Tennessee Football quarterback Joey Aguilar completed 16 of 25 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown and ran five times for 59 yards in the 34-31 win over Arkansas Saturday at Neyland Stadium.

Here’s everything Aguilar said during his postgame press conference after the win, as the Vols improved to 5-1 (2-1 SEC):

Leaving the game late after getting the wind knocked out of him

“Yeah, no, I feel good right now. But yeah, that ball was deep in my stomach. That took the air out of me for sure.”

The defensive looks from Arkansas after their defensive staff changes 

“Yeah, for sure. Man, the past two weeks, (we were) kind of going against four different defenses, not sure what we’re going to get. But prepared for whatever they came out in and they came out in a certain defense, tried to switch it up second half, but we just stayed to our preparation and just executed as offense.”

Tennessee having two overtime games against Georgia and Mississippi State, then a close game against Arkansas, what the Vols have learned

“I mean, definitely. Just it’s kind of in a situation, playing in a game like that, three great teams, and just being in that situation before. It just shows everybody, we’ve been here and we know what to expect. And we just got to dig harder, lean more on our teammates, and just go out there and execute.”

Tennessee WR Braylon Staley catching six passes for 109 yards, the progress he’s made this season

“He’s a young guy. And him, Mike (Matthews), and (Chris) Brazzell just came in and worked and. Today they were trying to take out Brazzell out the game, kind of double team him, play super soft. But Braylon stepped up and when he got the ball, he produced pretty well.” 

Tennessee RB DeSean Bishop running for 146 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game with an injury, Peyton Lewis replacing him

“That’s awesome. We got a deep running back core. And all three of those guys go in there and make plays. And Bishop had the hot hand, he was making plays. And then P-Lew came in and stepped it up as well. So just to have rotational guys like that, just knowing and trusting that they’re going to go in there and do the job and do what they have to do is awesome.”

Josh Heupel said Saturday night that he’s not concerned about the injury suffered by Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop in the third quarter of the 34-31 win over Arkansas at Neyland Stadium.

Bishop appeared to injure his right leg after a 26-yard run. He had 14 carries for 146 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game.

“I don’t think it’s a long-term deal at all,” Heupel said during his postgame press conference.

Bishop was examined by trainers before leaving the field under his own power, without a noticeable limp. He did not return to the game. 

Up Next: Tennessee at Alabama, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC

Tennessee (5-1, 2-1 SEC) finished with 264 yards on 40 carries as a team. Peyton Lewis scored on a 2-yard touchdown run after Bishop left the game, then added a 2-yard touchdown run later in the third quarter. Lewis finished with eight carries for 33 yards.

“You guys have heard me say it,” Heupel said, “I don’t care where you’re at, how much you’ve played, you get into this stretch inside the SEC, the next guy is going to be called upon.

“Those running backs have all played well throughout the course of it. And it was a huge (touchdown) run there by Peyton, really down the stretch in late third and fourth quarter. He played really well.”

Wide receiver Braylon Staley also left the game with an injury in the second half, but again Heupel was not concerned after the game. Staley led the Vols with six catches on eight targets for 109 yards, with a long of 42.

“Braylon, he was celebrating, having fun in the locker room,” Heupel said, “so I anticipate he can be ready to go.”

The Vols go to No. 8 Alabama (6-1, 3-0) on Saturday (7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, ABC) at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. 

QB Joey Aguilar left game briefly late in fourth quarter

Quarterback Joey Aguilar briefly left the game late in the fourth quarter after a 28-yard run. He landed on the football while being tackled and said after the game that the wind was knocked out of him. 

Aguilar completed 16 of 25 passes for 221 yards and one touchdown and ran five times for a season-high 59 yards. Backup quarterback Jake Merklinger replaced Aguilar.

“He just turned the numbers into our favor there at the end,” Heupel said of the 28-yard run Aguilar was hurt on. “Wanted him to get down once the play is over. Just knocked the wind out of himself. So in that way it’s positive, but I would like him to not take that hit at the very end.”