KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Fresh off its first open week of the year, No. 12/12 Tennessee has turned its full attention to a dangerous Arkansas team that’ll visit Neyland Stadium this Saturday afternoon (4:15 p.m. ET on SEC Network).
This weekend’s contest against the Razorbacks will be the only home game for the Vols in the month of October and will serve as Champions Weekend as Tennessee welcomes back a number of individual and team champions across all sports.
“Champions Weekend, got some of our former teams getting recognized. Expect to have a really big group of former players back here,” head coach Josh Heupel said during his Monday press conference. “Looking forward to seeing them. And then, a chance for us to recognize and honor Coach (Doug) Dickey, as well. It will be great to have him back and his family.
“For us, I think this is the only home game that we have here this month inside of our stadium, so hopefully our fans are rested, juiced and ready to go. Need them to be a big part of this game as we get ready to play Saturday afternoon.”
Among a number of challenges that Arkansas will present is the changes to its coaching staff following the recent departure of head coach Sam Pittman. Interim head coach Bobby Petrino made a handful of changes to the defensive staff, which has made preparation for this weekend’s game all the more unique.
“You’re looking at everybody that they have, the changes that they’ve made, the history of what they’ve done. It’s everybody on our staff taking a look at it,” Heupel said.
“This is a unique situation, so you prepare for what’s on the tape, and you prepare for what potential unknowns could be as well. But you also understand that it is not going to be exact replicas of anything that you’ve seen on tape, as well, in this situation. Communication from staff and players will be really critical in this one.”
The full transcript from Heupel’s Monday press conference can be seen below.
Josh Heupel Transcript (10/6/25)
Opening statement…
“I hope everybody had a great weekend. Champions Weekend, got some of our former teams getting recognized. Expect to have a really big group of former players back here. Looking forward to seeing them. And then, a chance for us to recognize and honor Coach (Doug) Dickey, as well. It will be great to have him back and his family.
“For us, I think this is the only home game that we have here this month inside of our stadium, so hopefully our fans are rested, juiced and ready to go. Need them to be a big part of this game as we get ready to play Saturday afternoon.
“Playing an Arkansas football team, obviously, that’s had some changes with their staff, but it’s a really good football team too. The outcome against Notre Dame certainly wasn’t what they wanted, but you look a couple weeks previously and they’re in a one possession game with four minutes to go in the fourth quarter against an Ole Miss football team that’s a really good football team too. Defensively, a huge task in front of us with their quarterback. He is playing extremely efficiently and creating big plays in the pass game but obviously has a chance to be a huge part of the run game, as well. We have to do a great job of bottling him up during the course of the afternoon. Defensively, with the changes they’ve made, you don’t know exactly what you’re going to see. The success they’ve had in their three-down, three-safety stuff from last year, we have to be prepared for. That is kind of where we are pointing our emphasis and then react to whatever else we see and be able to adjust during the course of the football game.”
On who is tasked with taking a ‘deep dive’ into Arkansas prep with their new staff…
“You’re looking at everybody that they have, the changes that they’ve made, the history of what they’ve done. It’s everybody on our staff taking a look at it.”
On the analysis and preparation when looking into Arkansas coaches…
“I think it all matters. This is a unique situation, so you prepare for what’s on the tape, and you prepare for what potential unknowns could be as well. But you also understand that it is not going to be exact replicas of anything that you’ve seen on tape, as well, in this situation. Communication from staff and players will be really critical in this one.”
On young players’ development during the open week…
“The days that we had on the grass, they get an opportunity to go play and compete. Again, it’s fundamentals in the scope of your team stuff. Some of that is practice squad looks, some of it’s good-on-good, so as a whole, we continue to get better through the course of the week. They had the right mindset. When you’re in the building, practice, weight room, meetings – what’s important now, be dialed in. I thought they handled that well. End of the week, coaches get on the road recruiting and they get a little bit more time off, which they need, physically and mentally. When you get this opportunity, have good energy and focus today as we get started back.”
On David Sanders Jr.’s status…
“David’s cleared to play. He’ll be a part of what we do. Not ready to say anything on (the starting five). David’s going to play. We’re going to need all of those guys.”
On focal points during practice in preparation for Arkansas…
“You’re practicing, and you want to see it in all areas. Defensively, I think as much as anything, it’s communication. Fundamentally, there are some things that we missed as far as tackling a week ago. Offensively, all 11 being tied in together, some of the details in the pass game and some in the run game too. Special teams: alignment, assignment and communication.”
On run defense emphasis this week with Arkansas QB Taylen Green’s mobility…
“You have to play gap sound. You have to get off of blocks. (Taylen Green) is dynamic. He’s got great, long speed, and you have to be able to tackle him. In the different structures that we’re playing, our gap integrity is going to be important. When they’re dropping back and throwing, you can’t just let him sit back there and pat the ball either. You have to apply pressure, but you have to have great landing integrity as you’re doing that. So, those will all be points that will be really important for us defensively.”
On Jermod McCoy’s status…
“Jermod continues to do a great job in his rehab with our medical and strength staff. Somebody told me that there was a report out there of a certain ball game he’s focused in on, as far as returning. I think that’s unfair. Whoever put that out there, I don’t think truly understands Jermod and the situation. He’s done a really good job, but he’s got more to go. I think it’s all about him being prepared to go play. There’s a lot of things that go into that. You look at the position he plays, all the reactionary work that you have to have. You’re always balancing his ability to be prepared, and his short-term and long-term health as well.”
On the parity of programs across the country with recent changes to the college sports landscape…
“I think there is a bunch of parity. It’s tough to go win on the road. I think some of the changes over the last three or four years inside of the landscape of college football have allowed there to be more parity, as well. People can patch their roster. There are no glaring deficiencies, so it’s tough to go win. You have to be at your best, and the margins are really small.”
On the traits of teams coached by Arkansas interim head coach Bobby Petrino…
“Bobby’s done it at a really high level for a long time. He’s done it inside the scope of this league. It’s a good football team. I said that at the very beginning of this press conference. They’ve played well. They’ve maybe been on the wrong side of the scoreboard a little bit, but it’s a really good football team. I think for everybody inside of that program, you understand that we’re going to get their best, and their best is really good. We have to get prepared and go play really good football.”
On how crucial it was for Braylon Staley to step up in his role as a slot receiver…
“I think that part of the football field, working the middle of the football field, all the things that we ask of that guy, we have great trust in him because of what he did all of last year. I say that just in how he continued to grow in practice. We get to the playoffs, and he’s playing a bunch of football. It’s one of the things that I’ve shown some of the young guys on our roster – continuing to prepare, get ready for your opportunity and be ready to hit it in the mouth when you get it. He’s a great leader that’s continuing to grow in that role. He has great work habits. He’s a really smart football player, understands defensive structures, the game and concepts at a really high level and has the ability to make plays.”
On the importance of a mental reset during a bye week…
“You get a chance, coaches and players together, to look at what you’ve done up until this point and areas of growth that you need to have happen. That’s individually as a player and collectively as a football team. You continue to work and compete. The mental break is real in the game. You look at how long these guys have been going since the beginning of August. It’s an opportunity to take a deep breath, enjoy a day off and get back to work.”
On senior QB Joey Aguilar improving his footwork…
“There’s a lot of details that go into playing that position at a really high level. Helping protection out when it’s time to climb into the pocket, being at the right depth. Fundamentally, being consistently in the right place to be as accurate as possible.”
