Chris Brazzell Jr. has an undeniable hunger to him this season, leading to a breakout campaign.
On Wednesday, the Tennessee wide receiver was named to the Biletnikoff Watch List.
“That just really just motivates me to achieve my dreams honestly. So really just makes me go harder honestly,” said Bazzell.
Getting to this moment, where he’s leading the nation in receiving touchdowns and is second in receiving yards is a direct result of checking off three boxes each day and each week.
“A daily thing, man, I love prayers. Keep us in your prayers,” said Pope.
A light-hearted comment that reflects the hours wide receiver’s coach, Kelsey Pope and the unit is investing into each other each day.
If you recall, Brazzel missed the first 8 fall camp practices with a lower leg injury.
And the timing was not great as Tennessee was in the midst of a quarterback battle.
But maybe it was a blessing in disguise.
“What he’s done since he’s been back is just, he’s operating with urgency,” said Pope.
The blessings of a setback from injury revealed itself here, laying the foundation for Box One: Consistent Habits.
Starting in the off season, Brazzell and Coach Pope spent countless together in the film room.
“I think having those meetings allow those guys to see it visuall. I think they retain that a lot better, and they go train it after I think in the situation, it just makes them more comfortable and confident,” said Pope.”
Those sessions paid off.
With stronger habits and a clear head, Brazzell hit the ground running.
“Just really buy into the details and, like, lock in really. So the little time I had, I made sure that little time I had, I went hard with that time, I made sure I was ready by game day,” said Brazzell.
The results speak for themselves, through five games Brazzell’s already surpassed his season total from 2024 in catches, yards and touchdowns.
“Every day, every day, wide outs, like, like their receivers, if you let them get too far, drawn away from the role, like you guys steer them back. That’s just the nature of this position,” said Pope.
Those habits, help him check off the second box: confidence.
“Playing this position is 99% confidence,” said Pope.
A credit to his good practice habits, the low moments no longer bleeds into next week.
“I mean, it’s difficult, but that’s what comes with football. You win some, you lose some, so I’ll get over tomorrow,” said Brazzell.
“He’s been in the building, and he’s given himself a shot with that kid a lot of times when he just prepares, and on Saturday, when he’s able to just play and not have to think, think you get the best version of him,” said Pope.
It highlights why he’s been so productive this season, leading him to being a top receiver in the country.
Through five games, he’s catching better than 75% of his targets.
“We just stayed in the game the whole time. So that’s just the thing about being a competitor. Think they gonna go right? You gotta keep your head in it,” said Brazzell.
A type of maturity and toughness he didn’t quite have mastered last season.
“We got to choose to stay confident. And then we have a good player, successful player, and explosive like it’s got to be day one mentality. Get back to work. Get lined up fast, get back to my fundamentals,” said Pope.
No doubt that has led to one of the strongest connections in the country between Joey Aguilar his wide receiver one.
One that will only get stronger the more they’re together.
“Being on the same page with him, and kind of the confidence he brings in the offense just lets me be comfortable knowing that we’re on the same page and he’s going to look at me on this route and this route. So just being on the same page just makes me really play more comfortable,” said Brazzell.
When you string these together over a period of time, it ends up becoming a winning recipe.
“If you got receivers playing confident, you got your quarterback playing confident, I think you got shot to be really good on offense in any league, anywhere,” said Pope.”
He’s forcing his way into the national spotlight and he’s just getting started.
