What Josh Heupel said about Mississippi State during Monday's press conference

Everything head coach Josh Heupel said during his weekly press conference on Monday, as No. 15 Tennessee (3-1) prepares to go to Mississippi State (4-0) on Saturday (4:15 p.m. Eastern Time, SEC Network) for the first true road game of the season:

Opening Statement

“Good afternoon. Getting ready for a big football game against a (Mississippi State) team that’s playing really well offensively, defensively. Got really good personnel and special teams as well. Know it will be a great environment, a white out down there. For us, we got to win with our preparation and get ready to go play a really good football team on the roa. And it’s going be a great environment and we look forward to playing.”

Looking back at last season and the progress Mississippi State has made so far this season

“I think their entire roster, they’re deeper than they were a year ago. Their young guys that they had a year ago have continued to develop. They’re playing extremely well. They obviously added some bodies from the portal as well. And I think, collectively, their personnel is much further developed than it was a year ago. Understanding of their systems is much better. And that’s why they’re playing the way that they are. Defensively, one of the top (teams) in our league in a lot of different categories. Offensively playing extremely efficient, but also creating a bunch of big plays in the pass game. And the special teams have done a really nice job.” 

Preparing for Mississippi State’s defensive scheme

“Yeah, we won against them a year ago. Schematically, not entirely different. They’ve continued to add things to it. Their personnel is playing extremely well. There’s nothing tricky about going down there and playing this football team. It’s a really good football team. You can see that on the tape in all three phases of the game. You look at the quality of the wins that they’ve had, beating Arizona State. It’s the next test. In this league, you better show up every Saturday ready to play.” 

The evaluation of Tennessee’s secondary through four games

“I thought we took a step in our communication this past week, in particular with the guys that played early in the football game. I had a couple of busts late, but overall I liked our continued growth. But the stress of this football game — formation, variations, splits, and the tempo — we got to do a great job.”

How Tennessee’s defense has managed tempo from opposing offenses this season 

“They see it throughout the course of the season. At times, in general, we’ve handled it pretty well. They get a chance to see it on a day-to-day basis with us, too.”

Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell II leading the country in receiving touchdowns, how important he’ll be at Mississippi State

“Wide receivers in general are going to be really important in this one. It’s guys working in the middle of the football field, it’s out on the outside. 

They have a mixture of coverages. Recognizing the structure and coverage that we’re seeing will be important in this one. Chris, obviously, what he’s done here in the first few ballgames, really special. But all of us, him included, got to continue to grow and take another step here this week.”

The status of Tennessee defensive lineman Jaxson Moi

“Jaxson continue to get better. Wednesday will be the official first injury report of the week. And then you can stay tuned from there.” 

His advice to Tennessee’s young players about going on the road in the SEC

“Preparation is the key. That’s true whether you’re at home or on the road. Practicing well. Continuing to dial into the details of the game plan and what you expect to see on the other side of the football all the way up until kickoff. Really important. Road games, yeah it’s different because you’re not playing in front of your fans, but you get between the white lines, it’s 11 on 11 and being able to snap and clear, reset to the next play, and control the controllables. The ordinary, everyday things are what are really important on Saturdays in general, but certainly when you’re on the road.”

Tennessee having more 50-yard plays than last season, what has contributed to that

“Yeah, I think it’s a combination of everything. There’s some things that we’ve added to our arsenal offensively that have been a part of creating that. Our wide receivers going and making plays down the field. Those guys have gone up and competed and made contested catches down the football field. Protection is certainly a big piece of that as well and Joey obviously is a big piece of that has been really pretty accurate down the football field and that’s allowed our guys skill plays.”

What stands out about the Mississippi State run game

“First of all they do a really good job up front. They’re well coached, they’re physical. I think the running backs do a really good job of pressing and hitting the holes, playing with great pad level and being physical. At the end of the run, their quarterback has the ability to be a part of the run game. That changes the numbers, changes the angles. We got to do a great job of getting off the blocks and penetrating and making things bounce.”

Road environments for offensive linemen

“Yeah, I think the uniqueness of it sound-wise is what is a part of making this league really special too. For us up front, absolutely the communication starts with Sam and then being able to get all five (lineman) but your tight ends, everybody in sync as far as your targets and then your double teams and all that comes off of it. That will be important in this one, crowd noise structure recognition. All of it.”

Tennessee’s young players using the UAB game to prove they can help in SEC play, freshman safety Sidney Walton

“Sidney’s done a great job. Super mature, focused. Guy that spends a bunch of extra time getting himself prepared. You’ve seen him play really well on special teams. Saturday, he got more action than the secondary. He did a really nice job. One event doesn’t holistically change everything, but you know the young guys, I think we played 16 true freshmen in the first half, maybe 20 plus during the course of the game. Man, those guys between the white lines on game day, yeah that’s a part of the evaluation. Did they handle things the right way? Did they go make plays, did they get off blocks, how was the communication, that’s all a part of it and the same thing offensively, alignment, assignment, keys and execution.”

Mississippi State creating explosive plays while still being elite in the red zone

“Yeah, big plays happen because you’re able to execute, right? That’s going to win and out on perimeter. It’s protection up front, it’s quarterback being accurate with the football. They got great speed on the outside. The red zone efficiency and the quarterback being a part of the run game, the way that they’re able to run the football, all of that leads to that efficiency in that area of the field.”

Giving Boo Carter a game ball after UAB, his development

“I think all those guys, defensively, game balls for forced turnovers that can be defensive lineman strip sack, tip. Boo with a great punch the other day on the ball. Kaleb picking it up. So always recognize that after a game and when we come back in the building on Monday. Boo’s continued to grow, the details continue to matter, and that’s part of his growth and taking the next step as a player. But there’s been a lot of good from him.”

The report that Tennessee’s three permanent opponents are Alabama, Kentucky, Vanderbilt

“Well, I do think rivalries matter. It’s part of the tradition of this game, fan bases pointing to those football games. I haven’t heard about that report. I know that the league, that’s something that’s been important to them to try to protect some of those special games for universities and their fan bases.”