What Syracuse coach Fran brown said about facing No. 24 Tennessee

What Syracuse coach Fran Brown said during his press conference on Monday, previewing his team’s game against Tennessee on Saturday (Noon Eastern Time, ABC) in the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta:

“… We get the opportunity to play against one of the bluebloods of college football. I’ve looked up to this team for a long time. I remember when coach Phillip Fulmer was coaching there. I got a cousin named Rashad Baker who got a chance to play there. He was a four-year starter. Being able to see Tennessee for a long time and I think Coach (Josh) Heupel has stepped in and done an amazing job. Just from when he started there, his coaching career, his playing career as a football player, and then now as a coach. It’s always second to none, right? He does an amazing job. Last year was in the college playoffs already. Got a chance to compete against him when I was at Georgia two times. Actually, the hardest week was being able to prepare for them. He’s got a lot of good players. He’s an intelligent coach.

“Coach Joey Halzle there, offensive coordinator, does a really good job. They got a new guy at the helm, (Joey) Aguilar, who I think is really good. I remember him watching App State. I went to Western Carolina, that’s a rival, always getting to see what App does, I’m always up to watching them. I thought he did a real good job at that school. Just thought he was a really good quarterback, good player, excited for what he does. He’s a Cali kid that loves to sling the ball, that’s what he grew up doing. Happy for him.

“Offensively, also the running backs. I think their running backs are really good. DeSean (Bishop), Star (Thomas) and Peyton Lewis. Peyton being a really good player, DeSean is really good and then Star, his name speaks for itself, right? Those running backs are really good. I think their tight ends are extremely well. I know just watching them and doing things all the time was 87 (Miles Kitselman) and … couple different guys they got. I like their receivers, 17, (Chris) Brazzell. I know Mike Matthews from the recruiting trail being at Georgia. Got the chance to recruit him a little bit. He’s a really good football player. And then those freshmen they brung in, I just literally wrote it down from watching and going back and seeing what they do. But Travis Smith, Radarious (Jackson), (Joakim) Dodson, those guys can really play ball. And let’s not forget about 14, Braylon Staley, who’s a really good football player, also.

“And then on the defensive side of the ball, Tim Banks is a good coach. I got to know him a little bit. We’re not best of friends, but I know who he is. I respect him, I respect the work that he’s done. I remember meeting him from Penn State and things of that nature. He’s done a real good job of coaching.

“That linebacker, seven, Arion (Carter), he’s a beast. He just can play football. He’s really good. Does a really good job. The DBs. Of course, they’ve got one of the best corners in the country in No. 3 (Jermod McCoy). Just watching him play. It’s tough with him, I hear they don’t know if he’ll play or if he does play. Shit, I would play him if I was them. He’s good as heck. He can play football. I know Rickey (Gibson III), I recruited him a little bit when I was at Georgia. He was a good football player. I’ll be able to see Boo Carter. I’ll be excited to see him. I thought he was a good kid in being able to recruit him. I think he might be playing both ways, I’m not really sure what he’s doing, I think he’s the STAR. But he does a good job at the nickel position.

“Their (defensive) line, 19 (Joshua Josephs) did a hell of a job last year with 22 (linebacker Jeremiah Telander). I think they’re real deep on the D-line. They got a lot of guys when you go and watch them and you can see what they do. And then from a special teams perspective, EvanCrabtree, I know he was on the staff. They had a lot of things that they did well last year. They really try to get going in the return game on PBR. We’re expecting them to come try to block some punts, but in the same sense, we think they’ll also try to set some returns up because I think they can be dangerous there with the speed they have on their football team. But we’re thankful for the opportunity we get to go play against these guys.”

Similarities in preparing for Tennessee now, compared to his time at Georgia

“I was the corners coach there. So that was a big difference. I’m the head coach now. I think we’re just different teams. We run different defenses, it’s not the same. Comparing us to them, it’s a little bit different. I don’t know, it’s just different. For me there, I was watching every little piece, I was watching a lot of different things from a defensive backs perspective cause I was only looking at it as the cornerbacks coach. Now I’m the head football coach, so I watch the complete games all the time. I’m watching the full games and going through it a little bit different in that nature of it. I think it’s a huge difference in the preparation. And you asked it from a defensive perspective, well, we run two different schemes. We’re not who they are. Their guys are a little bit different up front. They got those big two-gappers and things of that nature.”

Any similarities facing Tennessee after facing the Vols as an assistant coach at Georgia

“They’re going to go fast. Yeah, they’re going to go fast. They’re going to make sure they go fast. Tennessee runs what they run. They’re not worrying about what you’re in. You better worry about what they’re in. When you don’t get home, when you’re not ready, it’s all about what they run.”

What type of statement it would be for Syracuse to beat Tennessee

“I’m just worrying about one day at a time, really. For me, I’m not even really thinking about Saturday right now, honestly. I’m just trying to focus on the day. I’m trying to make sure we’ll be ready for practice today. We’ll get the chance to walk a little bit. We’re going to be off, so the guys get the chance to make sure they take care of their bodies and we’re chilling and we’re not doing nothing today like that. For me, I’m just focused on the day and making sure we prep the right way as a coaching staff. Make sure everybody is ready to go so we’re ready to play.”

How this game served as motivation during Syracuse fall camp

“I’m just motivated that I wake up every day. I’m not sure. Some of the questions that ya’ll are telling me, they’re like setup questions. I’m not trying to give anyone else ammo to be happy about us playing them or us happy to play — we’re happy to play football. Ya’ll could’ve put rowing on the schedule and we’re going to make sure that we practice the same way and I’m going to be the same person all the time. I’m motivated that Mr. Wildhack picked me to be the head football coach here and I get to represent the ‘S’. I get to go out and speak for Syracuse and who they are and what the tradition of this program has been. Just for all the people that were here before us. We stand on the shoulders of the people before. Without all the people that were already here, all the hard work they put in, for me, having the opportunity to have Keith Bullock all summer, Dwight Freeney here this summer, being able to call Marvin Harrison and talk to him about things. That’s why I’m motivated to make sure we play well. That’s why I’m motivated to make sure that we do things the right way. With all due respect to every team, I’m self-motivated. There’s a lot of individual goals in my life I have for myself. There’s a lot of team goals that we all have. Team-wise, we want to win a national championship. That’s what motivates us first and foremost. As long as we do everything as a team and we stay consistently focused on dart and we keep our core values before our personal goals, we’re going to be straight.”

Saying he doesn’t feel motivated by Tennessee or opponents Syracuse plays against

“I didn’t say that. So, watch how she said that and don’t try to mark that and have them all ‘Fran said he ain’t motivated by ya’ll.’ I said I am self-motivated and I said that Tennessee is one of the better programs to be in college football. But for me and the way I grow, I don’t allow other stuff to get me to go. I wanted to get a college degree so I could be successful and make money and do things of that nature. When it comes to this school, they’re a really good program. I’m just saying, I’m trying to focus on the day because they’re entirely too good for us to try to focus and worry on playing them all week long. We just focus on playing them, playing them, and not focused on all the little intricate details that we need to do every day, we’re not going to give ourselves a chance. So, to give us a chance to be able to compete against them, we got to be where our feet are, so that way on Saturday, we got an opportunity to at least be able to keep that game close. Cause, man, they be putting 50, 60 up on people in the beginning of the year. I don’t want to be the team that gives up 50 or 60.”

Tennessee having the crowd advantage with the game in Atlanta

“Everybody is going to have on orange. Orange is orange. We just got to not see the burnt orange as much. Orange is orange. My guys are just going to be happy to play in a packed stadium. We’re ready to go. I’m excited to go there and play football. I’m hoping that the Falcons got somebody there watching the game and they have the opportunity to see some of our players just as well as their players. Just gives our kids a great opportunity to go there and play. I think I coached like three games there already, three different games in that stadium, so this will be a good deal for us to get a chance to go there and do this.”

The Syracuse offensive line facing Tennessee’s defensive line

“I’m not sure. We’re going to get to tell this weekend. I’ll get to tell you Saturday how we’re going to be able to match that. They’re gonna come and compete. People averaged 17 points per game on them last year, I think that was eighth in the country. They did an amazing job. They only gave up 298 yards of total offense. On offense, they had 400-something yards, they rushed for 225 a game or 228. Passed for 221. We got our hands full. We’re ready to compete, though.”