Tate Ratledge Talks Matchup vs Tennessee
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00:00 >> We'll get going with questions.
00:02 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:10 >> It's been pretty well documented, you grew up a Tennessee volunteer fan.
00:15 I think there was a moment when you signed about your dad taking a sticker off
00:19 the back of his truck.
00:20 Just talk about growing up a Tennessee fan, all that good stuff.
00:24 >> Yeah, growing up, dad's side of the family,
00:26 the whole Tennessee fans, so it's kind of what I was raised in.
00:30 And grew up with a couple of spring games here and there, and
00:33 that was always like a team of choice around the house.
00:35 And finally, when it got to the time where I started getting recruitment,
00:40 my dad was like, you need to put all that behind you,
00:42 you need to make your own decision.
00:43 He said, I'm not gonna live my life through you, I'm a huge Tennessee fan, but
00:46 you're not gonna hurt my feelings if you don't go there.
00:48 And then they just came down to picking what was best for me.
00:50 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:53 >> Yeah, Kirby came in and was not thrilled with how practice went today.
00:57 Just one, what was your take on how things went today?
00:59 And two, as a leader on this team, what is your kind of role in making sure
01:03 the rest of the week goes smoother heading into Saturday?
01:07 >> I think schematically, practice was fine as far as executing.
01:11 I don't think the energy and
01:12 excitement was there that we've had the past couple weeks.
01:15 And as far as the rest of the week goes, it's kind of just helping other people
01:18 get that mindset to go out there and that we need to have great practice and
01:20 great energy, cuz it starts with the people that are on the sidelines and
01:24 them being excited for a big play and stuff like that.
01:26 So just making sure that's intact for us the week.
01:27 >> Speaking of the Tennessee fan, I know Ladd also grew up a Tennessee fan.
01:33 Is that kind of stuff that you and other guys on the team ever talk about?
01:36 Is your previous fan allegiances before coming to here?
01:42 And how much do you kind of put that behind you, and
01:44 put that in the rear view mirror, especially since you've been here for so long?
01:48 >> I think me and Ladd mess with each other about it here and
01:50 there more than other people do.
01:52 But I'll kind of hear it every now and then from other people, but
01:55 it's fully behind me now.
01:57 I've been here for almost four years now, so I'd say it's pretty much behind me.
02:01 >> All that being considered, just what kind of excitement do you have going in
02:06 to start at a place that you've talked about as a great atmosphere and
02:10 such like that?
02:11 >> I think something as a competitor is what you look forward to,
02:14 going into an amazing environment that almost every SEC team has.
02:19 And going in there and trying to do, it's you against the world,
02:23 basically, when you go in a place like that.
02:24 And I think that feeling as a competitor is amazing.
02:27 >> Just wondering, there's the legend of Brock Bowers that kind of
02:33 pervades everything, but when it comes to this recovery from tight rope,
02:38 when did you guys start noticing that, hey, he might get back really quick?
02:43 And when he comes back in 26 days, was that just like, of course, you did?
02:48 >> I wouldn't call it a surprise to us, just knowing how he is.
02:52 And I think that's what we thought about him coming back so quickly.
02:55 That's just who Brock is.
02:56 He's gonna attack whatever it is head on.
03:00 Every time I saw him, he's in there doing rehab, doing something to get better.
03:02 And then one day at practice, we're doing a period, and you look back behind you,
03:05 and there's Brock just sprinting across the field.
03:08 And you're like, okay, he shouldn't be doing that yet, but here he is.
03:10 >> [LAUGH] >> You're talking about
03:13 the excitement level.
03:14 What's it like when you have, Missouri, I guess, was a top 15 matchup,
03:19 last week top 10.
03:20 Is it hard to have week after week after week with keeping the same level?
03:25 >> I don't think so.
03:27 I think it's the standard here, and I think everybody here knows that.
03:30 And I think it gets called out if we don't uphold that like it did today.
03:34 And it's something we have to fix tomorrow, and I think we will.
03:39 >> Coach Bobo nominated for the Royals Award today.
03:42 Just take me back to that transition and that time when Coach Monkham was leaving,
03:46 Bobo got named the OC.
03:48 And then how do you feel like things have gone in that transition through ten games?
03:52 >> When he first got taken over, he did a lot to help us,
03:56 keeping a lot of the lingo around, same words for stuff.
03:59 And his process through those ten games, I don't think he's cooled off since.
04:03 He's just gotten hotter and hotter with his play calling, and
04:05 I love having him around.
04:09 >> I know there's time to go in this year, but
04:12 you are semi-finalists for the Joe Moore Award.
04:16 First ten games have been good.
04:17 How has this worked?
04:18 Why has this worked, run and pass blocking so far?
04:22 >> I think it's cuz we have a really close unit.
04:25 We've all played a lot of football together, and
04:27 we know how other people are gonna play next to us.
04:29 I know how Ced's gonna react to a certain situation.
04:31 Ced knows how I'm gonna react.
04:32 I know how Mims is gonna react.
04:33 He knows how I'm gonna react, things like that.
04:34 I think it's just a cohesiveness we built throughout being here since freshman.
04:38 And I think it's really showing now.
04:40 >> Tell you what was it like getting Amiris back on Saturday, and
04:45 just how do you feel like he played his first game back?
04:48 >> I think he went out there and played well.
04:52 I think, I know he wasn't feeling great.
04:55 I know he still had some aches and pains, but he pushed through it and
04:57 played really well.
04:58 It's really nice to have him back out there.
04:59 >> Okay, obviously, Coach Bobo's not gonna say anything publicly or
05:04 anything like that.
05:05 But when you look at how, knock on wood, how well the offense has done this year,
05:08 knowing the kind of competitor he is, and
05:10 the question people have about him coming back.
05:12 How do you think,
05:13 what do you think he's kind of feeling to himself right now about that?
05:16 >> Not really sure how he's thinking about that now.
05:19 He never really talks about it.
05:21 But I know he works hard, and he's always up there game planning,
05:25 getting stuff in, meeting with us,
05:27 trying to get the best game plan in for us to be successful.
05:28 >> Tate, what does Ced add to you about Tennessee's defensive line,
05:34 just the challenge they're gonna present?
05:37 >> Really physical, they're probably the most physical group we've played all year,
05:40 just watching film.
05:42 They get vertical off the ball, really good at getting that first up in the ground,
05:45 and creating knockback.
05:47 And their edge guys are both really twitchy, all of them are.
05:50 They all get after the passer, and inside, they're big guys that can move.
05:54 >> Tate, back over here again.
05:56 You guys obviously work with crowd noise a lot during weeks like this.
05:59 How much, I mean, as somebody on the offense line, how much does that work you
06:02 put in with crowd noise here, help in games like you're gonna have on Saturday?
06:07 >> I think it helps a lot,
06:09 just not being blindsided by it when you get into a stadium.
06:12 Being able to hear it, although it may not be as loud here as it is in the game, but
06:15 it definitely helps being able to distinguish the sound of the clap.
06:17 >> They mentioned the clap, I'm curious, I think,
06:22 I can't remember which offensive lineman mentioned how loud Carson's clap is.
06:25 And what is it about, is it just big hands on him?
06:28 And other than that, if you can't hear the clap,
06:30 are you just straight off the ball?
06:34 >> I think, yes, Carson does have a really loud clap.
06:38 It's really clear, I remember the Auburn game, we couldn't hear his verbal, but
06:42 hear his claps clear as day.
06:44 And if you can't hear the snap, I'm a more just look at the ball and
06:48 wait till Seth moves it.
06:49 But a lot of it's just having to distinguish it in the sound.
06:53 There's a lot of things in crowd noise that can sound like a clap that you may
06:56 think, but I feel like once you hear that clap and establish it,
06:59 it's a lot easier to hear it.
07:00 >> Let's take two more questions.
07:03 I did wanna ask you about James Pierce Jr., number 27 for Tennessee.
07:07 He's got eight sacks, a forced fumble.
07:09 How do you kinda deal with a guy like that,
07:11 that's a pretty lanky guy with some good burst off the edge?
07:15 >> Yeah, like you said, he's a great player.
07:17 He's got a really good, he's got an elite get off.
07:20 He's got a really good speed to pull.
07:22 And I think it's just, it falls back on technique and
07:24 getting in the right spot and using your hands.
07:26 So I think that's really what it falls back on.
07:28 [BLANK_AUDIO]
07:32 >> I'm just wondering, as an offensive lineman,
07:34 what are some of the biggest challenges in recovering after a big game?
07:37 You're taking on a lot of weight, and for receivers and running backs,
07:40 it might be feet and ankles because they're cutting a lot, they're running right.
07:43 But for offensive lineman, what are some of the biggest struggles in recovery over
07:46 the weekend after a big game?
07:47 >> I think majority of weekends, it's your whole body that's sore, really.
07:51 And it's just, my body reacts well to cold.
07:56 So I'm in the ice bath almost every day, doing different things here and there.
08:01 And it's really just how people's body react to certain treatment,
08:04 cuz I know there's some people who don't react well to cold, but
08:06 react well to heat and pressure.
08:08 So just really what your body reacts well to.
08:11 >> Thanks, thank you.
08:13 [BLANK_AUDIO]