JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- At one point last spring, Alton "Pig" Howard's future at Tennessee looked bleak at best.
Now it's fair to wonder where the Volunteers' receiving corps would've been without him this season.
After returning to the program last May, Howard was a constant in Tennessee's passing game as injuries depleted a promising groups of receivers. He leads the Vols in receiving heading into Friday's TaxSlayer Bowl against Iowa.
"He's been very mature in every aspect," coach Butch Jones said Tuesday morning. "Academically, the way he takes care of his body now, the investment in his body in taking care of it with rest and recovery and the way he eats. He's been very, very determined. He's been very goal-oriented, and probably beyond maturity, he's been extremely consistent each and every day at practice and then in games as well.
"We're going to need him to step up big, but I've been very, very proud of him. Now he's really matured over the course of a year, and it's a great story. We always talk about coaching is creating change, and when you see individuals change and really grow up and mature and learn from their past experiences, it's very fulfilling, and that's why you coach."
The 5-foot-8, 187-pound Orlando, Fla., resident caught 52 passes for 589 yards, added 72 rushing yards and totaled three touchdowns. In 2013, Howard's 44 catches and three touchdown catches were team highs, and his 388 receiving yards trailed only Marquez North. He's caught a pass in 32 straight games.
With injuries to North, Josh Smith, Von Pearson and Jason Croom, Howard caught four or more passes in the last five games of the season and had a 109-yard performance in the rally at South Carolina.
Howard and Pearson were the only two wideouts to catch passes in the regular-season finale at Vanderbilt, and the Vols will need Howard to be productive again against the Hawkeyes.
"Alton's done a great job," offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian said. "He's obviously the most experienced guy we have, and he's playing like a veteran. It's good with such a young team to be able to point to him and say, 'Hey, continue to work hard and continue to stay focused ... look at Alton and see how hard work can help you progress.'
"You can turn video on from last year and see he where he's grown from last year to this year."
Beneficial break
Some time off this month has helped rejuvenate some tired legs and bruises for Tennessee's players.
Jones said the break most helped the offensive backfield and one of the Vols' best defensive players.
"You look at Jalen Hurd, he continues to play more and more confidently," the coach said. "You can see the confidence and the speed. He's able to play instinctfully now. Marlin Lane has really benefited from some extra time off.
"If we would have had to play the game after Vanderbilt," he added, "he would not have been able to play, so I think the extensive time that he's had off has helped him. I just think it's really been beneficial for our entire team."
Offensive tackle Jacob Gilliam, who played most of the season with a torn ACL, practiced Tuesday with his left hand taped into a club.
SEC pride?
Tennessee will be the 11th SEC team to play its bowl game -- Alabama would get another in the championship game if it beats Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's night -- and the league is off to a 3-0 start after wins by South Carolina, Texas A&M and Arkansas.
Jones was asked about Tennessee's desire to do its part in the SEC's bid to retain its unofficial title as college football's top league.
"I feel pride in everything that we do, especially for the University of Tennessee," he said. "We're part of the best football conference in all of college football. Obviously, you look at the conference and how they do in bowl games as well."
Middle men
Defensive coordinator John Jancek said Tennessee planned to use both redshirt sophomore Kenny Bynum and freshman Jakob Johnson at middle linebacker Friday.
Johnson started the season's final two games after A.J. Johnson was suspended amid an investigation into an alleged rape and sexual assault, but Bynum played more down the stretch at Vanderbilt.
"They'll both play," Jancek said. "It'll just be a matter of how many plays in a row the offense is able to generate. Those things will come into play as to how we sub."
Bynum and Jakob Johnson, originally from Germany, played high school football in Jacksonville.
"They've competed well," Jancek said. "They've pushed each other. They're both in there doing the best that they can, and I know they're excited to be back in their home city and playing in front of some friends and family.
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.