On how much more he learns when the guys practice with pads on and on who he leans on in his group of linebackers
“The first question I think anytime you put the pads on you find out some timeless truth. You still have to tackle, you have to block, and you obviously have to get off blocks and things of that nature. That is what you find out exactly what we are as it relates to hitting and shedding. As far as No. 2, our linebackers I think a lot of it is just work by committee right now. All of those guys are working extremely hard to try and separate themselves and like I said today is really the first day we put pads on. I think as we continue to move through it, we will have a chance to define some roles better. But right now, it is a little bit by committee and again a lot of times that ends up being a good thing because you are developing some depth.”
On if he is taking a simple approach to teaching his defense as the offense
“Yes, I think you just obviously want to put them in a situation where they can play extremely fast. I don’t know if simple is the word for us, but obviously in everything we do we want to be sound. We’re putting it in day-by-day, piece-by-piece. The more they can digest the more they can install. But ultimately, we just want to see guys play hard and execute. Whatever we feel like they can handle as we move forward. We will continue to put it in, but ultimately that is really all we can handle at this point is who is going to play hard, who’s going to strike, get off blocks and make tackles. And that is really all they have been evaluated on to this point.”
NEXT: Tim Banks discusses Tennessee’s defense continued