Everything Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews said after practice on Thursday, discussing his expanded role this season.
Everything Tennessee sophomore wide receiver Mike Matthews said during his media availability after Thursday morning’s practice at the Anderson Training Center, looking back at the frustrations of his freshman season and the new-look wide receiver group for the Vols this season:
Tennessee’s new apparel deal with Adidas starting in July 2026
“I love it. I mean, they’re kind of making us a priority, just in terms of just football and having us being like the pretty much just the college household name of just sports. And the connection with Adidas is just major. But I’m really just focused on this upcoming season, so not until next year.”
His connection with Braylon Staley and the work they put in together
“Yeah, it’s really valuable. Me and him, both coming from a receiver group last year that was more so filled vets, and everybody leaving, we kind of both knew what we had to do, what was at hand. And it’s just taking advantage of our opportunity.”
His frustrations during his freshman season at Tennessee, dealing with a hamstring injury
“Yeah, it was real frustrating. But I know God has a plan for me, so I just kind of just go with the battle. It’s just, I know it’s always going to be adversity and everything we do in life, so just kind of battle through it. I know it’s going to all play out right in the end.”
How he’s feeling health wise during this fall camp
“I’m feeling good, yeah.”
What it has been like for Tennessee’s receivers during camp, with players missing time with injuries
“I feel like it’s definitely a growing thing. We have, more so, young guys on our squad. But I feel everybody is really buying into what Coach Pope has been saying, including Chris, even though he’s not on the field with us most of the time. But he’s still involved in the meeting room, so it’s major to have him, more of an older guy who’s been there, major to have him there.”
How eager this group of Tennessee receivers is to prove themselves
“Yeah, we’re really eager. We’re real young and we’re sure that everybody’s kind of down on us. But we love being doubted. I feel like give us more of a ‘why,’ in a sense.”
Kelsey Pope saying he can play all three wide receiver positions in Tennessee’s offense, if he feels like he’s ready to do that
“Oh, yes, of course. I feel like wherever they put me at, I just got to do my job the right way and everything will be okay.”
If it’s an easy transition to move inside if needed
“I believe so. It’s definitely going to be more in the playbook, of course, but it definitely should be an easy transition for me.”
If he’s reached the point in fall camp where he’s just ready to play a game
“Oh, yeah. It’s close. Fall camp is a long thing, but time has been going by fast. We got two more weeks to the game, so it’s right around the corner.”
If he has a spot on the field where he’s most comfortable
“Not necessarily. I’m just glad to be on the field. Wherever they put me at, I just know I got to do me.”
What he likes about Tennessee freshmen receivers Travis Smith and Radarious Jackson
“They’re almost like man childs. They’re not your typical freshmen. You know, ‘Ra’ is 6-4, Travis, 6-5, and they’re both like 210, 215. So I feel like they got a hot room as long as they keep working, keep growing.”
The sense of urgency in Tennessee’s receiver group
“Yeah, it’s definitely a sense of urgency. And I feel like just last year, seeing how Bru (McCoy) and Dont’e (Thornton) kind of handled this stuff, and those are like more vet guys, four or five years in college football, so I definitely try to take how they approach practice last year or just not even practice meetings or anything we do. I try to take what they did and apply it to our receiver room.”
How Tennessee’s quarterback competition affects receivers during fall camp, if they pay attention to it
“Nah, we don’t really pay much attention. We’re sure that whoever’s back there is going to get the ball there. Whoever it is, we trust them just like they trust us.”
What he has seen from the quarterback competition
“I feel like they’re competing. Everybody is. It’s not really like, oh, I want to be the starter. Everybody’s just filling in where they need to be, and whoever it is going to be, it is going to be.”
If he’s getting any reps in kick or punt return
“I’ve been getting reps … punt returns, kickoff, both.”
How he likes it
“I like it. I mean, hey, like I said, wherever they put me on the field, I’m just happy to be on that.”
If he’s comfortable in the spotlight in his sophomore season at Tennessee, having to take on a bigger role in Year 2
“Yeah, I would say I’m comfortable in it. I’ve been in the spotlight where it’s all eyes on me. But this is really nothing new. And it’s college football in the SEC, so everybody is going to be watching me at some point.”
How ready to go he is after last season’s frustrations
“I’m definitely ready. Just going through last year and experiencing everything I experienced, I feel like it all played out like it was supposed to. So now I have more like a mental mindset what’s going on. I just got to put my body through the work and see how it will play out.”
Why he changed to No. 4
“Just like high school. It kind of happened the same way. Like my freshman year, I was a different number. Then my sophomore year, I became No. 4. I feel like it’s more the player making the number, not the number making player.”
Category: General Sports
