What Tennessee coach Josh Heupel told the local media during SEC Media Days in Atlanta

Everything Tennessee Football coach Josh Heupel told the local media as the Vols started SEC Media Days Tuesday afternoon in Atlanta:

What he likes about the feedback he’s received on Tennessee’s quarterbacks, how different the summer is without an established starter

“We’ve been through it before. That’s here at Tennessee and different spots that I’ve been. At the end of the day, those guys got to continue to grow every single day. So being in the building, learning our offense, learning defensive structures, having an opportunity to go out on the field, work through it, grow every single day. They’ve done a great job in the weight room, but leadership, developing relationships with our guys, it’s constant growth for them. They’ve done a really good job in the meeting room being cohesive, caring about each other. I think that’s really important. Strength of one position can never just be one guy. As we’re getting to the backend of summer, certainly as we kick off training camp, those guys are going to have an opportunity to go compete and the best players are going to play.”

What he likes about Tennessee transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar

“We’ve had an opportunity to be out there with him throwing a little bit. And fundamentally, there’s some things that we’ve hit on with him that he’s continuing to grow throughout the course of the summer. He’s done a great job coming into our program, got there in May, got a chance to go through the installs. It’s his second time through it here and during the course of the summer. He’s growing every single day. But his ability to connect with the guys inside of our roster, as a veteran guy coming in, just developing relationships, then earning the trust of those guys by how you approach every single day.”

How much he appreciates the approach of Joey Aguilar, making it about the team and not himself 

“Yeah, absolutely. I think when you’re coming in, how you present yourself every single day that’s in the building and outside of it is going to be the perception, certainly early on, of how the players perceive you. And for him to come in, be about his work, continue to grow, like the first week he was here with all of our guys, offensive linemen, taking them out to dinner, those types of things, those are our little steps and developing a relationship with guys where you can eventually lead them. And all three of those guys, Merk (Jake Merklinger) and George (MacIntyre) have continued to do a great job of that as well. But certainly respect what Joey has done since he got here on campus.”

His message to Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre as they enter Tennessee’s fall camp 

“It’s a competition every single day. That’s how you handle yourself, that’s how you handle success, that’s how you handle a bad play. It’s the mastering and control and command of what we’re doing offensively. All three of those guys know that they’re going to get their opportunities. Being urgent in your preparation, going out and competing, cutting it loose and going and playing ball. And we’ve been through this before. You look at Joe (Milton) and Hendon (Hooker) and the way that they competed during the course of a training camp. One guy gets named the starter, another guy gets dinged up, next guy is in. 

Those two guys had great relationships. They helped each other, they challenged each other, they’re still great friends today, they’re both playing in the NFL. I think that represents what’s good inside of a meeting room and certainly a quarterback room.”

If there’s a timetable or a hopeful timetable for return for Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy (ACL)

“I don’t. I think with the injury and his rehab process, it’s how he encounters the next phase and next stage as he continues to prepare himself and get ready to play. I saw him the other day as he’s going through his rehab. He looks really good, his movement skills are good. It’s a progression throughout the course of the end of the summer and through training camp. And we’ll figure that out as we get into the season. Keeping in mind, obviously, we want him, he’s a huge part of us defensively, but his short term and long term health as well.”

Tennessee quarterback Jake Merklinger’s progression to this point

“Yeah, fundamentally he’s continued to grow the ability to be accurate with the football. Through the course of spring he got better every single day. He handled good plays, bad plays extremely well. Was very consistent in who he was. Really grew in his command of what we’re doing offensively. He’s done that throughout the course of the summer too. And when we get to training camp, looking forward to seeing him compete.”

What Tennessee’s new receivers can do during the offseason to better prepare for playing time in the season

“Through our installs, understanding not just what we’re doing, but the why behind it. Understanding defensive structures, continuing to grow in their fundamentals, in technique, developing rhythm and timing with the quarterbacks. And some of the freedom that we give those guys in man looks, zone looks. And just continuing to grow as a player. And their maturity has been really high. That freshman group as a whole, when they got here in January, as impressive a group as I’ve been around, the challenge for our young guys inside of our program is they don’t have time to be young. That’s been one of the messages throughout the course of the season. That’s for our staff, that’s for our leadership to take ownership inside of those position rooms and help those guys grow. Those young wide receivers that you’ve talked about have done a great job and anticipate them playing, but also playing at a really high level.”

If he changes Tennessee’s install process when there are more inexperienced players on the field 

“Well, I think subtly you do. Those guys coming back and spending extra time in the building is really important as you change subtly offensively from year to year, making sure that you control the volume of what’s on their plate at a given time. But you look at the winter into spring and now through the course of the summer, those guys have really good understanding of what we’re doing.”

How he’s seen Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter grow over the last year 

“He’s still doing that (building). You guys will hear from him here in a second. I think Arion is a great example of what we try to do with leadership, of identifying who guys are, but then also helping them grow throughout that, through the offseason. And giving them the tools to become a great leader and how to impact and affect the guys around you. Nobody is more consistent in who he is as he comes into the building every single day. There’s nobody putting in more extra work than he does. What I love about Arion is that he’s got the ability to bring guys along with him. And he’s done a great job with that linebacker corps.”

How much Syracuse is on Tennessee’s mind at this point in the summer

“Week 1 is certainly on the brain. There’s a long ways until you get there. I think it’s really important for everybody inside your program to be where your feet are and control the controllables. And the only thing you control is right here, right now and today. So tomorrow doesn’t matter. Yesterday doesn’t matter. Winning right now is really important.”

The pros and cons for a team having a starter at quarterback versus a quarterback competition

“I think it’s really important for everybody on your roster to understand that the best players are going to play and you have to go earn it. I think that’s important at every position. I think that’s really important at the quarterback position, too. I think a part of being the trigger guy is having the respect of the guys around you. And a part of that is going and taking and earning a job.”

Tennessee pushing some younger players onto the field instead of going to the NCAA Transfer Portal more during the offseason

“Well, you recruited them because you believed in their athletic traits, but also who they would grow into being as a person and as a competitor. There’s a journey for everybody inside the game, inside college football. I really like the athletic traits, the physical traits of the young guys that we have in our program. That’s the guys that showed up in January, that’s guys that were maybe freshmen a year ago. Have great trust and belief that they’re going to continue to grow and elevate their play and be ready to play at a championship level. That’s what’s fun about college football. There’s always been, 25, 30% turnover of your roster. That’s certainly true in today’s landscape with the transfer portal. But that’s the fun part of coaching, is helping these guys continue to grow. And I think the traits of the guys that we had, coupled with where we thought they were going as people and competitors, allowed us to have great trust. And I’m really excited about the young guys that we have inside of the program.”

The current state of college football and how difficult it is to navigate

“Well, it provides great talking points and questions for you guys, right? 

And they’ve been the same questions for the last couple of years. And I think everybody inside college football is hopeful for great, strong leadership that’s going to provide the path forward for us to have what is the greatest game, stay the greatest game, and continue to get better.” 

If it’s frustrating that it’s the same questions now two or three years in a row

“I don’t know if frustrated is the right word, but certainly have answered the same questions for a while now.”

Tennessee tight ends Miles Kitselman’s leadership developing over the last year with the Vols 

“Tough, smart, physical, elite competitor. Coaches, guys on the field that could be at the tight end position or special teams, he does a great job of impacting the guys around him. A year ago, transitioning into our program, great understanding of what we’re doing offensively allows him to help coach the guys around him. But he’s somebody, because of his consistency, that’s found a really strong voice, that’s got great leadership on our football team and certainly on the offensive side of the ball.”

Tennessee’s running back group without Dylan Sampson

“Well, you hope the traits and the standard that he was a part of setting inside of that running back room never leave that room, that we continue to grow and build upon those things. And D-Samp was a dynamic leader, dynamic player. We’ve had a lot of great running backs. And a year ago, nobody was talking about Dylan Sampson being SEC Player of the Year. That’s what’s great about this game, talking season is almost over and it’s about time to go tee it up and go play. And the work that you’ve put in allows you to expect to play at an elite level, allows teams to expect to win. But then you got to be intentional during the course of the week in preparation to go play and compete the way that you need to on game day. D-Samp’s going to have a great career in the NFL, but the values and traits and the standards that he was a part of setting, I hope never leave that room.”

Tennessee’s defense playing with a chip on its shoulder in the past, how much that will continue 

“The standard is to be elite at Tennessee. You guys heard me say it. It’s the home of Reggie White, Eric Barry, Al Wilson, guys that maybe are one of, if not the greatest player at their position in the history of the game. And for us, there’s a lot of things that we had to overcome early in our staff’s and our program’s start about four years ago or five years ago now. We never used that as an excuse. We didn’t talk about it. Because we believe we had the things in there to grow and to win and we’re proud of what we’ve done. But, man, we’re only going to continue to get better. I know that because of what we’ve done through a lot of adversity. And the guys that we have inside of that defensive unit room, talking about the players, are highly competitive. They have great physical traits, but there’s an accountability factor to doing your job that’s at a really high level. We got great leadership. Tim Banks and our defensive staff have done a phenomenal job since we arrived. And I’m excited to go play with these guys on the defensive side as the head coach.”

The pride he takes in adding veteran coaches to his Tennessee staff
“A lot of guys that have done it at an elite level inside of the college game, have done it at the NFL level as well. Guys that are elite, teachers that care about the people around them. A lot of those guys have relationships as they were coming into this building. Marion Hobby, former player, former coach, he cares a great deal about the Power T. We got selfless guys that want to impact young people and help them be their best. They got great minds for the game. They’re all a great resource for me, but our staff in general, too. And they’ve done a great job with our players.”

Tennessee’s work in the weight room during the offseason
“This time, it’s very intentional, focused individually on the gains that you need to make. That’s your strength, speed, acceleration, change of direction, explosive power. And then ultimately, how do you become a better player? Fundamental in technique and understanding of the scheme. Our guys have done a great job throughout the course of the summer here as we get ready to wrap it up, of changing their bodies and putting themselves in a position to go be their best.” 

How a College Football Playoff appearance last season can serve as a building block moving forward
“End of the day, you want to play here in Atlanta, play for a conference championship, win it, and get in the playoff and go win that thing, too. Proud of the steps that we’ve taken. Everybody inside of our program will tell you that the taste that was left in our mouth in December (in the playoff loss at Ohio State), make sure everybody understands that’s not the goal. And we want to get in it, but you got to go win. And it’s been a part of helping us be challenged every single day throughout the course of the winter, through spring ball, and certainly through the course of the summer.”