Butch Jones said Monday that sometimes more can be learned from losing than winning.
For a UT team coming off a 59-14 loss at No. 2 Oregon and now preparing for a game at No. 19 Florida, it is an appropriate mindset to have.
But regardless of what was learned at the hands of the Ducks, pride is on the mend in the UT locker room as the Vols prepare to take on the Gators.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been as depressed after a loss as I was after that one just because of all the work we put in,” senior defensive tackle Daniel Hood said Monday.
Aided by simplified defensive plays, quacking ducks blaring over the speakers at practice and tireless mental repetition on the capabilities of Oregon, the Vols traveled to Eugene, Ore. prepared, but left with a clear visual of how far they have to go to be an elite program.
“We are going to revert back to this game for a number of years and this game will be a measuring stick for us,” Jones said, “especially for our younger players as we continue to progress and move forward as a football program.”
For older players like Hood and senior right tackle Ja’Wuan James, the end is imminent and they’re doing preemptive damage control to keep morale high as the Vols embark on a stretch in their schedule that features four ranked opponents in the next five games.
After returning from the West Coast, team leaders called a players-only meeting.
“We just told them to keep their heads up,” James said. “This is Florida week, this is one of the more important weeks. It’s SEC time. That (Oregon) game is in the past and we have a long season ahead of us.”
Prioritized player leadership is a new addition to the UT team, Hood said, and it is not something UT’s seniors are taking lightly as they strive to distance themselves from three consecutive losing seasons.
“This is going to be our brand for how Coach Jones remembers us,” Hood said. “We’ve got to get the team going and have great practices. We can’t let it ruin a season like it did last year.”
Following a loss to the Gators in 2012, the Vols dropped four of their next five and started 0-7 in the SEC.
Despite the woes in Derek Dooley’s final year as coach, Hood described Saturday’s loss to Oregon as “rock bottom.”
“Honestly, as a defensive line, we went in yesterday and were watching the whole film and were almost flabbergasted at what we saw,” Hood said. “But at the same time, we realize our mistakes now and we’ve got confidence in the scheme and we’ll learn from it.”
The best way for UT to put the loss to the Ducks behind them? Hood presented a specific remedy to the post-Oregon depression.
“You know what, let’s go,” Hood said. “It’s Florida week, and this is what Tennessee is all about.”
