Everything From Tennessee OL Jesse Perry In HIs Media Availability Session

Tennesee offensive lineman Jesse Perry talked to the media at the start of the week ahead of the Volunteers mathcup against UAB. Here is everything he had to say.

On the offensive line performance and opening big holes against SEC opponents….

“It's a big deal. Uh, you've got to be able to run the ball in the SEC. You've got to be able to protect the quarterback, keep them healthy, um, let them make some good throws. It’s very important to us to do our job and move guys off the ball. I think we've done a pretty good job at that. We just got to keep improving that, though.

On how much Georgia did things differently…

“I feel like coach Elvie and all the offensive staff and coach Heupel put up a really good game plan. They had a lot of answers for some of the stuff they had out there. Of course, Georgia was going to throw some stuff in that we're not going to game plan for. I feel like we adjusted pretty well. We were able to pick up twists, different blitzes, and I feel like we did a good job with that, but we just got to do a little bit more.”

On the communication along the offensive line improved…

“I think it has improved. That just happens as you play more snaps next to the same guys. I think we've gotten better since the start of the season.”

On the confidence that the team has, they can play with anybody in the country…

“Definitely. I think we can compete with anybody in the country. Georgia's a great team. We just got to go finish. It's never one player. It's like throughout the game stuff, like just the little things, is all it really is. If we can go clean those up, we can go be something really special.”

On taking a path to make a college football playoff despite an early loss in the season…

“I mean, it's been from the start of the season. The standard is to go win a championship and nothing less. We're all bought in, and that's just kind of the mindset that everyone's bought in to go win the championship.”

On the atmosphere at Rocky Top and Neyland…

“It was a great atmosphere. I was blessed to be here last year and feel the atmosphere, too. Fans were loud all game. It was just great.”

On Joey Aguilar coming in late and how much practice they did situationally with him…

“We have a situation of the day every day during fall camp and spring ball. Our coaches did a good job teaching us some stuff during that. I feel like we practiced some of that stuff.”

On how the team turns the page to get prepared for UAB…

“We just got to wipe it. We've got to clean up our mistakes for sure. We've got to come in with the mentality that we're going to win. Like we expect to go win no matter who the opponent is. It doesn't matter. We just have to go win.”

On what he has seen from center Sam Pendleton after winning the job…

“Sam's doing a really good job, run game, pass game. He's like our center. So he's out here making our IDs.You’ve just got to trust it, and he's going to do his job and everybody else on the line's going to do theirs, and you know he's done a good job.”

On where he feels physically in pass protection….

“I feel good. I feel like I've done a good job. I still have stuff to improve on for sure. It took time last season to get adjusted to it. Even this year, like bouncing back and forth from guard to tackle, like you gotta adjust a little bit, but I feel comfortable. I feel like I'm doing a good job out there. I just want to go out and be great, you know?