Stress free Vols return to work

The tempo was swift and the energy was high as Tennessee hit the practice field Monday mid-morning in a workout that featured just football. No school distractions and no focus on the next opponent. For the Vols, it was just football with a focus on themselves, and it brought plenty of smiles.

“It felt good,” senior quarterback Josh Dobbs said. “It's always fun when you wake up, go to the complex and it's all football for the day. Just to be able to have a day where you can focus on football and have time with your teammates on the field is a lot of fun. It was a productive day for us.

“I think just not being on the field for a week and just being able to focus on football, that really helped the energy. We also came out and started immediately with competition right off the bat. That got the juices going.”

That competition wasn't the normal “circle of life” drills. It was goal line work feature not just linemen, but but receivers, defensive backs and linebackers in passing game work.

“It feels good to just jump out and play football right off the bat,” Dobbs offered. “Just getting out of the routine of going through individual periods and playing live football, competing against the defense is a lot of fun. Those are sometimes the high point of practice, and to start out with that off the bat is always fun.”

With the energy level high, the focus was on Tennessee and Tennessee only as the Vols worked on their game and not game planning for Nebraska. Something the offense said was much needed.

“I think it helps because maybe during the season you get away from some of the simpler drills that you do in camp or maybe spring time,” running back Alvin Kamara said. “Getting back to those wake you back up and we need these. Even if it’s just tugging on the ball while we’re doing a drill at running back, it helps and it creates that muscle memory and brings it back.”

Added Josh Malone, “It’s real good, especially just to work on your technique. You basically have 15 bowl practices to focus on your technique and catch up on your technique that you lose during the season and redefine your game and get better.

“It helps a lot because you just refocus and redefine your game and just get back to technique and everybody gets a chance to heal and go into a game fresh. It’s basically a one-game season.”

Dobbs gets post season opportunity

After the best season of his career, senior Josh Dobbs' college career isn't over with the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30. Dobbs will have one more post-season opportunity at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Dobbs got the official word on Monday that he was in the game.

“To be invited is definitely a high honor. I'm excited about the opportunity,” Dobbs said. “Bob Welton told me and coach Jones called me to let me know and to congratulate me.”

Fellow senior Cam Sutton will join Dobbs on the Senior Bowl roster. The game is Jan. 28 and will feature a week of practice with NFL coaches leading up to the game.

Barnett an All-American

For the first time since 2009, Tennessee has an AP All-American as Derek Barnett joins a long list of top talent to play at Tennessee. Barnett was informed after practice on Monday in front of his teammates and in typical No. 9 fashion he pushed the praise back to them.

"I don't think it's an individual accomplishment," Barnett said. "I think it's a team accomplishment and I told my teammates that. I just said thank you to my DB's because they work with me on the back end and the linebackers as well. Plus my defensive line. It's not an individual accomplishment. It's a team accomplishment."

His teammates are excited for the Nashville native. They erupted when he tied Reggie White's sack record against Vanderbilt a few weeks ago.

“It's an honor he definitely deserves," Dobbs said. "Just the hard work he has put in both during the season and the off-season. It's a testament to him. He came out after practice and said it's not an individual award. It's a team award. It's a unit award. I wouldn't be Derek Barnett without the rest of the defensive line, the secondary and the linebackers doing their job. That's a testament to him. I'm happy for him. He deserves the honor.”

He'll have the chance to break White's record in his home town on the 30th. Coming into the season, he privately had some goals, but does one mean more than the rest?

"I'd say Reggie White's record," Barnett said. "It's a Tennessee record and I'm from here. In my conscience, I was just thinking about playing great football and being dominant. I feel like if I do that when I step on the field, then everything else falls into place. I don't look to much into awards and records. I look into my craft and how I can make the guys around me better and how I can win games."

Back to work

After getting gashed over the last month of the season, Tennessee's defense is looking for answers and a way to get their mojo back. Can it happen? Time and possibly adjustments will tell, but they are chomping at the bit to get back on the field in a real game.

"I'm excited for that," Barnett said. "Everyone else on defense is as well. We have a little pitt in our stomach because we didn't play up to our expectations last game. We have to wait till the bowl game to fix that. We are working hard and when we step back on the field, we will have our corrections made. You will see a different defense out there."

Decision day?

With the end of the season will come a decision for Barnett. The NFL is going to come calling, but unlike other underclassmen that have already declared, he is taking a wait and see approach.

"I'll probably make a decision after the season," Barnett said. "I'm not really worried too much about the NFL draft. I'm worried about finishing the season out the right way. When we do that then I'll start thinking about the next step and what I want to do.”

So how does he balance the possible life changing decision?

"It's not difficult for me," Barnett said about his looming decision. "I just live in the moment and enjoy every day. Playing college football is fun and I enjoy it. I don't look to far ahead and I'm enjoying the moment right now."