that's why it was a uh a really big deal for me to go there because they was from England too, and that link, um, it like just felt like home.
23:47
SPEAKER_16: And they just did a really, really good job in making me understand I know you're away from home, but like we're here for you, anything you need mentally.
23:54
SPEAKER_16: Like they they we had good um uh resources over there as well for because there was a lot of international um athletes over there too.
24:03
SPEAKER_05: So yeah.
24:04
SPEAKER_05: Interesting.
24:05
SPEAKER_05: Um when you go to Texas AM last year, you get a chance to play at Food City Center against the Lady Vols.
24:14
SPEAKER_05: You have a really good game.
24:16
SPEAKER_05: 17 points, 12 rebounds.
24:18
SPEAKER_05: Did anything about the experience about playing at Food City remain with you, stick out to you, that when it came time to go in the portal and Tennessee was interested, you said, Oh, that's an interesting place.
24:32
SPEAKER_16: Um, yeah, when we went, obviously, like the fan base, incredible, like they really come out and show out for the lady vows.
24:39
SPEAKER_16: Like that was a big like when we came uh eye-opener for me.
24:44
SPEAKER_16: Um and yeah, I would say, yeah, that played a bit of a role.
24:48
SPEAKER_16: What was Kim Caldwell's pitch to you?
24:51
SPEAKER_16: It was gonna be very hard.
24:53
SPEAKER_16: She from the jump, she told me it was gonna be very hard.
24:56
SPEAKER_16: It's probably gonna be the hardest I've ever worked in life, and trust me, it's been that.
25:02
SPEAKER_16: What part of it has been hard?
25:04
SPEAKER_16: Um everything from like physically, uh mentally, because like we go through so much, but I love it though, because it's all gonna be worth it in the end, you know?
25:17
SPEAKER_16: And we're all together, like all my teammates were all going through it together.
25:20
SPEAKER_05: So what did you know about Tennessee women's basketball growing up in England?
25:25
SPEAKER_16: If anything, um obviously, like where I didn't know anything until I came to the States.
25:30
SPEAKER_16: I didn't really know much about it till I transferred to AM because then we had the play for Pat game, and then after Joni, the head coach, teaching me about like Pat Samuel and like what she brought to women's basketball, and how like she's a really, really big deal.
25:46
SPEAKER_16: And then after entering the portal, coming here on my visit, and them just again like showing me the Pat statue and how much she meant to women's basketball and it's like here and and I mean you're known for the double-double, that's that's what you do.
25:59
SPEAKER_05: You get rebounds, six-two, make plays.
26:03
SPEAKER_05: Um how do you fit into the up tempo of what Kim wants to do, especially the emphasis on the defensive end?
26:12
SPEAKER_16: Um, I feel like like my game for itself, like speaks for itself.
26:17
SPEAKER_16: Um I could play fast, uh, I could rebound the ball, I can bring the ball up the floor.
26:24
SPEAKER_16: Um, all stuff that Kim said that she needed uh when I came on my visit, and I felt like I could do those things and more.
26:32
SPEAKER_16: Um I've been uh fine-tuning my game to my three-point shot.
26:36
SPEAKER_16: Um, just working to be the player that not only she wants me to be for the team, but uh player that I want to be that they're gonna need at the next level.
26:44
SPEAKER_05: You prefer to be called Fats?
26:46
SPEAKER_16: Yes.
26:47
SPEAKER_16: It's a nickname.
26:48
SPEAKER_16: I've just been I've been called that ever since London.
26:50
SPEAKER_16: Ever since you were a kid.
26:51
SPEAKER_16: Yeah.
26:52
SPEAKER_05: Okay.
26:52
SPEAKER_05: So we'll call you Fats.
26:53
SPEAKER_05: Okay.
26:54
SPEAKER_05: That's okay.
26:54
SPEAKER_05: Um, what's this Ladyball basketball team gonna be like?
26:58
SPEAKER_16: Um very grey, we work very hard.
27:03
SPEAKER_16: Um like it's gonna be like a breath of fresh air, like we're gonna be a v a breath of fresher.
27:10
SPEAKER_16: We were gonna play very, very hard every game.
27:13
SPEAKER_16: Um bring something new to the table that people may have not seen before.
27:18
SPEAKER_16: Um and yeah, outrun our opponents.
27:21
SPEAKER_05: Who do you enjoy playing with the most on this team?
27:25
SPEAKER_16: Oh, that's a hard question.
27:27
SPEAKER_16: Because I love my sisters, but Kennedy, Kayleen, and Riley T.
27:33
SPEAKER_16: Okay.
27:34
SPEAKER_16: For sure.
27:35
SPEAKER_05: So you're but in terms of the groupings and how she does things with the the mass substitution and all of those things, has that taken any getting used to?
27:44
SPEAKER_16: Um I know you haven't been in many game situations yet, but but of course, at first it was like, whoa, like coming in and out, but like after a while, get used to it, like it's just basketball.
27:55
SPEAKER_05: Okay, so what do you think of Knoxville, Tennessee?
27:57
SPEAKER_16: I love it.
27:58
SPEAKER_16: Really?
27:58
SPEAKER_16: I love it here.
27:59
SPEAKER_16: Yeah.
28:00
SPEAKER_16: What about it?
28:01
SPEAKER_16: Do you love so much?
28:02
SPEAKER_16: Like, it's a college town.
28:04
SPEAKER_16: Um, like it's not too big, but it's big enough.
28:08
SPEAKER_16: You know, like there's um downtown, you can go downtown, walk around downtown.
28:13
SPEAKER_16: Um, I like walking around like uh near the gym, you can just walk around, you can walk to the gym.
28:20
SPEAKER_16: The scenery is amazing.
28:23
SPEAKER_16: Yeah, I love it here.
28:24
SPEAKER_16: I didn't think I was gonna love it.
28:26
SPEAKER_05: Can you understand everybody here?
28:29
SPEAKER_05: Has that taken with the accent?
28:31
SPEAKER_05: Because some people say we in East Tennessee have an accent.
28:34
SPEAKER_05: Really?
28:35
SPEAKER_05: They do, yeah.
28:36
SPEAKER_05: You don't find there's much of an accent here?
28:38
SPEAKER_16: No, I understand everyone like pretty well.
28:41
SPEAKER_05: And do they understand you well?
28:42
SPEAKER_16: See now then that's the challenge.
28:47
SPEAKER_16: That's the challenge because I sometimes I have to repeat myself, and that's okay because I've been told that I speak quite fast with the accent, but yeah, pretty but my teammates at first didn't understand me, but then after a week they understood me.
29:04
SPEAKER_05: That's Jana.
29:05
SPEAKER_05: Yes, it is a pleasure to meet you.
29:08
SPEAKER_05: It's a pleasure to meet you too.
29:09
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, I cannot wait to watch you play.
29:11
SPEAKER_05: I'm I'm excited about this team.
29:13
SPEAKER_05: I'm excited too.
29:14
SPEAKER_05: I think Lady Vol fans and I think all Tennessee fans are really just excited to see this team because of what Kim has done in the offseason and how she has bragged about the group.
29:24
SPEAKER_16: Yeah.
29:25
SPEAKER_16: Honestly, I call we call her big boss.
29:28
SPEAKER_16: Big boss?
29:29
SPEAKER_16: Yeah, we call her big boss.
29:30
SPEAKER_16: Does she know that?
29:30
SPEAKER_16: Of course she does.
29:31
SPEAKER_16: We call her big like we'll be in practice and we're asking serious questions, and we don't say, Kim, we'd be like, yo, big boss, what do you want us to do?
29:38
SPEAKER_16: Like, you know, we call her big boss.
29:40
SPEAKER_16: That's her name.
29:41
SPEAKER_16: Yeah, that's her name.
29:41
SPEAKER_16: Is she okay with that?
29:42
SPEAKER_16: Of course she is.
29:43
SPEAKER_16: She's big boss.
29:44
SPEAKER_16: She's big boss.
29:45
SPEAKER_05: I mean, if you're big boss, why would you mind?
29:47
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, she's big boss.
29:48
SPEAKER_05: Thanks for the time.
29:49
SPEAKER_05: Thank you.
29:49
SPEAKER_05: Love.
29:50
SPEAKER_05: All right.
29:50
SPEAKER_05: When the Mike Keith show delivered by Uber Eats continues, the Vol Network's Jason Swain is on to Albert.
29:57
SPEAKER_05: Stay with us.
29:59
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34:05
SPEAKER_05: Jason Swain is here on the Mike Keith Show.
34:08
SPEAKER_05: Welcome.
34:09
SPEAKER_18: Thank you.
34:09
SPEAKER_05: It's good to see you.
34:10
SPEAKER_18: Good to see you.
34:11
SPEAKER_18: Good to be seen.
34:12
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34:27
SPEAKER_05: I have questions for you.
34:29
SPEAKER_05: I have questions for you.
34:30
SPEAKER_05: All right, let's go to Jason Swain the player.
34:33
SPEAKER_05: It's midweek.
34:35
SPEAKER_05: You just played the number one team in the country.
34:37
SPEAKER_05: Physical, tough game, you lose by three points.
34:40
SPEAKER_05: You've got Auburn coming in.
34:42
SPEAKER_05: Big game.
34:43
SPEAKER_05: SEC game.
34:44
SPEAKER_05: As a player, where are you right now in reality?
34:49
SPEAKER_05: Because we're all just human beings.
34:51
SPEAKER_05: And then where do you need to be from a mental standpoint and a physical standpoint?
34:56
SPEAKER_18: Midweek, I'm already on Auburn.
34:59
SPEAKER_18: I have uh flushed the Texas game.
35:01
SPEAKER_18: I have watched the Texas film uh Sunday and Monday.
35:05
SPEAKER_18: I've made my corrections with my position coach, uh, with a coordinator.
35:09
SPEAKER_18: Uh we have addressed those issues on the football field.
35:12
SPEAKER_18: Um I'm I'm moving I've moved on.
35:14
SPEAKER_18: Um I I can't let Texas beat me twice.
35:17
SPEAKER_18: Okay.
35:17
SPEAKER_18: I have to make those corrections.
35:19
SPEAKER_18: Uh I know that we are a good football team.
35:22
SPEAKER_18: Um there's some things on film we know we have to correct, that we know we have to fix.
35:25
SPEAKER_18: We haven't played really anybody leading up to Texas.
35:28
SPEAKER_18: So as a player, I I feel good about what we can do moving forward.
35:32
SPEAKER_18: Yes, Texas, really good team.
35:34
SPEAKER_18: Are they the number one team?
35:36
SPEAKER_18: I don't know.
35:36
SPEAKER_18: But they are a top five team.
35:38
SPEAKER_18: They're a really good team.
35:39
SPEAKER_18: And we just had an opportunity to beat them.
35:42
SPEAKER_18: And we can look at ourselves and say, you know, we beat ourselves in a lot of ways.
35:45
SPEAKER_18: It wasn't like they just they beat us.
35:47
SPEAKER_18: You give them credit.
35:49
SPEAKER_18: You you definitely give them credit, but you feel good about where you are and where you can be for sure.
35:54
SPEAKER_05: Okay, so what did they have to get straight?
35:56
SPEAKER_05: What are they working on in practice this week that Jason Swain feels like Tennessee must improve to get ready for Aubrey?
36:02
SPEAKER_18: Well, you knew the deal, you knew the script, you knew the assignment when Faison Brandon was named the quarterback, or when it was George versus Faison.
36:10
SPEAKER_18: You knew that whoever won the job, that everyone needed to elevate their game around the quarterback.
36:15
SPEAKER_18: And so you just gotta do that.
36:17
SPEAKER_18: You know, O-line gotta be better.
36:19
SPEAKER_18: Um, you know, running backs, you know, you you put more pressure on yourself, more responsibility, and receivers.
36:24
SPEAKER_18: You do the same thing.
36:25
SPEAKER_18: Hey, you create better separation, make the quarterback feel better about delivering you the football.
36:29
SPEAKER_18: Uh, but it's about everybody else being better.
36:32
SPEAKER_18: Obviously, the quarterback has to play better as well, too.
36:35
SPEAKER_18: But you feel good about his ability to grow and learn from, you know, from the game on Saturday.
36:40
SPEAKER_05: For how he competed, and a lot of guys competed hard, but the quarterback never appeared to be out of the game, distracted, distraught, anything.
36:50
SPEAKER_05: His body language was good.
36:52
SPEAKER_05: He played his butt off.
36:54
SPEAKER_05: You would you would feel like his teammates have to feel super about him coming out of that game.
37:00
SPEAKER_18: To hurt his right shoulder, his throw and shoulder.
37:02
SPEAKER_18: And we saw like his throwing platform change, just trying to gut it out.
37:07
SPEAKER_18: Uh, he was a warrior.
37:08
SPEAKER_18: And anytime you have your quarterback, and we've seen we've seen teams rally around a quarterback who goes head first for a first down on third or fourth down and takes big hits.
37:18
SPEAKER_18: Faison went out and then comes back in, and I mean, he is gutting it out, trying to give his all for his team.
37:25
SPEAKER_18: So like you feel good about that.
37:27
SPEAKER_18: Like you know you have someone that you can go to war with.
37:30
SPEAKER_05: Receiver-wise, what would you like to see the receivers do better against Auburn?
37:35
SPEAKER_18: Well, I mean, DJ Durkin is gonna do some of the same things that Will Mushamp did.
37:39
SPEAKER_18: I mean, why would you not?
37:40
SPEAKER_18: Because Mushamp was successful.
37:43
SPEAKER_18: And so you you need to be a little bit better getting off press coverage, uh, creating better separation and more separation.
37:49
SPEAKER_18: Um, I think you gotta continue to talk to your quarterback and make him feel comfortable and good and let him know that he's close so that way he feels good about delivering the football to you.
37:59
SPEAKER_18: I know he doesn't want to turn the ball over.
38:01
SPEAKER_18: And so sometimes you can, you know, you can be reluctant to pull the trigger, but you need the receivers to let him know, hey, I I got you, man.
38:08
SPEAKER_18: Give me a chance.
38:09
SPEAKER_18: We saw on the touchdown late in the game, Mike Matthews was given a chance.
38:12
SPEAKER_18: He didn't let it get picked off.
38:14
SPEAKER_18: He made a play for his team.
38:16
SPEAKER_05: The two receivers who are at the top, obviously Staley and Matthews, their numbers are beginning to pick up.
38:22
SPEAKER_05: Do you sense they're starting to get in more of a groove with Faison Brandon?
38:26
SPEAKER_18: Yeah, a little bit.
38:27
SPEAKER_18: I mean, I think I think when you can go to the film and see some positive things in a in a game where there's a lot of NFL players on the opposing team and you you're making plays against them, it should give you some confidence.
38:38
SPEAKER_18: Um, but I if if I'm Mike Matthews and Staley, I I want more if I'm being honest.
38:43
SPEAKER_18: Like I I I want to be the reason why, you know, we get out of this uh, you know, this little bit of a rut offensively in the passing game.
38:50
SPEAKER_18: I want to be the reason.
38:51
SPEAKER_18: So, you know, I'm I'm catching balls extra, I'm watching film more with my guys.
38:55
SPEAKER_18: Uh, I'm doing whatever I can to make sure that, you know, I'm the reason why we we we push this thing forward.
39:01
SPEAKER_05: Alex Golish was here and you obviously observed his teams closely or the things that he worked on closely as the offensive coordinator.
39:11
SPEAKER_05: What did you see about Alex Golish here that you see at South Florida and now at Auburn that impresses you as a head coach that Tennessee will have to face on Saturday?
39:22
SPEAKER_18: Well, I mean, he uses every single blade of grass.
39:25
SPEAKER_18: Um, I mean, you know, the script was always on point.
39:29
SPEAKER_18: The first 10, 15 plays was always on point.
39:31
SPEAKER_18: This is why Tennessee kind of got that label of always being a first quarter team starting fast.
39:38
SPEAKER_18: You better get ready because you're gonna be down 7-0 uh at best 7-7 when Golish was here.
39:44
SPEAKER_18: Um and he's done a really good job at South Florida.
39:46
SPEAKER_18: He's brought that attitude to Auburn.
39:48
SPEAKER_18: Um, they they've hit a little bit of adversity.
39:50
SPEAKER_18: We'll see how they bounce back.
39:52
SPEAKER_18: Um, there's gonna be some noise that they'll have to kind of overcome, you know, after after you know, losing the previous week, but they won against Vanderbilt.
39:59
SPEAKER_18: So, you know, that always makes things better when you win.
40:02
SPEAKER_18: Um, but this matchup is is you would think it's oh man, they know each other so well, you know.
40:08
SPEAKER_18: And they might in some ways, but they're doing different things.
40:11
SPEAKER_18: Tennessee is doing way different things offensively than they did when Alice Goldis was here.
40:16
SPEAKER_18: So um I can't wait to kind of see how they come out in the first 10, 15 plays.
40:21
SPEAKER_18: What about the buy-in on defense for Tennessee?
40:23
SPEAKER_05: Man, that was with Jim Knowles' system.
40:25
SPEAKER_05: And and and again, I credit Coach Knowles, but I also credit Anthony Poindexter, Derek Jones, Rodney Garner, AJ Jackson, and the rest of that staff, especially the people filling in right now for William Inge.
40:38
SPEAKER_05: I mean, there is a uh I mean a tremendous back and front connection that Tennessee has right now.
40:44
SPEAKER_18: And now the buy-in's going to be even more, I think.
40:47
SPEAKER_18: Because like it's one thing to look at the resume of Jim Knowles, look at the resume of Porn Dexter when he was a player and what he did as a coach.
40:55
SPEAKER_18: And you can see, okay, he coached this guy, and this guy's playing on Saturdays, and you know, Jim Knowles did this and he won championship.
41:02
SPEAKER_18: But then when you have the performance you had against a talented team like Texas, then your buy-in is even more.
41:08
SPEAKER_18: Now you want to watch more fans.
41:10
SPEAKER_18: Now you want to play even harder.
41:11
SPEAKER_18: Now you want to see, all right, if I do more, what kind of results can we really get?
41:15
SPEAKER_18: So I can't wait to see how this team, well, this defense responds to having a really good performance, a performance that gave this team opportunity to win.
41:25
SPEAKER_18: Um, but a performance that I don't know a lot of people expected.
41:28
SPEAKER_18: But man, this defense is really, really good.
41:30
SPEAKER_18: Play well.
41:31
SPEAKER_18: Now the challenge is can you maintain it and do it every week, week in and week out?
41:35
SPEAKER_05: Back to Jason Swain as a player, something most of us don't know.
41:39
SPEAKER_05: So Tennessee's practicing.
41:40
SPEAKER_05: They're getting ready to play Auburn.
41:42
SPEAKER_05: They have this really good defense.
41:44
SPEAKER_05: It would it would seem like Tennessee's defense being able to challenge their offense would be helpful.
41:50
SPEAKER_05: Is there time for that once we get into the season that you can do much one against one in practice?
41:58
SPEAKER_18: It's a balancing act because you know that this defense plays very, very well and iron sharp as iron.
42:06
SPEAKER_18: But you got some injuries on the offensive line.
42:09
SPEAKER_18: And I mean, you you you gotta be really careful about how physical you are in practice.
42:14
SPEAKER_18: You want to help each other get better.
42:15
SPEAKER_18: Um, so you got to be really careful, really smart.
42:17
SPEAKER_18: Usually, you know, older guys can do that uh more than younger guys.
42:21
SPEAKER_18: So that's gonna be a challenge, I think, for for this coach of staff.
42:24
SPEAKER_18: But it's very important, and it's good that your defense can put you in a position to improve and get better.
42:28
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, because in practice, you've got to take care of the teammate on the other side.
42:33
SPEAKER_18: Yes.
42:34
SPEAKER_05: And sometimes when that intensity builds, especially for younger guys, it's hard to know to do that.
42:40
SPEAKER_18: Yeah, and and man, football is so weird that you can you can get hurt on like the most physical play ever, or you can get hurt when it's like non-contact.
42:49
SPEAKER_18: Right.
42:49
SPEAKER_18: So, you know, a lot of it's luck, but you can't afford not to do it.
42:53
SPEAKER_18: Like you gotta, you gotta be physical.
42:54
SPEAKER_18: You have to practice being physical in order to play the game on Saturday because the games are physical on Saturdays.
43:00
SPEAKER_05: Do you think that physicality will change in practice for not just Tennessee, but all SEC teams, knowing that there's only one off week this year and that you play nine conference games?
43:12
SPEAKER_18: I think you have to give yourself a chance.
43:15
SPEAKER_18: I mean, if if you beat each other up and guys are are not available, you don't have a chance.
43:20
SPEAKER_05: Is the player or who are the players that Jason Swain is really enjoying watching right now?
43:26
SPEAKER_18: Oh man, I like Clay Moss.
43:29
SPEAKER_18: I like the swagger.
43:31
SPEAKER_18: I do.
43:31
SPEAKER_18: I like the confidence about him.
43:32
SPEAKER_18: I like how fearless he is catching punts.
43:35
SPEAKER_18: Because, I mean, there's some times I was like, oh, oh, you got to fair catch that.
43:39
SPEAKER_18: Oh, we're not gonna fair catch it.
43:40
SPEAKER_18: Okay, let's go, let's do it.
43:41
SPEAKER_18: Um, guys have gotten really close to hitting him while catching no football, but he's he's been good, man.
43:47
SPEAKER_18: And when you have an offense that is kind of going through what Tennessee's offense is going through with a young quarterback and offensive line that's trying to find their way, it helps to have a guy like Quay Moss that can deliver a touchdown on special teams.
43:58
SPEAKER_18: So he's been fun to watch.
44:00
SPEAKER_18: Watch.
44:01
SPEAKER_18: Gilliam has been fun to watch.
44:03
SPEAKER_18: The safeties have been, I mean, defensively, it's just been it's been really fun to watch these guys answer the bell.
44:10
SPEAKER_18: They've been challenged, right?
44:11
SPEAKER_18: This defense wasn't good last year, but it doesn't matter what happened last year.
44:14
SPEAKER_18: It's about what you do today and the work you put in.
44:17
SPEAKER_18: The defense is showing that and proving that.
44:19
SPEAKER_05: Okay.
44:19
SPEAKER_05: Last question.
44:20
SPEAKER_05: All right.
44:20
SPEAKER_05: If you're on the hands team, like Wingo was.
44:24
SPEAKER_05: Hey, Wingo for Texas has really good hands.
44:27
SPEAKER_18: Oh, yeah.
44:27
SPEAKER_05: And he's got that Jackson Ross drop kick coming at him that's going like 19 different directions.
44:34
SPEAKER_18: What do you do?
44:35
SPEAKER_18: Pray.
44:36
SPEAKER_18: You pray and hope.
44:37
SPEAKER_18: You hope that the ball is in over end.
44:40
SPEAKER_18: Right.
44:40
SPEAKER_18: Because you know it's going to take that big second jumps.
44:43
SPEAKER_18: And that's an easy catch.
44:44
SPEAKER_18: You catch it and you fall down.
44:45
SPEAKER_18: Your teammates, you know, jump on you, make sure that you secure the possession.
44:50
SPEAKER_18: But that knuckler, I don't know what you do about that.
44:53
SPEAKER_18: That's I mean, that's tough.
44:55
SPEAKER_05: I mean, I mean, he looked like he'd never, and and he's a super player.
44:59
SPEAKER_05: I'm not demeaning him, but I mean, he looked like he had no chance, and it wasn't like he's a freshman.
45:04
SPEAKER_18: It's hard, especially when it comes at you that fast.
45:07
SPEAKER_18: I mean, it's it's difficult.
45:08
SPEAKER_18: So, I mean, obviously you want to catch everything.
45:11
SPEAKER_18: You're on the hands team for a reason to do that job and you want to do it well, but there's gonna be times when you just you're just not gonna catch it.
45:18
SPEAKER_18: And Tennessee was fortunate enough that they had an opportunity to recover it.
45:21
SPEAKER_18: What a play! Yeah, it was special.
45:23
SPEAKER_05: I hope you have as good an October as you did in September.
45:26
SPEAKER_05: You are awfully good on the radio.
45:27
SPEAKER_05: Well, let's do it again.
45:28
SPEAKER_05: Let's do it again.
45:29
SPEAKER_05: That is Jason Swaint from The Ball Radio Network with us, the Planet Fitness Heavy Lift.
45:33
SPEAKER_05: We've got more of the Mike Keith Show coming up right after this.
45:37
SPEAKER_08: Getting you ready for the game.
45:39
SPEAKER_08: The Mike Keith Show delivered by operation.
45:42
SPEAKER_07: This is your ball network.
46:08
SPEAKER_05: This is Andy, Andy Brock.
46:11
SPEAKER_10: Hi.
46:11
SPEAKER_10: Welcome.
46:12
SPEAKER_10: Thanks.
46:12
SPEAKER_10: Great to be here.
46:13
SPEAKER_10: Are you ready to ask questions?
46:16
SPEAKER_10: Absolutely.
46:17
SPEAKER_05: All right.
46:17
SPEAKER_05: So he has questions from you that you send us on the Vault Network text line, 865-657-1278.
46:28
SPEAKER_05: Just text us a question and Andy will ask the question here on the Mike Keith show delivered by Uber Eats.
46:36
SPEAKER_05: So let's see what we have here.
46:38
SPEAKER_10: Jack from Memphis.
46:39
SPEAKER_10: Jack from Memphis.
46:40
SPEAKER_10: He asked, as a younger fan, he is unfamiliar with Bill Mayo, who's now on the Vall Network Radio.
46:46
SPEAKER_10: He's been in the booth with you this year.
46:47
SPEAKER_10: Looked him up.
46:48
SPEAKER_10: Seems like he was a good player.
46:49
SPEAKER_10: Can you tell us more about Bill Mayo?
46:51
SPEAKER_05: He was a really good player.
46:52
SPEAKER_05: Bill Mayo got here in 1981 from Dalton, Georgia, and he started his first game as a freshman, which in 1981 didn't happen.
47:03
SPEAKER_05: Freshman had just been eligible for roughly 10 years at that point.
47:08
SPEAKER_05: And Bill Mayo started 46 of his 47 games as a vol, uh, was an All-America selection at guard.
47:16
SPEAKER_05: I mean, was considered one of the outstanding offensive linemen of Philip Fulmer's tenure at Tennessee.
47:22
SPEAKER_05: So when we were going through the process this year of figuring out what we were going to do to revamp the Vall Network broadcast crew, we just thought that Bill Mayo would be a great choice for that.
47:34
SPEAKER_05: And people are really enjoying what he's adding to inside Tennessee football on pregame with Jason and Brent Hubbs, and then what he's adding at the half, and then what he's adding post-game.
47:45
SPEAKER_10: It's really been fun.
47:46
SPEAKER_10: This was actually a question from last week.
47:48
SPEAKER_10: So sorry we didn't get to it last week.
47:49
SPEAKER_10: Ben from Kingston was asking Ben from Kingston.
47:52
SPEAKER_10: Which previous Tennessee team would you, Mike, compare this current Tennessee team to?
47:57
SPEAKER_05: That's tough.
47:59
SPEAKER_05: Because we're we're literally a third of the way through the season.
48:03
SPEAKER_05: I think the next two games determine so much about this season because you you really want to be five and one going into Alabama.
48:12
SPEAKER_05: I don't have a good answer for that question yet because I just don't think we've seen enough of them.
48:17
SPEAKER_05: And I think that the real problem with that is how far will Faison Brandon go in developing over this period of time.
48:28
SPEAKER_05: And that's gonna tell us a great deal about what this team ends up looking like.
48:35
SPEAKER_05: Are they very much a run first team, or by the end of the season, are they much more diverse because he's able to do more things and the offensive line is in sync in this way?
48:47
SPEAKER_05: And it's a good question.
48:48
SPEAKER_05: I just think it's a bit early for it.
48:50
SPEAKER_10: Okay, so big matchup this week, as you mentioned, against Auburn.
48:53
SPEAKER_10: Yes.
48:54
SPEAKER_10: And it's it's kind of a rare matchup, just three times these teams have played in the last 27 years, but it is a historical matchup with the new scheduling changes.
49:01
SPEAKER_10: We're gonna see this matchup more.
49:03
SPEAKER_10: Is that something that you know you like?
49:06
SPEAKER_10: Like how great is it that we will see Tennessee versus Auburn?
49:08
SPEAKER_10: What are your thoughts as we get going into this new schedule format?
49:12
SPEAKER_05: I I love it.
49:13
SPEAKER_05: I I love to see this because this really goes back to my youth.
49:17
SPEAKER_05: You would always play Auburn at home and Alabama on the road, or Auburn on the road and Alabama at home.
49:23
SPEAKER_05: And you know, those were largely barometers of what the two years would or what the years would be like.
49:30
SPEAKER_05: I mean, 1985, Tennessee beat both Alabama and Auburn in the same year, and it just didn't happen that often.
49:36
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
49:37
SPEAKER_10: Okay, so speaking of Auburn, it is Smokey Gray Week.
49:40
SPEAKER_10: Yes, featuring the new Smoky Gray uniforms to honor the Nealan legacy in his 100th year since he started his tenure.
49:47
SPEAKER_10: So Gary from Oliver Springs wants to know your favorite aspect of the new uniform this week.
49:52
SPEAKER_05: All right.
49:53
SPEAKER_05: I have been to practice, I have seen the helmets on.
50:00
SPEAKER_05: Okay, so I saw the helmet just there, and it looked good.
50:06
SPEAKER_05: But I've seen the players wearing the helmets with the stripe and the and the star on the back.
50:13
SPEAKER_05: The helmets are so cool.
50:16
SPEAKER_05: I can't wait to see the whole thing together, but I'm just telling you, vol fans, seeing players practicing with the helmets on.
50:28
SPEAKER_05: I'm not gonna say it's life-changing, but it's pretty, it's pretty good.
50:31
SPEAKER_10: It's different than just seeing the photo.
50:33
SPEAKER_05: The whole thing is so thought out.
50:36
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, I'm so proud of everybody who was involved in this because it's the it's so thought out and it's so all in.
50:46
SPEAKER_05: Here's what they did right they didn't make a 1926 jersey to honor the hundred years.
50:53
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, they didn't do that, they took things from the best three-year periods of General Nealand's tenure, and that is okay, 28 through 30, 38 through 40, and then 50 through 52, because he had those three incredible three-year periods.
51:11
SPEAKER_10: Okay, Pam from Signal Mountain this weekend against Auburn.
51:15
SPEAKER_10: Is there one storyline or stat that we should be aware of or something that you're really focused on?
51:20
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, quarterback running for them.
51:22
SPEAKER_05: Byram Brown, the transfer from South Florida who comes with Alec Alex Golish.
51:27
SPEAKER_05: Um, he's 6'3, 235, and he runs an average.
51:32
SPEAKER_05: If you take out his sacks, uh he runs an average of 12 times a game, and I think he'll run even more.
51:39
SPEAKER_05: You know, I don't know that Tennessee will see a lot of quarterbacks like this the rest of the year.
51:44
SPEAKER_05: Maybe they will, but they've seen some runners.
51:48
SPEAKER_05: Ricky Collins for Kennesaw State could run, but they didn't do the things with him that Byron Brown can do.
51:56
SPEAKER_05: And he can throw.
51:57
SPEAKER_05: Yes.
51:58
SPEAKER_05: Good stuff, Andy.
51:59
SPEAKER_05: Andy asks, presented by First Horizon Bank, official bank of the Vols.
52:05
SPEAKER_05: Thanks for joining us for this edition of the Mike Keith Show.
52:09
SPEAKER_05: We're glad you were here and hope that you will come back.
52:11
SPEAKER_05: And we plan to see you next week.
52:15
SPEAKER_08: All access all week long to the latest from the Tennessee campus, the Mike Keith Show, online, delivered by Uber East, UT Sports.com.
52:26
SPEAKER_07: We are the Long Network.