Everything Josh Heupel Said On Wednesday's SEC Teleconference Ahead of Kentucky

No.3 Tennessee will host No.19 Kentucky on Saturday night inside of Neyland Stadium at 7 pm ET. Ahead of the showdown, Tennessee Head Coach Josh Heupel joined

No.3 Tennessee will host No.19 Kentucky on Saturday night inside of Neyland Stadium at 7 pm ET. Ahead of the showdown, Tennessee Head Coach Josh Heupel joined the SEC Teleconference to talk Kentucky and more.

Opening Statement

We just finished up our Wednesday practice here. We understand the type of opponent we are playing. A good football team that does a nice job in all three phases. Offensively, great quarterback, some weapons on the outside, special running back, and we have to do a great job of being extremely physical on the defensive side of the football. Defensively, what we will see from them, is very multiple in their looks. Top ten in scoring defense, top 15 in total defense. Special teams, they have made some big plays. Dynamic returner that can change the game at any time. They are coming off a bye week; they will be healthy. Our preparation has to be urgent.

On If He Has Seen the Beer Barrel Trophy and If Trophies Add Anything to a Rivalry Game for Teams or Fans

I actually have not seen the barrel. I don't know where it is located if it is located here. The importance of this game, bordering states, understanding the rivalry, I think that is one of the unique things about being here at Tennessee. You have different fans; they are going to circle different games; this is one of the games our fans point to every single year.

I don't know that it (a trophy) matters for the two teams that are on the field. I have been in games where there has been one and hasn't been one. It doesn't change the importance of the game and the rivalry itself. I think for fan bases, it is obviously something to point to for sure.

On The Development of the Secondary and the Next Step He Would Like to See From this Unit

Some of it, I just want to see everybody healthy and get everybody on the field at the same time. We have had to rotate our guys because we have been nicked up in the area for a multitude of reasons for the last few weeks. For us, defensively on the coverage side of it, we can be more disciplined in our zone coverage, pattern reading, and thinking. When we are doing man, we have to do a better job of matching them out and pressing them out. Same when we are in press coverage and the same when we are in off-coverage. There are opportunities for us to do that and be better. The last piece of it it is always all eleven together; we have to do a better job of applying pressure and getting to the quarterback.

On The Importance of Dictating Tempo In a Game Like This

I think you understand the game itself will be a limited number of possession game with the contrary styles in this one. Your possessions will be less frequent, so you have to maximize your opportunities. That is true if you're getting ten or eleven possessions in a game or getting fourteen. The tempo in this one, obviously have to get drives started and play ahead of the chains. Last year, in the middle part of the game, that was something we didn't do. Some of that was them, some of that was inflicted wounds from ourselves. Defensively, we have to do a good job on the line of scrimmage and get off the field on third down. Last year, we gave up a lot of long, extended drives. We have to do a good job in early downs on defense and get off the field on third down, and we have to move the football offensively.

On How Well He Knows the Stoops Family and What Differences Are There In Their Personalities

Worked with Mike and Mark at the University of Arizona and obviously was with Bob for a long time in Norman. Personality-wise, there are differences in their personality for sure, but there are a lot of similarities in all of them. They are a very competitive family, and they have done an unbelievable job when you look at their playing careers and coaching careers.

On If He Thought Jermaine Burton Should Be Suspended For the Next Game

Man, I am going to be honest, I haven't seen the video or paid much attention to anything that is happening outside of our program. There is enough going on here in Knoxville that we have to continue to develop our roster and program. Don't really deal with hypotheticals on things happening outside of our program.

On What He Has Seen From Kentucky's Passing Offense and Will Levis Development

Will has got great arm talent and can push the ball vertically and horizontally. You have to extend all field zones when you are playing against him. He is a great decision-maker, and I think he has complete command of what they are doing offensively. He does a lot of things for them in the run game on early downs. He does a great job with the play-action pass. He does have some weapons out on the perimeter, and you definitely don't want to let those guys get started.