photo by Tennessee Athletics
While a record of 6-6 and a January bowl bid have marked huge accomplishments for the Tennessee football program, Tennessee 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," 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 2015, 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."
JONES EXCITED ABOUT ADDITION OF KAMARA
On Wednesday, Jones announced junior college tailback Alvin Kamara would be joining the Vols in January after a standout season at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College. Jones spoke publicly about the five-star recruit on Thursday.
"Would like to welcome Alvin Kamara to our football family," Jones said, opening his media session. "We are very excited about his signing yesterday."
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. We feel he is a complete running back.
"Getting him at mid-year 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."
Jones believes Hurd and Kamara will work well in the backfield as a tandem and give the Vols much needed depth.
"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."
(E-mail Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @larryfleming44)