Everything Tennessee coach Josh Elander said after the 5-1 win over No. 4 Texas

Tennessee opened its weekend series by knocking off No. 4 Texas 5-1 Friday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Starting pitcher Tegan Kuhns shined in the outing, going seven full innings and striking out 15 Longhorns. Following the Vols win, head coach Josh Elander met with the media:

If he was intending to take Tennessee pitcher Tegan Kuhns out of the game when he went to the mound in the seventh inning

“No, I wasn’t. At that point, again, I just thought, I mean, incredible performance by him tonight in so many ways. But they get a couple hits right there. And I’ll be honest, I think he finished at 113 (pitches).

That’s the most, I think, we’ve run anybody this year. So, just waned to give Arv a breather. I was giving Arv a little bit more time to get moving, but I just went out there. I said, hey, you’re not giving me the ball, man. You got one more out to get. So I just thought it was a good moment for us to kind of take a little reset, a little deep breath. And what a performance by T. I mean, he was immaculate tonight.” 

Why he was the one conducting the mound visit instead of Tennessee pitching coach Josh Reynolds

“That’s a good question. I just ran out and said hey, I’m going to go give him a second right there. It was just kind of a spur of the moment. But no, that’s not really something that was one or the other, I’m doing this versus you. But ’T’ and I go way back. I’ve known ’T’ for a long, long time. Not that Reyn hasn’t, but again, just wanted to kind of hit the reset button for him right there.” 

If his heart jumped into his throat on the foul ball down the line

“Yes, it did, because that ball was hit a very, very long way. Boyd is a good hitter. And again, I think the wind was kind of pushing some of those balls that way. I mean, they tagged a couple that just went foul.  But at that point in the game, Arv, again, believe in Arv. But I thought that was Teagan’s game and just bet on his makeup there at the end.”

If there was any doubt Kuhns would go out for the seventh after being at 98 pitches through six 

“No.”

Why he felt confident extending Kuhns given his pitch count? 

“Sure. I think the easiest thing was the stuff. I mean, we’re able to have the iPads in the dugout so you can still see the vert number. You can still see velocity. He’s throwing 94, 95. And even in Kentucky last week, there were some 91, 92s at points. And again, I just think the mindset — he went from last week, he didn’t like how it went. He made the adjustments and made the decisions all week to put his body in a position to have success. And that’s credit to Reyn and Tegan and Woody and all our people. But I mean, he was still humming in there and the breaker was good. He actually mixed in some sliders that he hasn’t really thrown grown over the last few weeks, and then some changeups to a guy like Pack, who’s been a monster in this league. So, you got a four-pitch mix and elite makeup and competitiveness, that’s how you get seven innings and 15 punches.” 

The way Tegan Kuhns attacked Texas, especially the top of the order 

“I think it was the strikes. That’s not a fun three to navigate. I mean, those are two of the most famous guys in the portal. And then I remember seeing Pack running around playing at the East Cobb and all that. He’s always just been able to kind of make a mess of the game in a good way for his team. But those three right there, I think really it’s just pouring strikes. I mean, he was throwing a lot of heaters at the top of the zone. If you look with Tinney, they had some good battles where he’s smoking some balls foul. And maybe they’re sitting on the breakers, the kind of cat-and-mouse game. But I think when you get going 95, 96 with good takeoff and good burn at the top of the zone, you get some of those short swings that opens up the depth of the breaking ball at the bottom. He did just a really good job competing tonight.”

The importance of being able to win the first game in a big series against a highly ranked opponent

“Yeah, they’re all important. I know that’s a great and fair question to ask, but it’s been a minute since we won a game on Friday night, so this is a big one. I told the guys to enjoy it. They need to for the rest of the night, but then they need to turn the page. A lot of people have their family in this weekend, so it’s always good to win on Friday night.  Can’t take it for granted. I’m looking here, looking at Dylan Volantis, what he brings to the table. I mean, that’s two Major Leaguers going at it head to head. So again, that’s SEC, but what an environment on Friday night. Our fans were amazing, great weather, fireworks. It was just a really cool day for our guys, but they need to enjoy it and then turn the page and be ready to go tomorrow.” 

Tennessee being able to hit Texas starter Dylan Volantis

“Yeah, he’s a hard guy to prepare for just because it’s so different. He’s so high-handed. It’s a seven-foot release height. He’s throwing curveballs basically out of the sky. He’s got cutter, changeup, his fastball up to 94. But he can even put it in his pocket at times where he’s going to go cutter and kind of mix and match. But real credit to Chuck, our hitting coach, and our players for grinding. We actually put a chair, like three chairs on the field and a spinball machine on top to try to emulate literally coming out of the batter’s eye. So really good job. We did it the last two days and then our guys just really committed to it. They were kind of joking that, ‘Oh, it’s not as good as what’s like the one we set up.’ The one we set up was not really human on the deal right there. But he’s a phenomenal pitcher, one of the best pitchers in the SEC. And you just got to take advantage when you get him. We got him early. And great job by Tegan to keep us in it. 

If taking advantage of this kind of opportunity on a Friday night to start a series is a sign of growth for this Tennessee team

“I think so. You just want to get out of the gates, especially when you’re (facing) an arm like that. You don’t want to let them get settled in. I thought our guys did a good job. I mean, I know sometimes people (ask), hey, why are you swinging at the first pitch? But Garrett just kind of sets the tone, hits a missile to right center. And not trying to do too much right there. But I mean, they’re all big. I know with Friday, Saturday, Sunday, but if you look at it as a whole, we haven’t played well enough on Friday night. And I think Tegan set the tone for us tonight, and our bullpen did their job. We have a lead late in the game, need to hold it. But again, those little things, if you look at the one inning, we get a base hit, Blaine’s fighting to stay inside the baseball, we bunt a guy over, we’re going to bunt again, then we get a couple more 90-feets, and then Grimmer, not trying to do too much, just shoots the ball in the four-hole. Those two runs gives you an immense amount of breathing room. So, just good to see the guys working together to win in all phases tonight. 

Tegan Kuhns showing emotion late in the game 

“Yeah, it was cool. Just the way he just continued to compete. Again, we talk about the ball that just goes foul, it’s hammered. That could stun some guys. And it might have done it to him a little bit last year as a freshman, but just to have the presence and next pitch, no problem, right? Just to stay in attack mode. And I’m sure he’ll remember. That’s a big punch out there. Throws a slider, you get Borba out, goes crazy. And Brent and I were talking at that point, like, yeah, he’s out. I said, don’t worry, I’m not running back out there at that point. But just T taking what he wanted. It was a cool night. 

Tegan Kuhns with a fastball at 96 and a curveball at 76, the challenge that presents 

“100%. I think just the separation between the two, and they come out of the same window.One’s going like this and one’s going down in a hurry. So if you really try to cheat to one or the other, you get in trouble real quick. And then the fastball has just enough life at the top where guys, they’ll sort it at times where basically they’re just trying to go and then they realize it’s up. Because you face a guy like that, you got to try to get the ball down. But then the problem is then you got the breaker coming out of the same window. So you got conflicting angles you’re trying to cover at the same time. But I really think the difference was Reyn did a good job with him with that. I think maybe eight or nine sliders throughout the night. But there were some big ones that he threw, and some good changeups. And you start going all those different quadrants with stuff and then separation and the shape and the velocity. It’s a pretty dynamic package.” 

What Brandon Arvidson has done well in his last two outings

“Just competed. I mean, he’s got really good stuff. And he sent a message in our GroupMe this morning basically saying hey, we’re going to win this game. So it’s kind of cool to see, just kind of out of nowhere. And just a guy, again, that’s pitched in some big moments for us. He was phenomenal for us last year versus Texas in Hoover. And again, this time of year, it’s about the players. And I just think they were so good tonight. And I just think the mentality was good, attacking together and then playing together to win. But Arv, when he throws strikes, it’s pretty darn dynamic. Again, gives up a homer, no big deal. But I love his compete when he gets out there, his maturity. And a couple of hits scattered, but four punchouts, no walks. We’ll take that any day of the week.”

The message from Brandon Arvidson that Tennessee wasn’t going to lose that game

“Yes, yes. I don’t know what goes on in the players’ GroupMe. I don’t ever ask. So, yes, that is our whole (team) one right there.” 

What kind of communication goes on in those group texts 

“It’s scheduling and then any kind of coaching stuff or whatnot. All the coaches kind of input some stuff right there. But we always give the players ownership that this is their program. And if they want a message they want to share with their teammates — and I’m sure they’re a little particular about which one goes in ours versus theirs — but that was a good one to see this morning. And then be able to say that and then come out and do it, that’s what we need to be about around here. So, credit to our Arv doing that.”