Tennessee's Jauan Jennings comes down with a game-winning "Hail Mary" touchdown pass with no time left on the clock to beat Georgia 34-31 last season. Jennings could be the Vols' No. 1 wide receiver in 2017.
photo by Dennis Norwood/File Photo
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Jauan Jennings, a free-spirited converted quarterback, started coming into his own during a strong sophomore season at Tennessee.
Jennings, who played prep ball at Blackman High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, had a reputation for taking practice lightly. He didn’t always have picture-perfect discipline. He wasn’t all that fond of weightlifting.
But, on game day Jennings performed, sometimes at a brilliant level.
No one has or maybe never will forget his miracle “Hail Mary” reception in the end zone as time expired to give the Vols a stunning 34-31 victory over rival Georgia.
It was one of the most memorable catches in Tennessee history. It was replayed numerous times the rest of the weekend on ESPN and most every other sports TV show.
“My phone was blowing up,” Jennings recalled Sunday during the Vols’ annual media day at Neyland Stadium.
Jennings finished the season with 40 receptions that tied him with Alvin Kamara for second behind team-leader Josh Malone’s 50.
His 580 receiving yards were a distant second to Malone’s 972. Jennings’ seven TD catches trailed Malone by four.
Kamara and Malone are now in the NFL. Kamara was a third-round pick by New Orleans and Malone went in the fifth to Cincinnati.
So, with Tennessee’s season opener against Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff on Sept. 4 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta fast approaching, it appears that Jennings is ready to assume the role of the Vols’ No. 1 go-to receiver.
“I think Jauan Jennings is ready to be the No. 1 guy,” Vols coach Butch Jones said during his press conference. “I sat in the receivers meeting today and he has grown in leaps and bounds in all area of his life. I asked him to tell our freshmen and younger players how far you’ve come. How did you get to where you’re at now and talk about your investment in time?”
Jones wouldn’t have done that a year ago.
Jennings wasn’t that mature, not that reliable and nowhere close to being a mentor to younger players.
But he has changed.
He’s grown up.
He’s leading by example.
With a sly smile, Jones said Jennings used to be “allergic to the weight room.”
Heading into his junior season, Jennings now loves the weight room because “he sees the results,” his coach said.
Said Jennings: “I had to change. There’s no rocket science to it; it’s the man, Rock. He was hired recently by coach Jones from the (St. Louis) Rams. He’s great. He makes lifting fun each and every day. I’m getting stronger and stronger and the credit goes to Rock.”
Jennings was referring to Rock Gullickson, who left the NFL in January to become the director of strength and conditioning of all 20 Vol sports programs.
Jennings is now a solid 6-foot-3, 209-pounder and brimming with confidence and could easily become a favorite target for inexperienced quarterbacks Quinten Dormady, a junior who has thrown 10 passes in two seasons, and Jarrett Guarantano, a redshirt freshman who has yet to take his first collegiate snap.
Jennings was sitting at his locker inside the Tennessee locker room Sunday, going through the first of several interviews. He was jovial, up-beat and answered question after question.
At one time, there were six members of the media taking down or recording his every word.
“He’s come a long way,” Jones said. “He’s as competitive as anybody we have on this football team. I wouldn’t trade him for anyone in terms of going into battle.
“On game day, I know what he brings to the table, but it’s getting to game day, understanding the importance of practice reps, working your craft, doing all the things associated with great players, driven players and I’ve been very pleased with him.”
Remember what Allen Iverson once said about practice? Iverson didn’t much for non-game day workouts and voiced his concerns in a still famous rant 15 years ago while with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Practice didn’t matter to him.
A portion of Iverson’s exchange with Comcast SportsNet’s Neil Hartman went like this:
Hartman: “It’s an issue (practice) raised.”
Iverson: “Man, look, I hear you. It’s funny to me, too. It’s strange to me, too. But we’re talking about practice, man. We’re not even talking about the game. The actual game. When it matters. We’re talking about practice.”
While Jennings may not have always gone full-bore in practice, Jones knew he would show up on Saturday. Now, Jennings puts in the time and work in the days leading up to game day.
That’s the difference.
With that in mind, Jennings just may be ready to take the next step in becoming one of the Vols’ most dependable and impactful wide receiver weapons.
“This is the year for me to step up and make plays,” he said. “I think I can do it. It wasn’t anything I accomplished last year that got me to this point. Seeing the day-to-day results of practicing and getting better each day did. This is a whole other year. I’m better and want to stay steady and understand the process of the game.”
Jennings is looking for more than 40 catches in 2017, but he’s not likely to escape the adoration fans have shown for “The Catch” against Georgia.
Everyone remembers.
Georgia took a 31-27 lead on a Jacob Eason-to-Riley Ridley 47-yard touchdown play with 10 seconds left in the game. The Dogs were penalized for celebrating too wildly after the play.
After a Kamara kickoff return, the Vols were at the Georgia 43.
Four seconds remained.
Quarterback Joshua Dobbs dropped back and threw up a long-odds 43-yard desperation pass into the end zone. Jennings was one of three Vols and six Georgia defenders in the vicinity.
Jennings came down with the ball as time expired, giving Tennessee a scintillating 34-31 victory.
“It comes up countless times over and over,” Jennings said, flashing an ear-to-ear smile while recounting the play. My parents called countless times; my brother and all my friends. It was a humbling moment and crazy just how many fans I had. I have pictures and frames, but I haven’t framed them yet.”
“The Catch,” now solidly stored in Tennessee football folklore, and the rest of Jennings’ 2016 season could turn into a springboard for even more legendary results this year.
“I was brought here to play football for a reason,” he said. “I’m expected to catch the ball if it’s thrown to me and I’m open. I’m trying to get better, help my teammates get better and get a better Tennessee.”
(Contact Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and on Twitter @larryfleming44)