Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) looks for a receiver during his game against Kentucky on Nov. 15, 2014, in Knoxville.KNOXVILLE - The last time the Missouri Tigers saw Josh Dobbs, he was every bit a frail freshman starting a college football game for the first time.
A much different version of the Tennessee quarterback awaits the SEC East Division leaders on Saturday night.
Dobbs will try to continue leading the Volunteers' late-season turnaround and help Tennessee clinch a bowl berth against the Tigers 55 weeks after making his first start in a 31-3 loss in Columbia last November.
"Obviously it being my first start, I remember a lot," the sophomore said after Tuesday's practice, "and I know there's things that I have improved on since that game. They're a good team. They were a good team last year. We're focused on this year's Missouri team. We know what we have in front of us, and we're excited for the opportunity."
Since taking over at quarterback on the third series of the loss to Alabama four weeks ago, Dobbs has changed the course of the Tennessee's season by passing for 790 yards and seven touchdowns with 289 rushing yards and four more scores on the ground.
Tennessee remains ranked just 81st nationally in total offense, but what the Vols averaged in the three games since the 6-foot-3, 216-pound Dobbs entered the lineup (513 ypg) would rank eighth nationally, just ahead of Mississippi State.
"They're competing at a very high level," Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said, "and I think you have to point at him and say he's the reason why."
Against Missouri a year ago, though, he played like a first-time starter, though it was actually statistically the best performance of his four-game starting stint to end the season.
Dobbs completed 26 of 42 passes for 240 yards and added 45 rushing yards, but he threw two interceptions and lost a fumble against the 10th-ranked Tigers.
Where he's the most different simply stems from more experience and a better feel for the Vols' offense.
"It comes back to decision-making," offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian said. "He's processing information more quickly and making quicker decisions. He's also improved with his accuracy. That's constantly an area of focus for us, and he's making more plays with his feet, frankly, too.
"He works hard at his trade and continues to improve."
Dobbs said he's gone back and watched the game, but he's not reflected on his progress since that cold midwestern night.
"I've improved a lot," he said. "Being in the program for a second year, that helps a lot. Being under Coach Bajakian and learning more about the offense and the ins and outs and just being able to talk with Coach Jake and have a better relationship, that's helped me the most."
Pinkel said Dobbs is "playing at a whole different level" than last season, and Missouri's 14th-year coach believes the most interesting part of it is Dobbs's in-season ascension.
"He was third-team coming out of camp," Pinkel said. "They put him in the Alabama game and he did some great things and has played well ever since. I've seen that occasionally happen sometimes, a guy that's just not playing maybe up to his ability, and all the sudden he gets an opportunity and he plays (well) in a big-time environment.
"And he's played really, really well. He brings to their offense the ability to run the football (and) he's throwing the ball well. It looks like he's got a tremendous amount of poise back there."
In some facts of his game, Dobbs does remain unchanged.
"He preparation has not changed," Tennessee coach Butch Jones said. "He understands what it is to prepare, but I think the confidence (from) the live game opportunities that were afforded to him last year, he's really benefited from that. Just the overall knowledge of being in the offensive system now for over a year has benefited him as well.
"He's continued to grow and develop, and Josh will continue to grow and develop. He'll continue to get better week in and week out with the volume of repetitions. Confidence is a very powerful thing, and he has a lot of confidence, as do our players have confidence in him as well."
That confidence will be tested by a very good Missouri defense. Though Dobbs played well against Alabama's vaunted defense, he feasted on South Carolina and Kentucky, two teams in the bottom five of the SEC in total defense. Playing as well as he has against a better defense is the next step in his development.
"I try to perform very well every week," Dobbs said. "I know Missouri has a good defense. I've faced good defenses in the past, like of course Alabama and others. I know we're facing a good defense. I'm focusing on this week and what we have to do to win."
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.