Brady Hoke wants to win for Tennessee’s seniors, says coaching staff continues to recruit for UT
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It’s been a wild week on Rocky Top, with the team getting blown out at Mizzou and Butch Jones being dismissed from his role as head coach, defensive line coach Brady Hoke has stepped in as an interim coach with the goal of getting Tennessee back to a bowl game.
That mission won’t be easy to accomplish, as an improving LSU team heads to Neyland Stadium Saturday coming off an impressive performance against Arkansas.
Interim coach Hoke was among the first coaches to speak during Wednesday’s SEC Coaches Teleconference. Here’s a summary of what the interim Tennessee coach had to say:
- Opening statements: Monday our players came in and were very professional. We’ve got 22 young men that will represent Tennessee for the last time next week. They have won a lot and those are the guys were have to play for, our seniors. We know we are playing a very good team. We have a lot to get done this Saturday.
- How have the players responded to you? It’s difficult for 18-to-23-year-olds when something like that happens. I think that’s a better question for the players than me. The staff has forged together and those kids will be watching us. We’ve had a couple of good practices. If you gauge it off that, things have been good.
- Can this two-game stretch be an audition for you? That’s irrelevant to me. It’s all about those seniors and giving them an opportunity to play their best football.
- Thoughts on Jeff Long being fired at Arkansas? I had no idea about that. I have a great respect for Jeff and what he’s accomplished. That would be shocking to me (if true).
- Why are there so many interim coaches in the SEC? The landscape in college football has changed. It is changing. Part of it is what is going on. The TV money, the money coaches are being paid. It’s all part of it.
- How have you handled recruiting? There are a lot of kids to Tennessee because of the university. I can say that and the recruiting process, we haven’t stopped and we will not stop. This staff has a great attitude and knows what needs to be done here.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
