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FRANKLIN AMERICAN MORTGAGE MUSIC CITY BOWL: NEBRASKA VS TENNESSEEDecember 30, 2016Derek BarnettJosh DobbsButch JonesJosh MaloneNashville, Tennessee Nebraska - 24, Tennessee - 38 COACH JONES: Thank you. First of all, I would like to thank Scott Ramsey of the National Sports Council, Dan Crockett, the Music City Bowl. What a great experience. It's amazing. A couple days ago, Josh and I were talking about the experience and he talked about this being one of the best Bowl experiences we've had. Just really, really proud of these guys. This is a special group of kids up here. It's a special football team and I'm really proud of our seniors. Like I said on the stage, this football program has won 15 of its last 19 games and this program just won its third consecutive Bowl game. First time it's been done since '94, '95 and '96 and these guys have meant so much to us. But I thought we had a great month of preparation. I thought our Bowl preparation was outstanding. We didn't have one poor practice. These players came every single day. We asked a lot out of them and they delivered that. We had obviously critical plays at critical moments of the game. I thought the one-minute drive, the end of the first half when we had the ball, I want to say, inside our own 30, Josh did a great job of managing that. The players did a great job. Our coaches did a great job of managing the time outs and getting the ball and coming away with seven points. Obviously the big throw to Josh Malone, when they had the momentum a little bit. They were getting back in the game. And again, that shows you the competitive character of this football team. And then what can I say about No. 9. My opinion, he's the best defensive end in the country. Best defensive player in the country. And he just works: He works his craft every single day, ultra, ultra competitive. And these individuals have set the standard for many years to come at the University of Tennessee. I'd also like to thank our great fans. What a great environment. Sold-out game. Right from the ball walk to everything, I thought our players really fed off their positive energy, and it was a great home-field advantage for us. So I'd like to thank them, as well. I guess lastly, and I'll get into questions, is we're in the smokey grays. This is the sit of Gatlinburg and the State of Tennessee is very, very, very special. We have great people here and we come together when we have a tragedy. That's the marking of people who love their state from Chattanooga to Gatlinburg, and we are proud to wear the smokey grays in their honor tonight, as well. Q. Josh, you had a lot of criticism -- two-time MVP, Bowl games -- has it sunk in yet? JOSH DOBBS: It did, taking the stage with my brothers, the seniors, and upperclassmen for the last time. I was just honored just to come out and have another opportunity to play today. It's been a heck of a ride. As you said, I've had my share of adversity and I've had my share of success during my time at Tennessee. You know, I'm honored for both, because both I know really are going to help me throughout the rest of my life, whether it's the NFL or whether it's off the field in whatever I do. I'm thankful for all the wonderful moments I've been able to share at the University of Tennessee. I'm thankful for just the opportunity to wear the T on my chest and on my helmet. It's been a heck of a ride, and I'm with the guys who are at the right of me, and I wouldn't go to war with anyone else. Q. Was this kind of a vintage Josh Dobbs performance of kind of who he's been, developing the long ball, the passing -- the scrambles and the yards; is this vintage? COACH JONES: He's a great, great competitor. I knew he was going to play one of his best games. I was worried he was too amped up before the game, and I told him, "You've got four quarters of football. Don't win it in the first quarter. Take what they give you." Like I said, the model of a great person is a model of consistency. Joshua Dobbs exemplifies consistency every day. I don't know if people truly understand; 16 understands, he was in our locker room before the game. But the amount of scrutiny; playing quarterback at the University of Tennessee is a global position. You're in the spotlight every single day. There is no off-day when you're the quarterback at Tennessee. And the way Josh Dobbs handles his business day-in and day-out, from academics to in the community, the giving of his time to his leadership in our football program, to everything, he's just a model of consistency. Very, very grateful to him and his mother and father that we had the opportunity to coach him here. Q. What was it like getting that sack and celebrating with your teammates? DEREK BARNETT: It was a great feeling. I can't really describe it. I just know it happened really fast. It was a blink and then he was on the ground. COACH JONES: We had to take a time-out so we didn't get a 15-yard penalty. Not to interrupt Derek, but I think that shows you the respect that our football team has for Derek Barnett, and the excitement and the unselfishness of our football team; that they wanted to go celebrate with him because they knew that that was a milestone; that that was something very, very special. And that's one of those moments in time that you'll always remember. Q. Derek, was it hard to keep coming, knowing how close you were to the record? DEREK BARNETT: I don't think it was tough to keep working it. As a D-lineman, you have to have that mind-set and you're not going to get home every time. I know the guys beside me, they are going to keep working. I know I've got to keep working. The football gods will reward you if you keep grinding. Q. Derek, were the football gods responsible for the pass interference, that kept the drive alive -- DEREK BARNETT: I think Reggie probably helped on that. (Laughter) I think he was looking down. I think he probably tossed a little bit for me -- Q. But that hey, still got time to pull it off -- DEREK BARNETT: It's crazy. Like I said, you keep on working and good things will come. That's with everything in life. Q. How special was it to get it here at home? DEREK BARNETT: It was very special. Family and friends were here. It was great. It was even more special to get it with my teammates. We put a lot of work in. People don't see all the work we put in. Outsiders don't see that. It gets tough sometimes, but it's very rewarding to finish with a win and be champions in the Music City Bowl. Q. How rewarding was it for the defense to play as well as it did, and also to shut do you know Nebraska's run most of the game in? DEREK BARNETT: It was very rewarding coming off a loss that we didn't play good in at all. And our coaches have been stressing, we have to stop the run, and we did that the majority. We gave up a few plays but we played great defensively and I'm very proud. I'm very proud to be a part of that defense. Q. How much do you look up to Reggie White growing up? DEREK BARNETT: I really wasn't a Tennessee fan but I knew Reggie white was the greatest pass rusher, greatest D-lineman of all time. For my name to be in that category, it just says a lot and it means a lot to me. Q. Have you ever been without a guy that big that's that relentless? I don't know how many snaps he played today, but it's like he never wants to come off the field. Have you ever seen that out of a big guy? COACH JONES: I think that probably exemplifies him and that's probably a great word or adjective to use to describe Derek Barnett is relentless, and he's very, very competitive. I think he said it exactly: The harder you play in this game, you'll be rewarded. And that's what we talk about, 63 effort in our football program, and he exemplifies that. From day one when he was a freshman walking in, the way he chased the back side pursuit, the way he played was absolutely relentless. And again, he set the standard in the defensive line for many years to come. Q. Can you talk about Josh and how far he came as a quarterback, now that the NFL wants to look at him? In the Senior Bowl there were some questions but his performance probably settled that? COACH JONES: Constant, never-ending improvement. Development of our football players and our football program. Josh was driven every single day and I don't want to get emotional, but it's because of that lady back there. Robert and her have done just an unbelievable job of raising this young man, and he's got great internal drive. Again, when you have great internal drive and you want to be the best at everything you do, great things can happen, and you can accomplish anything you put your mind to it. Q. Derek, how did everybody seem -- inaudible. DEREK BARNETT: I was a little nervous at first. But I thought -- (laughing). Q. What was the feeling like in the huddle when Nebraska pulled to 31-24? What did you guys say to each other? JOSH MALONE: As an offense, we stepped on the field with full confidence that we're going to go down and score every time, no matter what possession it is and no matter how close the game is. We came in the huddle just cool, calm and collected and just ready to go put up some more points on the board. Q. Derek, is your Tennessee career over? Are you going to the NFL? DEREK BARNETT: I'm going to sit down with my mom and talk it over. I have no final say in that decision yet. But I'll let you know with my family, we'll decide what's best for us. Q. Can you talk about the progress -- COACH JONES: We didn't and again it's led by Derek Barnett. I thought having a healthier Darrin Kirkland in the middle really helped us. I thought the speed of the game changed a little bit, but it was all in our preparation. You know, when we left Knoxville and we broke for the holidays, and these individuals went home, I thought we had great preparation. But then it's what you do with the preparation when you come back and you reach the Bowl site. And everyone was sitting, 15 minutes early, in our team meeting on December 24, ready to lift and do walk-thrus. Then we had one of our best practices on Christmas. And then when we came to the Bowl site, we had very, very spirited practices, and that's a tribute to their leadership, and this is a prideful group of individuals. And again, I just think getting back and playing collectively as a unit, in all 11 individuals, we didn't have very many missed assignments today. We did a better job of tackling although we still missed some tackles. But just the perseverance, the resolve. And we always talk about complementary football and I hope what you saw -- I told our football team this after the game: I don't think I've ever been part of a football team that's showed as strong a brotherhood, compassion, and love for each other than what was exhibited on that football field today. When a young man made a mistake, he was greeted by his teammates. When they had success, he was greeted by his teammates. And that's what it's all about is coming together as one football family. I was really proud of these players because I thought they showed the entire country the passion and the energy and the pride of what it is to play at the University of Tennessee. Q. Josh, it's obviously your last game, but for all three of you guys, if this is your last game at Tennessee, where do you think the program is right now? What do you think the future of Tennessee football is or how bright do you think the future of Tennessee football is? JOSH DOBBS: I feel like the future is very bright. Our seniors and upperclassmen, since the underclassmen have gotten on campus, the sophomores and freshmen, we've instilled in them our drive, our hard work, our work ethic. Because you know, we know what it's like to go 5-7 and not go to a Bowl game and be in there Monday morning after the last game doing workouts and just wanting to go home. So we have felt that, and so we've instilled that in them. So they understand, you know, what to do, how to take the reigns, how to word hard, how to continue to grow, how to approach each practice as if it's a game and make the most of each rep. I'm definitely excited to see what the future holds for the University of Tennessee football program. DEREK BARNETT: It's in great hands. We have a lot of talented young guys. They all want to get better and they are very competitive. I think it's in good hands. JOSH MALONE: I think it's in great hands, too. Especially with the underclassmen. I know like in the wide receiver squad, I just tell them, take advantage of every opportunity and just to work on their technique every time they step on the field, because you're just one play away, every time you step on the field. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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