It’s been a while since Tennessee last played. In fact, it’s been 31 days.

There’s been some time off, final exams took place, some players made their decisions on the 2022 season, practice resumed, Christmas has come and gone; you get the picture.

But make no mistake about it. Tennessee is ready to play in this final football game.

“It’s like a statement game, if that makes sense,” offensive lineman Jerome Carvin said on Monday. “We have to show what we can do, especially with this offense and the team that we’re playing against. We are playing a really good Big 10 team. It’s a statement game.”

Tennessee, of course, wants to add one more win to the column. It wants to tie a bow on the offensive resurgence Josh Heupel has brought to Rocky Top. It wants to send the seniors off on the right note and it wants to continue to draw momentum for the program on the rise.

“Yeah, I think it’s significant,” wide receiver Cedric Tillman added when asked the importance of this bowl game. “We’re taking this game very seriously and I think it will be very important to kind of end the year off (right).”

For the Vols to pick up where they left off, quarterback play will be important. Hendon Hooker, who announced a couple of weeks ago that he’ll be returning for another season, will need to continue playing efficient football against one of the better defenses the Big 10 has to offer.

In doing so, the offense could shine and the Vols can further solidify their identity through one season of the Heupel era.

“We are looking good. Everything if flowing smoothly. Everyone is coming in day-in and day-out, trying to work on getting better,” Hooker told reporters after practice this week. “Everyone has come in with a great mindset and a great work ethic this week, so I am excited for game day.

“It [the game] can definitely springboard us into next year with some rhythm, some confidence as well.”

Tennessee sophomore running back Jabari Small battled injuries for much of the season. Now healthy, the Volunteer State native readies for the challenge that Purdue brings up front. The tailback takes comfort, however, in getting back on schedule leading up to the game.

“We’ve been preparing for the past three weeks. We’ve been actually doing the same routine that we’ve been doing, so we’ve just got to focus and then reboot. I think it’ll be a fun, fun game,” Small said. “I think it’s a big deal, just so people can get a glimpse of what we can be next year and starting off on the right foot for 2022. It’s just important, finishing off strong, just finishing what we started.”

And knowing the ‘run it back’ theme coming from those ahead of him excites the running back for what’s to come in the future.

“It means a lot. It’s a lot of leadership and experience,” Small says of the offensive personnel returning. “They’re veterans. We can only get better. They’ll hold us to a standard, and we will try to follow that.

“Those guys are extremely talented, have bright futures and could make a lot of money one day, so the fact that they want to come back means a lot.”

Tennessee enters game week as the third-highest scoring offense in the Southeastern Conference. The Vols sport the fifth-highest yardage total in the league and rank third in rushing with over 212 yards an outing.

The Vols are slated to return four-of-five starting offensive linemen next year, the starting quarterback and running back and the squad’s top receiver. Meanwhile in the final matchup of this season, Purdue will be without All-American defensive end George Karliftis and starting cornerback Dedrick Mackey.

Opportunities should be aplenty for the Tennessee offense to ‘make a statement’ when it takes on the Boilermakers in the Music City Bowl – both on Thursday and to set the tone for what’s to come in 2022.

VIDEOS of Hendon Hooker, Cedric Tillman, Jerome Carvin and Jabari Small from Monday.