It’s a big week on Rocky Top as Tennessee is preparing for the final game inside Neyland Stadium of the 2018 season against a Missouri team coming off back-to-back SEC wins. The Tigers are 6-4 on the season and stand in the way of Jeremy Pruitt leading the Vols to a bowl appearance game in his first year in Knoxville.

Pruitt met with the media on Monday for his weekly press conference to open up Missouri week on Rocky Top.

Here are the highlights of what the Tennessee coach had to say:

  • status of Trevon Flowers: We should have him  back this week.
  • on senior day and the senior class: I think our guys that are seniors here, most of these guys have graduated. Those that have not are graduating this fall… In the last 11 months, they have really bought in. We are thankful for that, hopefully some of the guys behind them will follow their lead.
  • on discipline after another big SEC win: We’ve done things a good FB doesn’t do. We have penalties after scores. We fumble, we pitch when we shouldn’t. We have to learn how to win.
  • on two wins over ranked teams: I guess when you look at the big picture, that’s probably a big deal but we are trying to improve this team for this week against Missouri.
  • on Bryce Thompson’s status: He got his bell rung, I don’t know, I’m not a doctor… but he’s fine.
  • on the play of Darrell Taylor: Well, twice they didn’t block him. You need to be able to sack the QB when they don’t block you. It’s easy to rush the QB when the (offense) is one dimensional
  • on the OL and improving them moving forward: Not having mental errors. Some of it is looks, when they have four guys on one side of the ball, we need not run into that.
  • do you feel like you know what you are getting week in and week out from this team? No, I don’t think so. We’ve played differently in all 10 games, we are still searching for a consistent game.
  • on the team’s physicality: some of it is just straining and learning to do it over and over. I don’t think anyone goes out there and doesn’t want to be physical, I just think some do it better than others.
  • on potential bowl practices and how that helps: The only way you can get better at something is to do it repeatedly. If you go over your business the right way in those practices, you have a chance to improve.
  • on Drew Lock’s struggles this season: Outside of Alabama and Kentucky, they’ve scored 29 or more in each game, I’m not sure what rough start you are referring to.
  • what do you study on tape about an offense? You want to know who they are, what personnel they use, what they like to do, how do they get explosive plays, how to create negative plays. You kinda have all your scenarios and what they like to do.