Head coach Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Volunteers are coming off a bye week in Week 9 of the college football season, where they hoped to regroup following a disappointing 24-27 defeat at the hands of the South Carolina Gamecocks. The loss was the Volunteers' second of the season, giving them a 6-2 record overall and a 3-2 record in conference play. Following the bye week, the Vols rank 16th in the AP poll and are tied for 5th in the SEC with Texas, LSU, and Missouri.
The Tennessee Volunteers will have their hands full in Week 10, as they prepare to face the 8th-ranked team in the country, and longtime rival, the Kentucky Wildcats. Braylon Staley spoke to Vols Media ahead of the SEC matchup against Kentucky . This is what he had to say.
Oct 24, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Braylon Staley (14) runs against South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Judge Collier (8) during the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
"Pretty beneficial. Got some rest obviously, got some treatment over the weekend. I think you know just got myself together, ready to you know come out, got a head start on Kentucky, ready to come out and just play ball." Staley said.
"yes, it's really important to clean up penalties. Obviously we had, you know, some big ones last week, but I think, you know, just that team is very sound, just being able to come in practice, you know, hone in on them details in practice, and it'll take itself to the game." Staley said.
"It could, especially in practice. The practices that we did have, they was big on like pulling on and off the ball, you know jumping off sides, false starts, and all stuff like that." Staley said.
"It's kind of been the same since last year. Kind of getting the same stuff that I had last year. Not seeing too much stuff different. Kind of the same." Staley said.
"Have great attention to detail. It starts in practice. Being able to stay focused throughout the week, and then when it comes to game time, we got to be able to, you know, just go play ball and, you know, be smart." Staley said.
"I think it will be, but I think that you can't really think about it like that. I feel like you got to always have the same mindset, even if you're not in the playoffs." Staley said
"Very sound, they got a great back end, some veterans at safety, great safety duo. Just a great football team. You know, I think they're like second in the league for penalties or something like that or whatever, but that's a very sound football team." Staley said.
"Obviously hanging out with each other, going out to eat and stuff like that. You know, coming back and watching film and stuff like that, but that's really what we do a lot." Staley said.
"Just looking at the structure of the defense, see how they disguise stuff. Seeing how the corners play on the outside and obviously like the nickel spots and, you know, seeing what depth safeties be at and, you know, like different coverages and stuff like that." Staley said.
"Yes, it has. Obviously with a couple of the receivers, we always go in there and, you know, just watch some with George. You know, just seeing what we can pick out from the defense and see if it happens to us." Staley said.
"He's grown a lot obviously, you know he took the role over, he's been playing his butt off, but he's grown a lot. He's taking control of the offense now, being a leader that he's supposed to be, he's talking way more than I've seen, so it's been really good to see him grow." Staley said.
"I think it was confidence. He got his confidence back right now and I think he's doing really good with it, and you know he needs to keep it up." Staley said.
" It's been real good. Especially on the field, cause you know we get in the huddles a lot sometimes now, and it's George just being loud, he's telling us what to do. It's real good to be in the huddle and hear a quarterback talk like that." Staley said.
"He was on us a good bit, but I think that's what you need in the receiving room, you know for a coach to be on you like that and you know just to want you to succeed. So, it was a good week of practice for us and this week's going to be a good week of practice too." Staley said.
"You know, just getting in our alignments, getting set, being able to get our cleats set fast. Once the o-line goes down, and the quarterbacks ready to snap the ball, if we not ready, it's dead." Staley said.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/tennessee as Everything Braylon Staley Said Ahead of Tennessee vs. Kentucky .
