Tennessee Vols defensive line coach Rodney Garner is a no-nonsense football coach who is loved by players but known as a guy who exhibits tough love on a daily basis.

Garner holds players to an extremely high standard while letting those players know he has their back through thick and thin.

So it should be no surprise that Garner dropped a tough-love quote this week that should be used as Tennessee's mantra this season.

On Saturday, during a media session with reporters, Garner spoke about preparing his team for the inevitable adversity that hits every football team at some point.

"Are you going to find a way to fight and win, or are you going to find a way to lose?" said Garner.

"That's what we've got to change, that mentality. Where we're going to find a way to win when the game's on the line. It's a process. They've got to embrace it, and we've got to do a better job of holding everybody to those standards."

"Are you going to find a way to fight and win, or are you going to find a way to lose?" is a quote that should be posted absolutely everywhere in Tennessee's facility. Print it, paint it, put it on a sign, whatever. Just put it where every player can see it every day.

Over the last decade, the Vols have played some extremely close games, only to fade away in the fourth quarter when it counts. Finding a way to fight and win is what Tennessee has been missing for a long time. Until they can consistently find that mentality, success will elude the program.

That's why having a coach like Garner on staff is so important.

Garner is going to find out who can handle the pressure on Saturdays. Those will be the defensive linemen receiving significant playing time this season.

"I want to know who's going to quit on me Sunday through Friday," said Garner.

"I don't want to find out on a Saturday that I can't count on this guy, alright? So, we're trying to put them in those difficult situations to see how they can handle them."

It has to be refreshing for Vol fans to see Garner leading the defensive line after watching Jeremy Pruitt fire his DL coach mid-season last year and try to handle the coaching duties himself.

Maybe competency has finally returned to Rocky Top.

Featured image via UTAD