In the week leading up to Missouri game, the Tennessee coaching staff mentioned multiple times changes being made on the defensive side of the ball. One of those changes was moving defensive coordinator Sal Sunseri from the sidelines to the press box.

The first-year coordinator was fine with the change and even felt a little more comfortable switching locations on gameday.

“I thought it was pretty good, I was very comfortable upstairs,” Sunseri said. “You are able to see more, see exactly what they are doing and get the personnel in there. It was nice and clean and it was comfortable. It was where I have been.”

Sunseri was a fixture in the press box during his time as linebackers coach at Alabama and has had to adjust this season to being a sideline coach.

The coach and players alike felt the team did a good job and got plays called in an efficient time.

“We were getting the calls in, they were executing it fast and it was good tempo,” Sunseri said. “It was good tempo by everybody communicating. I thought Brandon Staley did a heck of a job of getting the calls from me and getting them in to the kids. The kids worked all last week on making sure everybody’s eyes are on the signal caller and the kids executed it good, they did a nice job.”

“I think we got the plays in well,” defensive back Prentiss Waggner said postgame Saturday. “We got them in early and were able to make the adjustment from there instead of being rushed. I think we felt comfortable out there.”

News came out early in the week that sophomore linebacker Curt Maggitt will be sidelined for the rest of the season with an ACL injury. Maggitt leads the team in tackles for loss and forced fumbles.

“We are going to find somebody that can do it and make adjustments with some of the guys,” Sunseri said. “You have to make some changes about who is playing what and what is going on, so they are going to have to identify and see what is going on.”

Sunseri also had high praise for the Vanderbilt offense Wednesday after practice.

“They are doing an excellent job of executing and have done a great job of competing and finding a way to win games.”

The coach also believes that the Commodores’ ability to keep a defense off balance makes them a tough matchup.

“Vanderbilt’s offense is doing a great job. It is a pro-style spread attack. He’s mixing it up. He’s running the option, he’s running the read, he’s throwing bubbles, he’s throwing intermediate routes, taking shots on deep-balling you, so he is doing a good job of mixing it up.”

The Vols will look to slow down the Commodores, who have won its last three SEC games and four of the last five.