Tennessee defensive backs Cameron Sutton, left, and defensive end Derek Barnett celebrate stopping Utah State.AT A GLANCETENNESSEE AT VANDERBILT• 4 p.m.• Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville• SEC Network/106.5 FM
KNOXVILLE - When Butch Jones arrived in Knoxville as Tennessee's football coach, the program greatly increased its presence and emphasis on Nashville and the surrounding midstate area.
Now the Volunteers need a win there to extend their season.
Whether it's been by adding a future neutral-site game or locking up some of the best prospects in the state of Tennessee's fastest-growing area, Jones and the Vols have made the mid-state a priority the past two years, the strongest statement coming when Tennessee signed seven players from the area in its 2014 class.
Many of those players will play a significant role for the Vols today when they visit Vanderbilt searching for a win that would clinch bowl eligibility.
"We knew each other very well," said freshman tailback Jalen Hurd, who played at Beech High School in Hendersonville, just north of Nashville.
"A lot of the guys that are here now, I've grown up with them and seen them play, went and hung out with them on weekends and stuff like that. We've had a great bond and relationship coming up here," Hurd said.
"That's all we talked about: Trying to come in here and make a statement and just help this team as much as we can as freshmen. We're just trying to push everybody and play our roles in helping these seniors to get to a bowl game."
TENNESSEE (5-6, 2-5 SEC) AT VANDERBILT (3-8, 0-7)4 p.m. * Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, Tenn. * SEC Network/106.5 FMTHE MATCHUPIt's been a revolving door at quarterback for Vanderbilt this season, and chances are the Vols will see a couple of the four the Commodores have started this season today.Redshirt freshman Johnny McCrary, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound former four-star recruit from the Atlanta area, has started Vanderbilt's last four games, but Patton Robinette, the sophomore from Maryville who scored the winning touchdown against Tennessee with 16 seconds left in last season's meeting, figures to play as well.The Commodores are last in the SEC in total and scoring offense and are more than 10 points and 70 yards worse than the No. 13 team in those categories."We've got to watch film to see what each particular quarterback likes to do," Vols safety Brian Randolph said. "We've got to recognize who's in the game at a certain time, and we've got to prepare for it."ONE TO WATCHTennessee already was going to be down two receivers -- sophomores Josh Smith (ankle) and Marquez North (shoulder) -- for today's game, and that was before Jason Croom went down grabbing his left leg in Tuesday's practice. The big sophomore had a touchdown catch in the Vols' last three games, and he appears questionable to play after undergoing treatment as the week's progressed.If he cannot go, the Vols would need some younger players to step up alongside Pig Howard and Von Pearson, which could mean a big opportunity for freshman Vic Wharton. The 5-foot-11, 201-pounder was a big part of the touted 2014 recruiting class and had a strong start to preseason camp before an injury knocked him off course.With Croom iffy and Josh Malone not 100 percent, Tennessee may need Wharton and redshirt freshman Ryan Jenkins to step up.IN THE ENDAll of the pressure will be on Tennessee in the game -- the Vols need to win to wrap up the program's first bowl bid, while Vanderbilt can only hope to spoil their in-state rival's season -- so the big question is how the young Vols handle it.The Commodores have been abysmal this season. All of Vanderbilt's losses came by at least 10 points, and the wins were against Massachusetts by three, Charleston Southern by one and Old Dominion by 14.Tennessee should be motivated by what it can accomplish with a win and ending the two-game losing streak to its long-time punching bag. The Vols would have to play really poorly to lose, and if they're focused, they likely will take care of business.PREDICTION: TENNESSEE 34, VANDERBILT 10
The areas containing Nashville and Murfreesboro have surpassed Memphis as the state of Tennessee's primary hotbed, and the Vols and their SEC rivals have dipped into the talent pool, particularly in this cycle.
Georgia (Ravenwood receiver Van Jefferson), Alabama (Ensworth cornerback Rico McGraw) and Ole Miss (Nashville Overton corner Ugo Amadi) hold commitments from three of the top six players in Tennessee according to the 247sports rankings, and Hillsboro defensive end Kyle Phillips is being courted by LSU, Alabama, Ole Miss and Tennessee.
Tennessee's 2015 class includes five players from the area, including touted offensive lineman Jack Jones and quarterback Jauan Jennings out of Murfreesboro, and Brentwood Academy offensive lineman Ryan Johnson, a four-star prospect according to 247sports, is an early commitment for 2016.
In 2014, the Vols added Hurd, defensive end Derek Barnett, offensive guard Jashon Robertson, receivers Josh Malone and Vic Wharton and defensive back Rashaan Gaulden out of the midstate as Jones made locking up the best players from that area a priority in their rebuilding efforts.
"That's exactly what he did, and you can tell, because mostly all the midstate guys came here," said Hurd, Tennessee's leading rusher. "That's very important for him that he did that, and we love Coach Jones and his coaching staff. It's going to be a great week with Thanksgiving and going home and trying to get that sixth win."
Barnett likely will garner some All-SEC attention, Robertson has started every game on the offensive line, Malone has had his moments and Gaulden has been a key piece of Tennessee's coverage units on special teams.
"You look at the mid-state in general, it's one of the rising population bases in the country," Jones said. "There's great high school coaches throughout the entire state of Tennessee. There's great football players. We want players that understand what it means to represent the University of Tennessee, the magnitude, the relevance.
"You look at our true freshmen that are playing from the mid-state area ... they all made an impact. I think if you speak to them, they now understand what it means from an in-state player to stay at home and represent their in-state institution.
"That's all over the SEC. If you look at the rosters of all the SEC teams, they start with their home base first and foremost. That's going to be our philosophy here."
The Vols will open next season in Nashville against UAB at LP Field, and should it win today, there's an outside chance Tennessee could play three straight games in the state capital if they were to land in the Music City Bowl.
As it is, Tennessee's midstate players are looking forward to the homecoming they're getting this weekend.
"They're excited," quarterback Josh Dobbs said. "I've gotten the sense from them that every game is important. This is another SEC opponent, another game where our dreams, goals and aspirations are on the line, and we need to take advantage of the opportunity. They're excited to obviously go home and play, being closer to Nashville.
"They're excited, and the whole team is excited."
With what's on the line, the Vols will need to be at their best.
"We're showing up and going to work every minute of this week," Hurd said. "It's live or die. We're putting it all on the line."
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.