Kiffin about building UT's confidence

Lane Kiffin was asked several times during his weekly press conference Tuesday about being reprimanded by the SEC.

Tennessee's head coach reserved comment - as best he could.

"As hard as it is for me to do, I'm not getting into it," Kiffin said with a grin. "I'd like to."

The SEC reprimanded Kiffin on Monday after he criticized the officiating in UT's 12-10 loss to Alabama on Saturday. Kiffin hinted that he did so to stand up for his players following a game in which they were penalized seven more times for 58 more yards than the Crimson Tide.

"I think that you guys know me," Kiffin said to the media. "I think we have great confidence in our players. We always stand up for our players."

Kiffin cited his public stance on quarterback Jonathan Crompton as proof that such allegiance can pay dividends. Crompton has played well in UT's last two games despite a shaky start to the season, which prompted many fans to call for him to be benched.

"When they see me saying things, they know that I have confidence in them that we can play against anybody," Kiffin said. "They know that this staff isn't worried about who we play or where we're playing.

"They believe that we can put together a plan that we can go beat everybody. I think that's what your goal is."

Defensive tackle Wes Brown said he appreciates Kiffin standing up for his players.

"When you have a coach that goes to battle for you, it really instills confidence in you," the senior said. "You really believe in what he says. It goes from him to our senior leadership then throughout the whole team."

Offensive tackle Aaron Douglas was hardly surprised by Kiffin's comments.

"That's expected," Douglas said. "He's always got our back through anything."

Kiffin said he's noticed the Vols are developing a swagger.

"I do think they take if from their staff," he said. "I think they take if from the way that you are around them, the confidence you have in them."

Dandy Douglas: Kiffin cited Douglas' play as one of the reasons UT's offense has improved recently.

"It was a great change moving him there from tight end," Kiffin said of the position switch made in January. "He's going to be a great tackle for us. That has been a difference for us."

Kiffin called Douglas a perfect fit for UT's offensive system because the former Maryville High School star is athletic enough to block linebackers.

"He fits really good," Kiffin said. "If we find a couple more of those, we'll win some championships."

"I just think I'm getting more comfortable, not only with the system but just being on the field and being a starter," Douglas said.

Douglas has started four consecutive games for the Vols after replacing Jarrod Shaw following the Florida game.

Kiffin said Douglas' mentality has helped him improve.

"This is a highly competitive individual, very tough, very aggressive, loves to scrap it up," Kiffin said.

Douglas said he's eating 3,500 calories a day to avoid losing weight. Still, he said he's lost about five pounds and is down to 280.

Almost Alshon: Kiffin said he first became aware of South Carolina receiver Alshon Jeffrey at a football camp at Southern California when Jeffrey was a high school prospect. Kiffin was coaching the Oakland Raiders at the time and immediately told his former mentor, Trojan head coach Pete Carroll, that Jeffrey would be a dynamic player.

"I've thought he was a great player for a long time," Kiffin said.

Jeffrey has 24 catches for 443 yards and five touchdowns this season.

The Vols lost out on Jeffrey in a highly contested recruiting battle among UT, Southern Cal and South Carolina.

"At one point I thought we had him," Kiffin said. "He had told us he was coming at one point and (we) just lost him in the end. He's going to be a great player and he'd be playing a ton for us if he was here."

Injury Report: Receiver Quintin Hancock (ankle) and linebacker Rico McCoy (knee) did not practice Tuesday.

Kicker Daniel Lincoln was not cleared to kick. The junior still has a sore quadriceps muscle in his right, kicking leg.

Tight end Luke Stocker and cornerback Mike Edwards were held out of practice and safety Janzen Jackson was limited for undisclosed reasons.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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