[2023] Week 13 POTW

SageBow · September 1, 2023

Week 13 OPOTW

QB Brandon Savage, TENN, 33 of 55 for 474 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT in a 45-17 W vs #10 Georgia

Brandon congratulations, second Offensive Player of the Week award for you this season. Huge win against Georgia, what lead to this explosive game?

Honestly, it's just part of the process. We knew this was an important game against a top-10 opponent and winning would give us the division title. Although I can't pretend that I didn't want some revenge after they pulled that upset on us last year. Man it feels good to avenge that

You didn’t just beat them, you ripped them apart. 6 total touchdowns and receivers running all over their defense. What was this past week of preparation like?

A LOT of time in the film room let me tell you that. Going over last years mistakes, and really looking at their game against Auburn too. I have a lot of respect for Moncrief and wanted to kind of show that we’ve got a damn good offense too. I told the team “we ain’t losing this year to these dawgs” and just locked in all week long. It paid off

This Tennessee team has been ranked #1 for weeks in a row and is still undefeated for the season. What’s the atmosphere like in the locker room and around campus?

Honestly it’s been a really really good feeling seeing all the buzz around the team. The campus is so supportive, everywhere I go people are wishing us well. For the team though we spent all off-season dreaming about this. We had a good year last season but with Aldrick tearing it up in the NFL now I knew we’d need to put in even more work to make up for it and the results have followed. Also after Koch partied a little too hard after Missouri we’ve buckled down even more: win out this season and then we can party is our mentality now

Brandon, you're one of the Heisman finalists as we come down the stretch. What would winning that award mean to you?

Well I do believe that you don’t win awards by yourself. You need a great team around you and I’m thankful to them and the coaching staff for putting us in that position. It would be validation for all the work we’ve put in and gameplanning we’ve done but of course I’d trade it in a heartbeat for a championship

Thank you for the interview and congratulations on winning your second Offensive Player of the Week award Brandon! Before I leave, do you have any last comments to your fans?

Just a big thank you from the team, the support means everything! Also shout out to my family, love you guys. Also Vanderbilt Delenda Est, come watch us burn that trash team on Saturday 😎

Week 13 DPOTW

OLB Beau Martin, BAMA, 7.5 Tackles, 6 TFL, 3.5 Sacks in a 34-17 W vs Auburn

Beau, congratulations on being named the National Defensive Player of the Week. How did it feel to receive this recognition after such an important victory?

Thank you, it's definitely an honor. But it's not just about me; it's a testament to our entire defense and coaching staff. We prepared diligently for Auburn, and I was just fortunate to make some plays when the team needed it most.

Your stat line was truly remarkable. Can you take us through the mindset and preparation that led to your outstanding performance?

It all starts in practice. We have an incredible coaching staff that helps us understand our opponent's tendencies and weaknesses. I watched a lot of film to understand Auburn's offense better. During the game, it's all about trusting my instincts and the preparation we put in as a team.

Your ability to disrupt the Auburn offense was evident throughout the game. What techniques or strategies did you employ to achieve those 6 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks?

It's about reading the offensive line, understanding their blocking schemes, and using my speed and technique to get past blockers. My teammates also played a significant role by creating pressure, which allowed me to make plays. It's a team effort.

Alabama vs. Auburn is always a high-stakes game. What did this victory mean to you and your team?

It means everything. The Iron Bowl is a special game, and winning it is a great feeling. It's not just about the rivalry; it's about our goals for the season and what we can achieve as a team. This victory was a big step toward those goals.

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for the rest of the season, both individually and as a team?

Individually, I want to continue improving and helping my team in any way I can. We'll take it one game at a time and give it our all.

This article written with the help of @tsweezy and ChatGPT

Week 0 POTWs - RB Elijah Wendelken, ARK / SS Jalyn Jones, NW

Week 1 POTWs - QB Julian Longacre, USC / DT Jatavis Gabriel, CINC

Week 2 POTWs - QB Brandon Savage, TENN / DT Mike LeVert, MSST

Week 3 POTWs - RB Mitchell Reynolds, KSST / DE Marco Spruill, GRAM

Week 4 POTWs - QB Hiram Maronde, UCLA / DT Colton Rankin, FSU

Week 5 POTWs - QB Andrew Moncrief, AUB / OLB Jomal Diggs, ND

Week 6 POTWs - QB Travis Knebel, BAYL / DT Dante Williams, WISC

Week 7 POTWs - RB Richard Bianchi, HAWI / CB Ryan Cervelli, WAKE

Week 8 POTWs - RB Moises Walker, UHOU / DE Maurice Dawkins, BYU