Rarity: Vols Go Through First Bowl Practice Since 2010

For the first time since 2010, the Vols held a postseason bowl practice. The opponent and bowl destination are unknown, but coach Butch Jones led Tennessee through a spirited session on Saturday inside the Anderson Training Center.

"I tell you what, it was great today," Jones said. "I thought our players came with a great focus starting in the team meeting, the individual meetings, then have the opportunity to come out here and play football. They understand that it's one thing to be a participant in a bowl game, but it's another to go win the bowl game.

For the team as a whole, the experience was different. Over the past few seasons, most of the Tennessee players have only watched bowl games from their respective homes in December. Practicing this week is a welcomed change and will not be taken for granted, especially by the team's hard-working upperclassmen.

"We feel blessed to be able to still play football this time of year," defensive back Brian Randolph said. "Growing up in Atlanta, you have a lot of guys who are playing college football and you'd get to see them. I'd definitely watch them [in the past]. I love the game of football and love watching what other people are doing but still, you'd get that bad feeling because you're not playing yourself."

While Jones is allowing his team to relish the moment and have fun this week, practice began with a strong emphasis on fundamentals. After some rowdy, one-on-one matchups to start practice, the team went through four individual periods and a Maxim One period, again stressing the importance of ball security.

"I feel like the energy when we came out was pretty high today," tight end Ethan Wolf said. "We had spirited energy and had a great practice. Fundamentals were a huge part of it. We have to improve because we kind of dropped off a little bit in our last game. So, that was a big emphasis today."

In preparing for Tennessee's long-awaited bowl game appearance, Jones also noted the need to focus on individual growth and performance these coming weeks, enforcing development just as much now as in the regular season.

"The first couple of practices are about development, becoming a better football team individually and collectively," Jones said. "As we continue to progress throughout bowl preparation, then we start to work more on the opponent. Right now, it's just about us--really, a lot of individual periods. You can already see the benefits."

While only a select few, including senior punter Matt Darr, have previously participated in a bowl game practices, even the youngest Volunteers understand the team is finally reaching the levels of success and competition they feel the program deserves.

"The sky is the limit for this team right now," Wolf said. "Like everyone said, we don't know which bowl game we're in or who we're playing and that is not a big concern of ours. All that matters is we are one step closer to being where Rocky Top belongs, and that is at the top. We are doing all we can right now to get ourselves there."

The Vols will learn their bowl and opponent on Sunday afternoon. Jones said he has no preference as to which team the Vols will face.

"No," Jones said when asked about who he wants to play. "I am just excited to be playing in postseason and I think our fans feel the same way."

Jones has been in constant communication with athletics director Dave Hart regarding the bowl game selection process.

"Dave has been great," said Jones. "We have been in constant contact and dialogue regarding that and that process. You put your one, two and three list together but at the end of the day it comes down to the SEC and where they place us. Again, we are just very fortunate and blessed and honored to be representing the University of Tennessee."

With Tennessee beginning preparations for their upcoming bowl game, quarterback Joshua Dobbs said the Vols plan on using these extra practices to become a more complete team in all phases of the game.

"When you're able to come out here and get more practice and more reps, you're able to improve offensively, defensively, and on special teams," he said. "So we'll definitely take advantage of these 15 practices and get ready for the bowl game."

Dobbs, despite a rigorous exam schedule that includes thermodynamics and circuits exams, has also been logging extra time outside of practice with the receivers and offensive line to help the offense further gel as a unit.

"Over the last couple of days, even with exams, we've been in here throwing," he said. "When you play football, it's a job and you take no days off. So we've been working and getting better."

"One, I just want to make sure me and the receivers are on the same page. As a group, we want to pick up on our timing and our spacing and our rhythm in the passing game, and the offensive line, making sure we're on the same page," said Dobbs.

"It's really just, as an offense, we want to make sure we're on the same page and have all 11 hats on the same page. We talk about it all the time, when you play offense, especially in the SEC, everyone has to be on the same. So we want to work towards that and make sure everyone knows what the other positions are doing."

Dobbs says that the bowl practices are also invaluable to the abundance of young players on this Tennessee team, who need all the reps they can get.

"Any time you can get extra reps, especially being a young team as you said, it helps a lot," said the sophomore quarterback. "I know the freshmen and the sophomores, like myself, will take advantage of all the reps and continue to get better and continue to move forward and get ready for the game. "

As a true freshman, Derek Barnett has had high expectations from the get-go. He has not been surprised by his production this season. Production that includes Tennessee freshman records of 20.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.

"No, no. I've got high expectations for myself," said Barnett, who ranks third in the nation in TFLs. "Got gave me a bunch of talent, so I have to use it in the correct way to help this team."

Barnett did not have the luxury of joining the team during spring football as some of his fellow freshmen did. During training camp, he was willing to do whatever it took to help his team succeed.

"I just came in with the right mindset. Wherever they put me, offense or defense, I didn't know if I was going to play D-line or tight end, I just said I was going to work hard and try to help this team win."

Barnett said he began to feel more comfortable with each week that passed by.

"Yeah, I think as every game progressed I kind of calmed down," Barnett stated. "Early in the season I started off really slow. I thought I was kind of playing a little nervous. As I played more and more, I just kind of got a better feel for it and my teammates kept on guiding me."

According to Barnett, a lot of the freshmen do not feel like freshmen anymore.

"A bunch of the other guys don't treat us like freshmen," said Barnett. "They still hold us to a high accountability and we've got to reach those. I mean when we first came in they treated us like we were just a teammate. You know what I mean?"

Barnett pointed out that he has had help from older teammates to get him to where he is today.

"Yeah, I'd say Curt Maggitt, Corey Vereen, all those guys," Barnett stated. "Jordan Williams, that's my big brother, so he took me in when I first got here and he just walked me through the ropes and everything. We're roommates when we go on trips and stuff. So, he just tells me every week, `Give it your all in the weight room and everything you do and you won't have any regrets.'"

Even though Barnett has had a record breaking season, most TFLs and sacks by a true freshman in Tennessee history, he noted that Maggitt has more sacks than him on the season and he intends to catch him.

"Yeah, we're competing. I'm going to catch him," said Barnett. "It's just friendly competition. I mean, we said we're going to try to get a bunch and that's what we've been doing. Also, the guys on the inside, I don't think they get enough credit. I mean, they're pushing the sacks towards us. So, it's not just us getting the sacks. It's Owen Williams and Jordan (Williams), LBs, all those guys putting pressure up the middle and they're just falling back to us."

With a bowl game at least three weeks away, the Vols are hopeful of having many of their previously-injured players available for the postseason matchup. Jones updated the following ailing players and is hopeful of all of them being ready for the bowl.

Linebacker Curt Maggitt didn't practice on Saturday, but it was just for "precautionary measures" according to Jones. "(Curt's) body is a little banged up," said Jones. "We had Mack Crowder back, so that was great. ... They will be ready. You have to pick your spots in bowl prep, so we just have to get them back healthy."

Devrin Young has been out since the Chattanooga game on Oct. 11 after suffering broken ribs. He was back in action for the first time in nearly two months on Saturday.

"It was great to see Devrin back in practice," said Jones. "We fully anticipate him being available for the bowl game. So to get him back and get him into practice and taking some live reps in team situations and individual drills, it was great to see. He is coming along, progressing well, if we can get him back for the bowl game that just brings another element to our offense."

(E-mail Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @larryfleming44)