#VolReport: Eyes On The Prize

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — While a record of 6-6 and a January bowl bid have marked huge accomplishments for the Tennessee football program, Team 118 is far from complacent. With each bowl practice this week, the players have used the opportunity to work toward their new goal, taking the next step en route to achieving a winning season and above all, a bowl championship.

“It has been a great spirit, great energy, we have spoken about that,” Head Coach Butch Jones said following Thursday’s practice. “They understand what is at stake, they understand the magnitude. If you are a competitor, this is what you work for, to play in games like this. They have done a great job.”

Amid the energy and spirit, the Vols also have a bigger picture in mind. A winning season would not only set the tone for next season but would put the Vols over .500 for the first time since 2009, a date well before any of the current members had arrived on Rocky Top.

“It’s very important,” defensive back Justin Coleman said. “You get that seventh win and that’s something that hasn’t happened in a long time. That’s something Tennessee really needs to get back on top.”

As seniors, Coleman and teammate Jordan Williams expressed the importance of making their final game in a Tennessee uniform count. The best way to go out as a Tennessee senior would be getting Win No. 7.

“Having a winning season would be great,” Williams said. “For me, leaving on a win would be great and just having our first bowl win since around 2008. All of it would be a huge next step for the program.”

Focusing on the next step has also been important for the underclassmen and core of the Volunteer returners for 2015. Reaching the goal of a bowl win would provide just the kind of momentum the program is looking for to carry into next year, but they have to focus on the here-and-now first.

“I’m just trying to improve right now and get better for the bowl game and reach our goal of having a winning season with a bowl championship,” sophomore quarterback Joshua Dobbs said. “That’s my goal right now. I’m focused on that and afterward, I’ll focus on the next step.”

TEAM BUILDING IN GATLINBURG

With bowl practices in full swing, Butch Jones took time out of the practice week for Team 118 to bond off the field. Tennessee Football took a trip to Gatlinburg on Wednesday afternoon for fun at different Ripley’s Believe It or Not attractions including the Haunted Adventure, Mirror Maze and Aquarium of the Smokies.

Inside of the aquarium, the Coach Jones and the team met a special member of the Penguin Playhouse. In honor of the Tennessee coach, a special penguin was named after the man at the helm of the program.

“I would like to thank everyone is Gatlinburg, what a great evening for them, making it a memorable experience for our football team,” Jones said. “A lot of these individuals had never been to Gatlinburg and for them to be as accommodating as they were last night to our football family, very indebted to them. Jim Ogle and everyone in Gatlinburg. So thank you.”

Senior Justin Coleman appreciated the memories made and the extra time that he was able to spend with his teammates at the different attractions.

“We had a team function, get together, a little team bonding,” Coleman said. “We went inside the haunted house, the mirror room, ate together. We just tried to get the team closer.

Quarterback Joshua Dobbs also enjoyed the trip to Gatlinburg, sharing a similar opinion with Coleman about using the opportunity to get the team closer together.

“It was a great opportunity to get around different guys than you usually hang out with,” Dobbs said. “That was fun. We got a chance to eat dinner as a team and then venture out and do our own things, see a couple of the attractions. They were fun and a couple of the guys got a little scared in the haunted house, so that was funny to see linemen run out of a haunted house. We definitely had fun and enjoyed the time together.”

Senior Jordan Williams continues to appreciate and savor the last month that he has with his team. His favorite moment of the trip was alongside fellow defensive teammates, Curt Maggitt andBrian Randolph.

“The haunted house,” Williams said. “Man, that was tough. It was actually me, Maggitt and Randolph went in there together and we were right behind Coach Jones and his son. We were more scared than him. It kind of hits you with a surprise at the end. You think it’s all over and then you’re walking out and sure enough, here comes somebody chasing you down the hallway!”

As the TaxSlayer Bowl nears for Team 118, the group will take their close relationships with one another to the field as they look for their seventh win.

“It’s important for our team to know each other and get closer to each other,” Coleman said. “When you know you have to play for the guy to your left and right, it makes you play a lot better. You don’t want to let down the guy next to you.”

JONES EXCITED ABOUT ADDITION OF KAMARA

On Wednesday, Butch Jones announced junior college tailback Alvin Kamara would be joining the Vols in January after a standout season at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. Jones spoke publicly about the five-star recruit on Thursday.

“Would like to welcome Alvin Kamara to our football family,” Jones began his Thursday media session. “We are very excited about his signing yesterday, so very excited about that.”

Kamara comes off a 1,200-yard season at Hutchinson and has tremendous talent, which Jones will welcome for 2015.

“He has the ability to make you miss at the second level,” Jones said, “but also has a toughness to run in between the tackles. You talk about being a complete running back, we feel he is a complete running back.

“Getting to be able to get him at midyear is going to be a big boost to our entire offense, we are still way down in numbers at the running back position, so the continually recruiting and elevation of that position is critical but to be able to bring him in a midyear is very important for us in moving forward.”

Jones believes returning sophomore-to-be Jalen Hurd and Kamara will work well in the backfield as a tandem and give the Vols much needed depth at the position.

“I think they will complement each other well,” said Jones. “As we found out, in this conference you need more than two running backs. So again, it is going to be a great opportunity for other individuals as well. You have to have two complementary backs and they complement each other just in terms of different skill sets and in terms of speed, make you miss, they are both very good at pass protection and he will be involved even more in the throwing game.”

SOUND BITES

Here are sound bites from #Team118:

HEAD COACH BUTCH JONES

»(On the balancing act of bowl practice)

“It is a balancing act, it is almost like starting off being in training camp mode and then going into game week. What we have tried to do is really create a game week preparation mindset this week. Again, we have practiced Tuesday, Wednesday and now today and it has been very physical because it is going to be a physical football game. Our players understand that with Iowa. But we have tried to balance, we are doing more competitive situations, more good on good situations, more service than we ever have but that is part of bowl preparation. So even when we are running Iowa’s offense with our twos, it is a chance for them to get quality reps. I have been very pleased with bowl practice so far.”

»(On players stepping up at the wide receiver position)

“Vic Wharton continues to get better and better and better and Vic has a great work ethic about himself and he is one of the individuals that just kept working and working and working, very proud of him. Ryan Jenkins is another individual, these reps for him have been invaluable. So they continue to progress as well. It is a great opportunity for both him and Vic.”

»(On Iowa offensive lineman Brandon Scherff)

“”Great player, very tough, very physical, complete offensive lineman, run block and pass block. I saw on TV last night, they have him as the tenth pick in the mock draft and very deservingly so. I have talked to a lot of coaches, very physical, very tough minded, tries to wear his opponent out so it is going to be a great, great challenge for us.”

SOPHOMORE QUARTERBACK JOSHUA DOBBS

»(On the differences between bowl practices and regular season practices)

“Maybe a little bit, but of course you’re deeper into the season. So, there’s more schemes, more stuff thrown at you. It’s a great opportunity to get a head start on Iowa, and also a great opportunity to compete against our defense. We do a lot of competitions at practice, so we’re able to continue to compete and continue to grow as an offense and as a team.”

»(On if any receivers have stood out)

“They all really have. I know Vic Wharton, he’s made a couple of really nice plays in practice. Ryan Jenkins is stepping up, and then Pig (Howard) on the outside and Von (Pearson), they keep doing what they’re doing. Johnathon Johnson is doing well, and Josh Malone continues to pick up where he left off and has continued to improve every day. All the receivers are coming together right now. They’re picking up their play because they know it’s needed for the team, and they’re going to definitely make an impact on the game.”

»(On if a break from class has made football practices easier for him)

“It makes it a lot easier just to focus on football. Just to come in, watch film, be able to dissect film and focus on practice. The mental side of it isn’t too bad, just because you’re focusing on your film work and your meeting time, and then you get to go out and practice and have fun. It definitely takes a little bit of a toll off of me and all the guys. We really enjoy the time right now to just focus on football and have fun and get around one another.”

SENIOR DEFENSIVE LINEMAN JORDAN WILLIAMS

»(On the biggest difference he’s noticed in the program)

“Just our togetherness and holding each other accountable. Last year, if somebody messed up, it was just kind of brushed under the rug like, `OK, let’s move forward.’ Now, we’re addressing the issues, focusing on it and then nobody is pointing fingers but everybody is taking the blame. If you mess up, take the blame and let’s move forward.”

» (On Curt Maggitt evolving into the player he is today)

“He’s doing great. You’ve seen it. He’s a second-team All-SEC and that’s not something easy to do, especially while playing two positions. Finishing the season with 11 sacks, that’s huge coming off of a redshirt season. He’s a great player, has great energy, all of the guys look up to him and he’s got a whole lot of respect within this program. All around, he’s a great guy.”

SENIOR DEFENSIVE BACK JUSTIN COLEMAN

»(On Iowa)

“They’re a little bit bigger than most teams. They’re pretty physical and tough. They’re probably coached just like we are to play every second, every snap of the play as hard as they can play.”

»(On how bowl practices differ from the regular season)

“We kind of treat it a little bit like camp. We’re really trying to recover but also play physical on the field and get ready for Iowa.”

»(On who Iowa reminds him of)

“I wouldn’t compare them to any other team. They have their own way of playing football. They’re really old school with it, downhill and play aggressive.”