The challenge is simple, but daunting

Jeremy Pruitt finds himself with an interesting challenge this week as he leads his team to Alabama in his first trip to coach against his alma mater in Tuscaloosa.

Pruitt’s Vols likely aren’t going to win. Oh sure, anything could happen on any given day as we have seen in college football through the years. But you could count how many 35-point home favorites have lost at home on less than one hand.

“They have to really work not to score 100 points a game,” Pruitt said this week, channeling his inner-Bear Bryant. “They have to work hard not to do that. Coach Saban has been kind. He was kind to us last year. He’s been kind to a lot of teams almost to the point does it hurt his football team down the road because they don’t get to play four quarters.”

Alabama hasn’t had to play four quarters against Tennessee very much during this current 12-game streak over the Vols. In the last 12 meetings, the Vols have been outscored 454-147. Only twice has the game been closer than 14 and, the last three years, Alabama’s average margin of victory has been 38 points.

But enough about Saban’s dominance, because for Pruitt and company Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, it is not about the Tide. It’s about the Vols.

Tennessee carries some momentum into this week’s game after beating Mississippi State 20-10.

The Vols got the best play at the line of scrimmage since Jeremy Pruitt arrived, rushing for 190 yards while limited Mississippi State’s Kylin Hill to 13 yards and recording seven sacks.

So the question is simple: How does Tennessee maintain some momentum this week with five winnable games to follow this week?

Is it simply not getting anyone hurt? Is it making it a 60-minute fight? Is it getting the game to halftime in a competitive game?

Yes, yes and yes.

But more importantly it’s about individual and positional growth. That’s how Pruitt’s program carries momentum through whatever the score board says when the clock hits 0:00 as midnight approaches at The Capstone. Tennessee doesn’t want to turn into a pumpkin again at the conclusion of this game.

Questions to which positive answers would be beneficial to the Big Orange…

Does Trey Smith build off his best performance of the year, maybe of his career? Does Brian Maurer take a step in managing the game, protecting the ball better, learning to slide, etc.? Does the offensive line limit Alabama’s play in the Vols offensive backfield?

Defensively, can Darrell Taylor build off his senior season breakout performance from last week? Can Nigel Warrior make it three straight weeks of productive play? Can the defensive front spend some time in the Alabama backfield after recording 10 tackles for loss last week?

Tennessee’s challenge to pull off an upset Saturday night is ginormous, to say the least. For Jeremy Pruitt and his staff, the challenge more realistically is to continue to grow in some key areas while staying healthy. Come out of Tuscaloosa feeling as good as you did last Saturday.

Momentum is a powerful force and, if Tennessee avoid losing all that they have at this moment, the last five weeks of season could be eventful for the Vols.