By Adam Bache
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s wide receiver room has heard it all over the offseason: inexperienced, unproven, too young for the grind of an SEC schedule. But as the Volunteers prepare for their toughest test yet against Georgia, both receivers coach Kelsey Pope and sophomore wide-out Braylon Staley insist the group is ready to silence the doubts.
“I think they all keep receipts,” Pope said. “They’ve heard some of the stuff, like we all have, but that’s the good thing about being an athlete: You can channel that stuff the right way.”
Through the first two weeks, it looks like the receiving corps is doing just that.
Receivers Chris Brazzell II and Mike Matthews each topped 100 yards against ETSU, and Braylon Staley made plays showcasing his speed out of the slot. Pope believes that production isn’t just about scoring points but building belief for an inexperienced group.
“Playing this position is 99% confidence,” Pope said. “A lot of receivers around the country make a ton of plays, and it’s because they’re confident. So as a coach, you’ve got to understand that.” He added, “Having those guys operate and finish that game going out on a high, man, I think that’s crucial, especially going into a conference game.”
The position room heard all the talk over the offseason, and it has fueled them during their hot start to the season.
“People were saying, ‘They’re just young freshmen, they’re probably not going to know what to do.’ That put a chip on our shoulder. It made us play harder,” Staley said. “We’ve got a lot of confidence right now.”
The group has experienced a lot of early-season success, but Georgia’s defense presents an entirely different challenge with their ability to mix coverages as well as their physical style of play in the secondary that few teams can replicate.
“They do everything, right?” Pope said. “What we’ve got to focus on is just working our technique, making sure we’re getting to the line, getting a pre-snap plan and just being able to operate after that.”
Staley knows what awaits: “They’re physical. They play a lot of press man. They’re a talented defense. We’ve got to come in with a mindset that we’re going to dominate as well.”
Pope is confident; he knows his group has what it takes. They will be ready.
“I think the challenge is always in practice. We do a really good job of putting pressure on our guys in practice,” he said. “You have to put stress on these guys. And I think ultimately when you do that, game day feels like a breeze.”
As kickoff approaches, Tennessee’s receivers know what’s being said about them. They’ve kept the receipts. Saturday, against Georgia’s vaunted defense, they get the chance to cash them in.