AFLAC KICKOFF: SYRACUSE VS TENNESSEE

August 30, 2025

Braylon Staley

Joshua Josephs

Tennessee Volunteers

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Postgame Press Conference

Tennessee 45, Syracuse 26

THE MODERATOR: We have Braylon Staley and Joshua Josephs. Questions.

Q. Braylon, could you walk us through that 73-yard touchdown catch you had.

BRAYLON STALEY: I mean, we called the play to either to me or Mike. I felt like I had the right read on it. Ran the post route, I was open. Touchdown (smiling).

Q. What do you like about the way the offense set the tone early, the way that Joey and the offense operated in this aggressive mindset?

BRAYLON STALEY: I just feel like we felt confident in ourselves out there. I feel like we still have a lot to improve on. We got to do that this week in practice. I feel like there's always something to get better at. I think we just take the next step forward and continue to get better.

Q. What kind of tone do you think this win sets?

JOSHUA JOSEPHS: I feel like that's hard to say. Speaking as a defense, I don't believe we set the right tone as we should have. Like, we left a lot of things out there. That's a good team and they were able to capitalize off the mistakes we were making.

So I feel like this team, our team, Tennessee, we will continue to get better. Not even feel, I know that we will. So I honestly don't know how to answer what type of tone this game set for the defense.

BRAYLON STALEY: I think offensively we set a tone, but like I said we can be way better. We left a lot on the field, too, as well. Just taking that step forward next week in practice.

Q. Joshua, you had five sacks today. That's more than any game last year. Is there a chance this is a better pass-rushing team than last season?

JOSHUA JOSEPHS: As the season goes on, we'll be able to really answer that.

Truly I believe we were gifted last year. But I know we're gifted this year, too. Shout-out to Coach Banks because he was able to draw a lot of blitzes that actually got back there and came through clean.

Not only was the D-line wreaking havoc, but so was the DBs and the linebackers.

Q. Joshua, you said you didn't set the tone that y'all wanted. Would you say that was more of you guys or more of what Syracuse was doing?

JOSHUA JOSEPHS: I'm not going to discredit anything Syracuse did 'cause, again, that's a good team, they're here for a reason.

It was definitely a lot of mistakes on our ends that they were able to capitalize on.

Q. Coach Banks played a lot of young guys on defense. Can you talk about some of those guys, who popped out to you?

JOSHUA JOSEPHS: To me personally, I really feel like Ty Redmond popped out. We've been seeing this since spring. He came in and he was just, like, at a different maturity level than a normal freshman. He's always been, like, a box type of guy. Seeing it in game, I love to see.

Also Harmon came in. He came in, he popped off.

The dude that popped off for me was definitely Ty Redmond, 100%.

Q. Josh, you mentioned maybe leaving too much out there. Would you assess that third and fourth down defense? Would you say that is where improving is necessary?

JOSHUA JOSEPHS: 100%. We would have them in a lot of third down situations. Whether they be like the D-line didn't get back there or there was a bust in coverage, I always felt like there was something open that shouldn't have been open.

Q. Braylon, how much did you enjoy Joey and his ability to spread the wealth today?

BRAYLON STALEY: Man, truly, honestly it's a blessing to have a quarterback like that in the room. He's a leader. He's out there confident. I felt like we was all confident with him. We had his back. When the ball was in the air, we went to get the ball. When he handed the ball off, the running backs did their thing. I feel like we did a really good job on offense today.

Q. Josh, you mentioned some of the things you did give up. How surprising was it to see those types of things? Do you think some of that was a product of you had a lot of different players banged up at times?

JOSHUA JOSEPHS: I would have to watch the film to, like, truly give you a real answer. I feel like if I would have to guess, that was somebody trying to do more than they should have. Like, somebody trying to play the role of somebody else, if you get what I mean.

But again, as this season goes on, I know that the defense, I know that our offense, will continue to get better. This is a great team I'm on.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks, everybody.