Rising junior cornerback Cameron Sutton said every player sets individual goals for themselves for the season.
And while he didn’t say too much about his own goals, his head coach did.
“He wants to be one of the premier corners in our conference,” Butch Jones said. “He is working exceptionally hard at that.”
Originally named a three-star recruit by all major recruiting services, Sutton has been an instrumental part of Tennessee’s secondary since he first stepped on campus. In his first game as a freshman, he started. In his second game, he returned an interception for a touchdown.
He only got better his sophomore year: recording three interceptions and scoring another touchdown in form of a 76 yard punt return. Most opposing quarterbacks avoided throwing in Sutton’s direction.
Now as he enters his junior season, Sutton has placed himself in the position to be one of the best corners in the SEC.
He is also tasked with being one of the leaders on a defense plagued with injuries, even if he admits to being reluctant at assuming a leadership role
“Anybody can step up and be a leader,” Sutton said. “My job is just to play football and play the scheme that we have and be leader to the younger guys and the older guys and just win ball games.
“I am kinda a sitback, I say my thing here and there when I have to, but just kinda getting out of my shell and embracing (my leadership role).”
One could argue Sutton’s mentality to just play football is what makes him such an important leader. It allows him to lead by example.
When most UT students enjoyed spring break, Sutton said he stayed home and worked out. His journey from a three-star to reliable corner could motivate the new players in the secondary.
“Cam is very consistent. He is very competitive,” Jones said. “We have great dialogue. We talk all the time. You know what you are getting in Cam Sutton everyday. You are getting an individual who is driven to be the best every time he steps on the football field and he is reliable.”
Yet Sutton’s status on defense doesn’t keep him above reproach. As one reporter noticed, defensive backs coach Willie Martinez made Sutton and his secondary cohorts do up-downs when they made a mistake on a drill.
“He doesn’t accept mediocrity,” Sutton said. “We don’t allow that for ourselves. If a guy does a drill wrong or so, we just don’t point at that one guy. It’s a group thing. So if the consequence is to do up-downs, we just do up-downs.”
Sutton’s fingerprints on the team don’t just touch the secondary, however, his 76-yard punt return for a touchdown helped propel the Vols to their first bowl game in three years. He said he plans to keep his position as a punt returner in his junior year.
The expectations for the football team were low when Sutton first entered the program. With his play in his first two years, he has helped elevate the expectations for his junior season.
Yet, the Jonesboro, Ga. native claimed the expectations haven’t changed his approach in practice.
“We still have our same mindset, our same goals,” Sutton said. “We add on to those things, we try to get better at those things each and every day.”
