Everything Andrew Jackson Said Ahead of Tennessee vs. Auburn

The Tennessee Volunteers and the Auburn Tigers are set for a massive game this Saturday, which is the game that many have been previewing at the recent press conference.

One of the coaches who has had the opportunity to speak at the press conferences is Andrew Jackson. Jackson is the LEO's coach for the Vols and is one of the better assistant coaches on the entire staff.

Here is what he had to say.

Andrew Jackson on the Linebacker Playing EDGE This Season

Tennessee linebacker Jeremiah Telander (22) chases down Kennesaw State quarterback Jamarcus Harrison (5) during Tennessee’s college football game against Kennesaw State at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville on Sept. 19, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“They’ve embraced the defense. They’ve taken ownership. They’ve fought every day to prove themselves. You know, we had a lot of doubt coming about the D-line, the EDGE positions, and they just fought and tried to detail up, and they’ve all competed well against each other, as well, in practice every day,” Jackson said.

Andrew Jackson on Leading the Country in Sacks

Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter (7) high fives Tennessee wide receiver Deon Hardin (88) before a college football game between Tennessee and Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., on Sept. 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“It’s early in the season. Definitely impressed by the way we’re playing, but if you look back at the game, we could do a lot more. Both scores that were let up in the game, we could have played better up front. So I think, yeah, we’re excited about the stuff we put on tape so far, but there’s definitely more out there for us,” Jackson said.

Andrew Jackson on Tyree Weathersby

“No. 1, the kid is a warrior. He plays hard. He fights through adversity. He’s one of the toughest guys on the team. But he’s embraced the details, a good stance, a good first step, reading sets. He’s always up here taking care of his body. He watches film. He comes in with answers. He comments, questions. So he’s just dialed in. His focus is unbelievable,” Jackson said.

Andrew Jackson on Mariyon Dye

“I think the No. 1 thing for Mariyon is the confidence. He’s playing a lot more relaxed. He’s not putting as much pressure on himself, and again, just the small details. Right step, good stance, proper eye placement, and just repeating those things over and over again, and it’s led to him playing better and more confident,” Jackson said.

Andrew Jackson on the Performance vs. Texas Providing Confidence

Sep 26, 2026; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam (2) tackles Texas Longhorns running back Derrek Cooper (5) during the first half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Bigger than football, Coach Inge is one of our brothers. He’s like a dad to me, so that was extra motivation going into the game. And I think our guys know that more so than ever that you never know when the play is. As well as we played, there’s two or three plays we want back, and maybe they don’t score, and I think that they know we’re out there chasing that more so than the past success. We’re chasing that any bit of perfection, and you never know when the play is that you want back or when you have to be where you’re supposed to be. So, we’re constantly chasing that, and then we’ve had good competition within the room. We’ve had multiple guys in multiple sacks, and I think they’re all chasing that greatness, and they’re working together. They communicate well. They love each other. They celebrate with each other. They come back to the sideline and give each other good information. So it’s more of a brotherhood than ever," Jackson said.

Andrew Jackson on Jordan Norman

“It was a changeup scheme-wise for him. He’s a great learner. He’s got much more tools than we thought he did when we first evaluated him out of the portal. He’s got a calmness in his rush. He's got his electric get-off off the line of scrimmage. He recognizes sets well. He plays the run well. He’s been phenomenal for us, and his versatility playing inside and outside," Jackson said.

Andrew Jackson on If He Is Surprised With How Well Xavier Gilliam Has Played

“We all talk about potential, right. I thought he had the potential, but where he’s taking his game now, I didn’t see that coming. I knew him as a high-character kid, a hard worker, but what he’s putting on tape, I can’t sit here and say that I saw this greatness. And he’s still got a ton he can work on and get better at even though he’s playing very well, so I am excited for him,” Jackson said.

Andrew Jackson on Defensive Communication

Sep 26, 2026; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee linebacker Amare Campbell (0) celebrates after a play during a college football game between Tennessee and Texas at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Sept. 26, 2026. Mandatory Credit: Brianna Paciorka-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I think the biggest thing is with this group, they ask questions, so we don’t really ever hit the grass or leave a meeting with them not knowing. They come in early and try to get the information. They’re making us coach them through every detail. They don’t leave any stone unturned. There’s no gray area, so when they get out there, they’re super confident. And also having a guy like Amare Campbell come in and know the scheme and Xavier (Gilliam), they’re able to kind of re-explain it, maybe better player-to-player. And Amare also has those on-the-field answers that are built in, where he could get us in the right situation or get us out of a down,” Jackson said.

Andrew Jackson on Auburn's Offensive Front

Auburn Tigers head coach Alex Golesh celebrates with fans as Auburn Tigers take on Vanderbilt Commodores at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. Auburn Tigers defeated Vanderbilt Commodores 21-15. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“Man, every week is a challenge in this conference, so there’s no laydown. They’re gonna be physical. They’re gonna try to run us off the ball. Quarterback is phenomenal with his legs and running backs run hard. I mean, they’re gonna try to knock the snot out of us, and we gotta be ready. Last week was last week, but this is a new challenge, and to do Saturday, we got to defend the home turf better,” Jackson said.

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