Peaches, the 1996 Summer Olympics and the city of Atlanta: all of the following are prominent concepts that come to mind when thinking of the state of Georgia.
But for 17 members of the Tennessee Volunteer football team, the “Empire State of the South” represents something much more dear.
Home.
And while Saturday’s road contest against the Georgia Bulldogs will be a homecoming for 24 percent for the Vols active roster, UT is focused on more than just catching up with friends and home cooking.
“It’s all about getting the ‘W’ and we’re going down there with our road focus trying to come out on top,” said sophomore cornerback Cam Sutton, who hails from Jonesboro, Georgia. “Like I said, it’s always good to play in your home state and all, but we’re competitive and we’re not really worried about being friends on the field.
“We can talk, hang out and do all of that after the game, but while we’re on the field we’re competing and trying to get the ‘W.'”
As for Gainesville, Georgia native and senior A.J. Johnson, this matchup against the Bulldogs could prove to be one more achievement in the linebacker’s illustrious collegiate career.
“I know we haven’t beat them since I’ve been here, so that’s the main goal,” Johnson said. “It’s my last time to go down there, last time to play in their stadium and my last time to play Georgia … I know a lot of the guys on that team. I’ve been at camps with them and stuff like that, but at the end of the day, we’re competing and trying to win.”
Demand for “disruption”: After starting off the season with two solid defensive outings against Utah State and Arkansas State, the Vols defense took a step back in UT’s, 34-10, loss to the Oklahoma Sooners.
Tennessee allowed 454 yards in Norman, Okla., and failed to generate any consistent pressure on quarterback Trevor Knight, which has been one of the few problems for the Vols this season as they have recorded only five sacks.
“We need to start generating more hits on the quarterback, more of a pass rush and more ball disruptions,” Jones said. “That’s the thing that I want to see improvement defensively. It’s like you can’t get to the quarterback, so you mirror the offhand, you get your hand in the throwing lane.
“You get the population to the ball, where we’re running to the football, that’s when good things happen … There are a lot of things that we need to do to take the next step defensively. Not just tackling, but the small details. You look at the SEC, the margin of winning is very, very small. Everyone talks about inches; it really is an inches game.”
The added emphasis on rushing the passer, however, could lead to other positives throughout the defense.
The Vols will also be looking to increase their number of turnovers, which they currently have six of through three games.
“That’s our job, and we’ve just got to get the ball back to our offense,” Sutton said. “That’s any way possible. We’re also trying to put points up on the board as well. That takes a lot of pressure off our offense. When we’re getting the ball back to them, they’re able to stay in drives and keep the ball moving. The more opportunities they have the ball in their hands, it’s better for the team.”
Berry’s benefit: Making a difference in the special teams department is an easy way to become a favorite of coach Jones.
Sophomore Jalen Reeves-Maybin turned his special teams superstardom in 2013 to a starting linebacker spot this season.
Monday, Jones made sure to give praise to the Vols’ special teams standout from the Oklahoma matchup.
“Well, going into the Oklahoma game, probably the monumental change that really changed the dynamic of our kickoff team was Evan Berry,” Jones said. “Evan Berry was the first one down the field. He was disruptive. So you could really feel his presence and he impacted the game.”
