Rod Barnes Kids Quotations

If we lost that first game at Alabama, our kids would be questioning themselves. We accomplished that. To come back and play an experienced team like South Carolina and win, it helps with our confidence.

We're obviously going into this game feeling better about ourselves. I think our guys will be excited about playing. By the time we get there, they'll (State) be ready to play, and our kids realize that.

Our kids played really well against LSU. But they have to play even better against Florida.

My wife made the statement that she felt like the kids were pressing, because I was pressing. She said, You've got to relax and have fun.' Once they saw that coach was relaxed and wasn't yelling and screaming, they relaxed and played well as a result.

I think Coach Pearl has done a great job. There's a lot of excitement at Tennessee and their kids are playing hard and playing well. It's become one of the toughest places to go and play.

The thing that has helped him, our guys are so close. This is a close-knit group. I think that's one of the reasons why he came back. Most kids in that situation wouldn't have played today. But he made the commitment to come back, and I think the guys were excited to see him and really welcome him.

I've never been one to quit, not necessarily quit. I started the season with these kids, and unless there was someone above me, not allowing me to do that ... I couldn't do that.

(Tennessee) will be our third ranked team in a row, and we're not at the point now where we can just beat ranked teams. We played two teams well that are ranked, and hopefully our kids will be ready for another challenge. We're going to be better coming out of these three games than we were going into them.

Sometimes kids will rally around a situation like that. Sometimes it goes other way. He would want us to go up there (to Kentucky) and play well and that's what he said to our players and coaches.

It's mental at this point. We're at a position now where kids know the plays. Mississippi State was more aggressive. ... Mississippi State attacked us, and now I've got to get our guys ready from a mental standpoint to attack Kentucky.

I'm concerned about the mindset of our kids.

I think our kids are working hard. My focus is to make sure we move forward and get better.

He's really good at catching and scoring with the basketball. I don't think we've gotten it to him enough; I would like our kids to find him a little more. He has made it easy for us, and I've really focused on our offense this year, which is why I think that our defense is what needs improvement now.