Volunteer players celebrate their team's 24-17 win over the Commodores in Nashville on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014.NASHVILLE - Tennessee spends multiple periods each day in football practice working on its special teams, whether it's covering punts and kickoffs or setting up returns.
The payoff was timely Saturday.
Cornerback Cam Sutton opened the scoring of the Volunteers' 24-17 win at Vanderbilt by returning a punt 76 yards to notch Tennessee's first punt-return touchdown in two years.
"It was only a matter of time to come," Sutton said. "The coaching staff did a great job of scheming them. We knew which way they were stepping on the punt, the direction of the punt and things like that, and then my front team just did a great job of what we call being ball-meet-man, ripping and running and staying on their blocks, and I was able to finish the run."
Sutton had only 72 yards on 11 returns entering the game, and Tennessee was 11th in the SEC averaging only 6.7 yards per return on the season.
It didn't matter Saturday, as the special-teams score was the difference in Tennessee's bowl-clinching victory.
"It was a great player making a great play, and it was all 11 working together as one," Vols coach Butch Jones said. "We felt very confident coming that we were going to get a big return. We've been one or two individuals away.
"That's what makes special teams: Everyone is one out of 11. There's not a better illustration of do-your-job than on special teams, and everybody did their job. Cam provided that spark and that momentum early for us, and we needed it."
Tennessee's offense had managed just 20 yards on offense on its first two possessions when Sutton scored.
"We always talk about complementary football in the program," the sophomore said. "The offense was struggling early and throughout the game, and special teams was able to capitalize and get the game going.
"When a specific section -- offense, defense, special teams -- is not cooperating or lacking at times, we've just got to keep playing for each other and keep working with each other."
Vols honor Berry
Tennessee wore a helmet decal in the shape of an arrowhead with the message "29 VFL STRONG" to honor former Vols All-American and current Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry, who was placed on the NFL's non-injury list when team doctors discovered a mass believed to be lymphoma in his chest.
Berry returned to Atlanta this week for treatment. His younger twin brothers, Evan and Elliott, are Vols freshmen.
"We're one family, and we're all Vols for life," Jones said. "Eric is very, very special to us. He continues to be in our thoughts and in our prayers, as does the entire Berry family and Evan and Elliott as well."
The largely Tennessee crowd chanted Eric Berry's name on multiple occasions throughout the game.
Said Jones: "I thought that was class."
Receiver shortage
After suffering an injury Tuesday, receiver Jason Croom was limited heavily Saturday. The sophomore had a touchdown catch in Tennessee's three previous games. Freshman Vic Wharton started in his place.
Only three Vols -- receivers Pig Howard and Von Pearson and tailback Marlin Lane -- caught passes Saturday.
"We have a lot of guys that went down and a lot of guys that stepped up," said Howard, who caught five throws for 55 yards. "I wouldn't say it's chemistry. We're still learning things here and there on and off the field as far as timing with some of the new receivers. Overall, we found a way to win, and that made us come together as a team, when we faced adversity."
Booming Barnett
Freshman defensive end Derek Barnett finished the game with five tackles, two for loss and one sack. The budding star is up to 20.5 tackles for loss, the fifth-most in a single season in Tennessee history. The Brentwood Academy graduate shares the SEC lead in the category with Missouri's Shane Ray.
"It's a good feeling coming back," Barnett said. "They were talking a bunch of stuff before the week, and we said we ain't going to talk. We were just going to play ball and let the scoreboard talk for us. I'm glad we came in here and got this 'W.'"
Fellow defensive end Curt Maggitt had two sacks to regain the team lead with 11, which is tied for the fourth-most in a single season with Leonard Little (1995) and Todd Kelly Sr. (1992).
Tennessee's 35 sacks this season are the most in a season since 2001.
Tennessee tidbits
LaTroy Lewis started at defensive end in place of regular starter Corey Vereen, who first entered the game late in the first quarter. ... The Vols lost the opening coin toss Saturday to finish 2-10 in the toss this regular season. ... Maggitt, quarterback Josh Dobbs and defensive tackle Jordan Williams were Tennessee's captains. ... Center Mack Crowder (knee, ankle) and freshman tailback Derrell Scott (hand) both dressed, but neither played, and the Vols were also without defensive tackle Trevarris Saulsberry (knee) and backup guard Austin Sanders (ankle).
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com