SEC West recently unkind to UT Vols

GO WEST, YOUNG VOLSThe SEC West has been unkind to Tennessee in recent seasons, and that was before the division morphed into college football's toughest this season. Here's a look back at the Vols' rough recent run against the SEC West.Year - Opponent - Result - Score• 2010 - at No. 12 LSU - L - 16-14• 2010 - vs. No. 7 Alabama - L - 41-10• 2010 - vs. Ole Miss - W - 52-14• 2011 - vs. No. 1 LSU - L - 38-7• 2011 - at No. 2 Alabama - L - 37-6• 2011 - at No. 8 Arkansas - L - 49-7• 2012 - at No. 19 Mississippi State - L - 41-31• 2012 - at No. 1 Alabama - L - 44-13• 2013 - at No. 1 Alabama - L - 45-10• 2013 - vs. No. 7 Auburn - L - 55-23

KNOXVILLE -- With six of its teams ranked in the top 10 at some point through this season, the SEC's West Division has asserted itself as the toughest in college football.

It's been tough for a while from Tennessee's perspective.

The seven SEC West opponents the Volunteers have played the past three seasons were all ranked, and now Tennessee visits No. 3 Ole Miss and hosts seventh-ranked Alabama in its next two games.

The Vols' last win against an SEC West team was against the Rebels in 2010, and since then Tennessee has dropped seven straight to West teams with a combined record of 47-2.

"I think everyone obviously knows the great challenge that lies ahead of us, but also the great opportunity, playing the No. 3-ranked team in the country," second-year Tennessee coach Butch Jones said at his weekly news conference Monday.

Ole Miss, in its third season under Hugh Freeze, are coming off a 24-17 home win against Alabama and a 35-20 road dispatching of Texas A&M, and the Rebels are ranked for a meeting with Tennessee for the first time since 1990.

Tennessee's last trip to Oxford ended in a 42-17 loss to the Rebels, who got 324 all-purpose yards from Dexter McCluster, that ended the Vols' 12-game win streak in the series.

Riding quarterback Bo Wallace, whom Jones compared to Zach Collaros, his former quarterback at Cincinnati, and a defense that's allowed just six touchdowns and scored four of its own this season, the Rebels roll into Saturday's game.

"It's going to be a fun opportunity," said Vols linebacker A.J. Johnson. "We know we get to go down there in a hostile environment. We're going to be ready.

"We're going to be excited to go down there and play. We're going to go out there and do what we do, go make plays as a defense and do our job. We're going to have fun out there."

Familiar five

Jones indicated Tennessee would continue to stick with the same starters on the offensive line even after the Vols allowed five sacks to UT Chattanoonga in Saturday's 45-10 win.

"We always compete each and every week, but the best five are going to play, and they've been the best five through their consistency in practice," he explained. "I think you saw that manifest itself defensively when Emmanuel Moseley started, when Johnathon Johnson started [at receiver]. Every day, we compete in our program.

"If somebody steps up and is playing at a higher consistency, then they'll play, but right now those five will be the five."

Bruised backs

Jalen Hurd is expected to be "full go," Jones said, for the Ole Miss game after the freshman tailback, who's battling a shoulder injury, got just two carries against the Mocs.

photo Tennessee head coach Butch Jones

Jones also said the Vols "fully anticipate" Marlin Lane (ankle) being able to play.

After making his debut against UTC, freshman Derrell Scott figures to remain in the mix with those two tailbacks still less than 100 percent.

"Thought he did some great things for really handling his first live-game opportunities," Jones said.

Tennessee was down to Scott and walk-on Maryland transfer Justus Pickett for Saturday's win as injuries test the Vols' backfield depth, and Jones said having three or four options there is a "point of emphasis" in recruiting.

Tennessee holds commitments from former Alabama freshman Alvin Kamara, who has 913 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in six games this season at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, and Rocky Reid, who ran for 368 yards and five scores for Concord High School in North Carolina this past Friday night.

"That was the topic in our staff meeting this morning, is you can never have enough running backs," Jones said. "I used to coach running backs back in the day. That's a position of durability, it's a position of physicality and you look at on every single play, they're either hitting or being hit.

"Yeah, you have to depth at that position, and that was never more evident for us than Saturday night, where we're playing a walk-on and a true freshman."

Berry in the backfield?

With his first touch of the ball this season, freshman defensive back Evan Berry returned a kickoff 68 yards Saturday, and that will earn him some more work with the running backs in practice, something he first did last week.

Berry also figures to assume Devrin Young's role as Tennessee's kickoff returner with the senior set to miss two or three weeks after breaking a couple of ribs against UTC.

"It's trying to find a home for him," Jones said. "He does have some unique skills to him, but it's really trying to put him in a position where he can work off those skills and continue to get better. He'll split time in practice of playing safety and running back."

Henderson update

Jones said freshman defensive end Joe Henderson's current absence from the program is NCAA-related and stems from an academic issue.

"He was pulled from practice from the NCAA," he said. "He's going through some academic requirements that must be met via the NCAA. That's all I'm allowed to comment on.

"It's an oddity," he added, "in terms what they're using and the time frame, yes, and it's unfortunate, but it is what it is."

Tennessee tidbits

The Tennessee-Alabama game in Knoxville on Oct. 25 will either kick off at 7:15 p.m. and be televised by ESPN or start at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2 or the SEC Network, depending on the results of Saturday's games. ... The Vols' last win against a top-three team was a 19-14 triumph at Georgia in 2004. ... Jones said receiver Josh Smith (ankle) would not practice Monday, but he said he believes left Jacob Gilliam, who's practiced in recent weeks despite a torn ACL, will play "at some point" this season.

Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.

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