Tennessee's coordinators took to the podium Thursday evening ahead of the Orange & White Game, set to be played on Saturday. Both Tim banks and Alex Golesh broke down their respected units, who has been standing out and what they are hoping to see as the spring session concludes. Here are some of the best quotes from the session, along with some thoughts.
@Ben_McKee contributed to this board post. / VIDEO / 2-minute Drill / Practice Observations / Practice Highlights
Tim Banks - Defensive Coordinator
On what he wants to see in spring game: " It's just another opportunity for us to to go out there and play as hard as we can possibly play. That's the first ting we talk about every single practice - our attack and how hard we are playing. Then, you obviously want to execute. The calls we have - we want to execute them to the best of our abilities. If we continue on the trajectory that we have, I think that's what we will do. They understand that for us to get where we want to go, we can't afford to waste one rep. The spring game gives us this opportunity to go out there and get better."
On the physicality in practice and creating turnovers: "We've gotten better. We are more physical than we were day one and as a coach, that's what you are looking for. The guys have been conscious of getting the ball back and attacking on every snap. Give our offense some credit. They do a really good job with ball security ad protecting it. So, I think it's been a healthy battle throughout camp. We've obviously won some and those guys have won some of the battles as well. We know, it's one of those timeless truths - if you're able to get the ball back and protect it on offense, you'v got a chance to be successful. Coach Heup [Josh Heupel] preaches it every day and we do the same on defense. We've got to get the ball back for our offense so they can go and do what they do best."
On learning personnel, strengths and weaknesses: "That was the No. 1 goal going into spring. We needed to make sure we had a pretty good grasp on what we thought our guy's strengths were and what liabilities they had - and try to continue to teach, mold and help them. We feel good. We feel like we have a pretty good handle on the guys who have been practicing and knowing exactly what they do well. We are working very hard every practice to put them in the best positions to execute and do their jobs."
On players understanding Banks's system: "I think it was a learning curve for those guys - and understandable. Again, I have taken over a few programs and different defenses. It's always the same. It's a learning curve. At the end of the day, if you have a positive attitude and you're ready to work - which these guys have had - you start to see some of the return on your investment. I think the guys are picking it up. I think every day and every practice they have gotten a lot more comfortable with it. Obviously, this summer will be extremely valuable. Those fall camp reps you'll get.We will be ready when it's time to kick this thing off."
Cain's Take: This defense [team, really] has a long way to go. We know about he depth issues and we know about the linebacker position being thin. It's a work in progress. And I know it's tough to separate 'coach speak' at times, but appears these coaches (Banks included) are pleased with the efforts and progress made to this point. When a new staff comes in, you essentially start from absolutely nothing and start building your way up learning plays, schemes, expectations - everything. That's why this spring is so crucial. The defense, though far from where Banks wants it by fall, has come a long way. I'll be interested to see if there's improvement from the open practice a few weeks ago and if it can create any turnovers on Saturday. Also, the game plan will be extremely vanilla on defense, so let's see who can just show up and play ball.
Alex Golesh- Offensive Coordinator
On what he’s seen from the quarterbacks this spring: “It’s been the three guys rotating through. Everyone is mixing in with the one’s, the two’s, the three’s. They’ve shown a ton of growth. That’s the one spot you start with as you come in as a new staff and put in a new system. All three have shown a bunch of growth in their own ways. As we’ve gone, we’ve fine-tuned things to each guys skillset as we’ve gotten into situation football. It’s been daily both. Been up, been down a little bit at times. As we’ve installed more, all lights are on you at that point at that position. It all goes through that position. There have been days where we’ve been really excited, there have been days where we’ve wanted to see more growth. Individually, all three of those guys have done a really, really good of soaking it in, getting better every day, not making the same mistake twice, which we’ve really, really hit home at every spot, that one specifically, and commanding the offense, and commanding that group. I’ve been really proud of what those guys have done and where they’re headed.”
On getting to the speed and tempo of where they want them to be at this point in the year: “We started with that, the basic fundamental of how we play and how we want to push the tempo, and how we want to play from snap one to snap 105. As we’ve gone, it’s gotten continuously better from scrimmage one to scrimmage two. It really improved. It’s not where we want to be yet, but as guys think less and are able to just go play, as installation stops and they get to sit back and look at the actual concepts they’re in through June and July and into fall camp, I think we’ll take another big step. They are where we hoped they would be and they’ve probably exceeded our expectations at time. It’s a smart group. Every time you put something new in and you want to get to a new concept, it slows you down a little bit and then the second day you do it, it jumps. We are happy with where we are. As a coach, you always want to be a step ahead of where you probably are, but we are happy with where we are. We’re just going to continue to make strides as we get into summer and fall camp.”
On how the quarterbacks have grown this spring: “As a group, have shown the ability to operate within the system. Getting the call, communicating the call, getting to their reads as fast as they can, getting through their run-read progressions and their pass progressions. When I saw growth, their process of how they approach, how they learn, how they approach even sitting in the huddle off the sideline and how they’re able to handle themselves. The more they learn, the more they understand what we’re trying to get done, the more confidence they’ll have. Probably the most they’ve grown is just the confidence to operate within the system. Only then can you go and be yourself and highlight what you can do. They’re different, certainly different. It’s on us to learn how they’re different — who ends up taking that first snap when we line up in September — and us putting a game plan together to capitalize on that guy’s strengths.”
What he learned about this unit through 13 practices: “It’s a really prideful unit. I’ve learned that the more that you feed into them, the more you pour into them, the more you’re going to get back. They’re a bunch of guys that really care, a bunch of guys that want to be coaches. They’re a bunch of guys that are still feeling us out as coaches. We’re three months into this. There’s still situations that come up where they want to see how we’ll react. The biggest thing for us has been to be the same every day. Come in, be incredible teachers, hold them to a high standard, hold them accountable in everything that they’re doing. And then let the end result will be. The biggest part of our teaching has been the process of getting to a level of where you can be an elite offense. Young people want instant gratification, they want it now, they want to see the end result now and it’s just been us as coaches, me in front of the group, explaining and continuing to hammer home that it’s a process, that we’re going to get better one day at a time. It starts with individual work, then it’s group work, then it goes to team work, then it goes to situational football and rewinding it back to how you study, how you prepare, how you sleep, how you eat, how you take care of your body, how you attack your academic work."
Cain's Take: Like the defense, the game plan for Saturday will likely be pretty vanilla. Unlike the defense, this unit is farther along and has more weapons. I think Heupel, Golesh and company will be looking for a lot of the same things we are. Which quarterback can run and operate within the system the best. Can you play a clean game without turning the football over. And how will you operate in situational football (red zone, -20 yd line coming out, 2-min & 4-min offense + 3rd downs). Can the players who stepped up in spring finish off on a strong note (Calloway, Coby, Davis)? And finally, the tempo. How fast will they operate? We know it's not as fast as it will be in the fall, but just how different will this unit look. Regardless of how they operate on Saturday, it'll be completely different from what we've seen the past three years.
Have a good Thursday night. - Cainer & Ben
@Ben_McKee contributed to this board post. / VIDEO / 2-minute Drill / Practice Observations / Practice Highlights
Tim Banks - Defensive Coordinator
On what he wants to see in spring game: " It's just another opportunity for us to to go out there and play as hard as we can possibly play. That's the first ting we talk about every single practice - our attack and how hard we are playing. Then, you obviously want to execute. The calls we have - we want to execute them to the best of our abilities. If we continue on the trajectory that we have, I think that's what we will do. They understand that for us to get where we want to go, we can't afford to waste one rep. The spring game gives us this opportunity to go out there and get better."
On the physicality in practice and creating turnovers: "We've gotten better. We are more physical than we were day one and as a coach, that's what you are looking for. The guys have been conscious of getting the ball back and attacking on every snap. Give our offense some credit. They do a really good job with ball security ad protecting it. So, I think it's been a healthy battle throughout camp. We've obviously won some and those guys have won some of the battles as well. We know, it's one of those timeless truths - if you're able to get the ball back and protect it on offense, you'v got a chance to be successful. Coach Heup [Josh Heupel] preaches it every day and we do the same on defense. We've got to get the ball back for our offense so they can go and do what they do best."
On learning personnel, strengths and weaknesses: "That was the No. 1 goal going into spring. We needed to make sure we had a pretty good grasp on what we thought our guy's strengths were and what liabilities they had - and try to continue to teach, mold and help them. We feel good. We feel like we have a pretty good handle on the guys who have been practicing and knowing exactly what they do well. We are working very hard every practice to put them in the best positions to execute and do their jobs."
On players understanding Banks's system: "I think it was a learning curve for those guys - and understandable. Again, I have taken over a few programs and different defenses. It's always the same. It's a learning curve. At the end of the day, if you have a positive attitude and you're ready to work - which these guys have had - you start to see some of the return on your investment. I think the guys are picking it up. I think every day and every practice they have gotten a lot more comfortable with it. Obviously, this summer will be extremely valuable. Those fall camp reps you'll get.We will be ready when it's time to kick this thing off."
Cain's Take: This defense [team, really] has a long way to go. We know about he depth issues and we know about the linebacker position being thin. It's a work in progress. And I know it's tough to separate 'coach speak' at times, but appears these coaches (Banks included) are pleased with the efforts and progress made to this point. When a new staff comes in, you essentially start from absolutely nothing and start building your way up learning plays, schemes, expectations - everything. That's why this spring is so crucial. The defense, though far from where Banks wants it by fall, has come a long way. I'll be interested to see if there's improvement from the open practice a few weeks ago and if it can create any turnovers on Saturday. Also, the game plan will be extremely vanilla on defense, so let's see who can just show up and play ball.
Alex Golesh- Offensive Coordinator
On what he’s seen from the quarterbacks this spring: “It’s been the three guys rotating through. Everyone is mixing in with the one’s, the two’s, the three’s. They’ve shown a ton of growth. That’s the one spot you start with as you come in as a new staff and put in a new system. All three have shown a bunch of growth in their own ways. As we’ve gone, we’ve fine-tuned things to each guys skillset as we’ve gotten into situation football. It’s been daily both. Been up, been down a little bit at times. As we’ve installed more, all lights are on you at that point at that position. It all goes through that position. There have been days where we’ve been really excited, there have been days where we’ve wanted to see more growth. Individually, all three of those guys have done a really, really good of soaking it in, getting better every day, not making the same mistake twice, which we’ve really, really hit home at every spot, that one specifically, and commanding the offense, and commanding that group. I’ve been really proud of what those guys have done and where they’re headed.”
On getting to the speed and tempo of where they want them to be at this point in the year: “We started with that, the basic fundamental of how we play and how we want to push the tempo, and how we want to play from snap one to snap 105. As we’ve gone, it’s gotten continuously better from scrimmage one to scrimmage two. It really improved. It’s not where we want to be yet, but as guys think less and are able to just go play, as installation stops and they get to sit back and look at the actual concepts they’re in through June and July and into fall camp, I think we’ll take another big step. They are where we hoped they would be and they’ve probably exceeded our expectations at time. It’s a smart group. Every time you put something new in and you want to get to a new concept, it slows you down a little bit and then the second day you do it, it jumps. We are happy with where we are. As a coach, you always want to be a step ahead of where you probably are, but we are happy with where we are. We’re just going to continue to make strides as we get into summer and fall camp.”
On how the quarterbacks have grown this spring: “As a group, have shown the ability to operate within the system. Getting the call, communicating the call, getting to their reads as fast as they can, getting through their run-read progressions and their pass progressions. When I saw growth, their process of how they approach, how they learn, how they approach even sitting in the huddle off the sideline and how they’re able to handle themselves. The more they learn, the more they understand what we’re trying to get done, the more confidence they’ll have. Probably the most they’ve grown is just the confidence to operate within the system. Only then can you go and be yourself and highlight what you can do. They’re different, certainly different. It’s on us to learn how they’re different — who ends up taking that first snap when we line up in September — and us putting a game plan together to capitalize on that guy’s strengths.”
What he learned about this unit through 13 practices: “It’s a really prideful unit. I’ve learned that the more that you feed into them, the more you pour into them, the more you’re going to get back. They’re a bunch of guys that really care, a bunch of guys that want to be coaches. They’re a bunch of guys that are still feeling us out as coaches. We’re three months into this. There’s still situations that come up where they want to see how we’ll react. The biggest thing for us has been to be the same every day. Come in, be incredible teachers, hold them to a high standard, hold them accountable in everything that they’re doing. And then let the end result will be. The biggest part of our teaching has been the process of getting to a level of where you can be an elite offense. Young people want instant gratification, they want it now, they want to see the end result now and it’s just been us as coaches, me in front of the group, explaining and continuing to hammer home that it’s a process, that we’re going to get better one day at a time. It starts with individual work, then it’s group work, then it goes to team work, then it goes to situational football and rewinding it back to how you study, how you prepare, how you sleep, how you eat, how you take care of your body, how you attack your academic work."
Cain's Take: Like the defense, the game plan for Saturday will likely be pretty vanilla. Unlike the defense, this unit is farther along and has more weapons. I think Heupel, Golesh and company will be looking for a lot of the same things we are. Which quarterback can run and operate within the system the best. Can you play a clean game without turning the football over. And how will you operate in situational football (red zone, -20 yd line coming out, 2-min & 4-min offense + 3rd downs). Can the players who stepped up in spring finish off on a strong note (Calloway, Coby, Davis)? And finally, the tempo. How fast will they operate? We know it's not as fast as it will be in the fall, but just how different will this unit look. Regardless of how they operate on Saturday, it'll be completely different from what we've seen the past three years.
Have a good Thursday night. - Cainer & Ben
