The Volunteers clearly weren’t engaged during the narrow win over UMass last weekend. If the team plays like that against a red-hot Georgia team this weekend, we could see a similar result that came out of Nashville last weekend when Alabama beat Vandy 59-0.

Of course, that isn’t very likely to happen. In fact, Butch Jones’ program has beaten Georgia the last two years and is a Pig Howard fumble into the end zone away from winning three of the last four in the series. With two teams as familiar as UT and UGA, this game could very well come down to the final possession.

Jones spoke during the SEC’s weekly Coaches Teleconference Wednesday.

Here’s a summary of what the Tennessee coach had to say on the call:

  • “Great challenge ahead of us, playing the #7 ranked team in the nation. Very deserving of that ranking. They make you beat them in all phases of the game. It will be a great challenge but we are looking forward to it.”
  • Who makes the final decision to replace the QB on gameday? “It’s a conversation that many are involved with, Larry Scott, Mike Canales and myself. What does the football team need, etc? I have the final say about who goes in.”
  • Why are the games in this series so close? “It’s been a great rivalry over the last few years, it usually comes down to the final possession. A turnover, a play on special teams. It’s a game where you have to be mentally tough.”
  • Do you ever think, we need to score 30-something to win? “You try to as a coach, gameplan with your coaches.”
  • What’s your impression on Nick Chubb this year? “Impressive. He has incredible balance. He can make all the runs. He runs behind his pad level, I’ve been impressed.”
  • The importance of getting to freshman QB Jake Fromm? “It’s a great challenge, he’s playing with poise. I’ve been impressed with their offensive line. We have to be able to tackle when we get to someone.”
  • How did the Hail Mary work out as you planned last year? “It’s one of those things that you can practice over and over but the nuances can change it. There are so many things that go into it. Some of it is luck, some of it is playing stepping up and making plays. Kamara made a great block, Josh made a great throw. It was a low percentage play, just like what happened to us a few weeks ago.”
  • How important is it to recruit to a scheme? “I think you have to recruit to a philosophy. What type of special teams value does this individual bring? What’s their character? Do they understand the competitive nature of an individual? I think once you have them on campus, sometimes you have to adjust to their skillset at that point.”