KNOXVILLE -- Tennessee's first bowl trip in five years came with a hefty price tag, but the university still turned a profit from the Volunteers reaching and winning the TaxSlayer Bowl to cap the 2014 season.
According to financial information released Tuesday afternoon, Tennessee came out of the trip to Jacksonville with a profit of $164,811 after racking up expenses totaling more than $1.25 million.
Tennessee received $1.275 million of the Southeastern Conference's bowl distribution share, a $109,600 travel allowance from the SEC and $34,280 in ticket-fee income according to the document summarizing the finances of the bowl trip, obtained by the Times Free Press through an open records request.
The TaxSlayer Bowl's payout was $2.75 million per team, but that sum is lumped into the SEC's large revenue pool, part of which is then distributed to the schools, with the amount depending on the bowl, to help cover the trip's expenses.
Travel expenses, including transportation (chartered flights, buses, etc.), lodging for the week, meals and the use of the conference room at the team hotel, accounted for $708,620, the largest chunk of the $1,254,069 the university spent on the trip.
Tennessee spent $81,515 to keep the team on campus in December, which included mileage for players to travel home for Christmas. On-site expenses, including "equipment, apparel and awards," events, security and a practice site, totaled $137,188. Tickets for players' guests, the band and other guests cost Tennessee $97,880, with shipping and processing adding another $34,297 to the bill.
Support units for the football program -- those traveling with the team as part of the development staff, cheerleaders and dance teams, sports medicine staff, video operations and media relations and marketing personnel -- accrued $49,080 in expenses, and Tennessee spent $145,489 to bring the "Pride of the Southland Band" to the game.
The Vols beat Iowa 45-28 on Jan. 2 to notch the program's first bowl victory since the end of the 2007 season.
Vickers stands out
Tennessee wrapped up Tuesday's indoor practice at the Neyland-Thompson Sports Complex with a live goal-line period, and the defense, despite its shorthanded status up front, came out with a win in the drill.
Based on the post-practice breakdown from coach Butch Jones, the unit could thank one of its stand-in defensive tackles.
Tennessee head coach Butch Jones yells at his players during a football game.
The Vols, including Andrew Butcher (52) Charles Mosley (78), practice at Haslam Field in Knoxville."I was very encouraged by the play of Kendal Vickers," Jones said. "We went live goal line at the end of the practice, and you could feel the presence of Kendal Vickers. Kendal's an individual who continues to get better and better, so I'm very, very encouraged about his progress."
After answering a couple of questions about all the missing players up front defensively, Jones defended the healthy players in the unit, including Vickers, freshman Shy Tuttle and redshirt freshman Charles Mosley, whom Jones said is showing "glimpses" despite practicing between 65 and 70 percent coming off a broken leg.
"We still have some good football players in the defensive front," Jones said.
Berry time
Coming off a strong performance, which included a couple of interceptions, in Saturday's scrimmage, rising sophomore safety Evan Berry is hoping to give the Vols a fourth option at safety.
If veterans Brian Randolph and LaDarrell McNeil and All-SEC freshman Todd Kelly give Tennessee three solid options, Berry would add further depth to the position.
"I've always been motivated, but it's time to do something," he said. "We have LaDarrell and Randolph out there, and they obviously don't want to take all those snaps. And they need help sometimes, so it's time for me to step up and help them out.
"The coaches, I have to earn their trust, and this is the time to do it, so I'm working on that."
Berry said his older brother, Eric, the Kansas City Chiefs' Pro Bowler and former Tennessee All-American, continues to recover well as he undergoes treatment following his diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma.
"He's doing really good. I think he has three more treatments left," Evan said. "To be honest, I really don't see it affecting him. He's a very strong person, and we'll just continue to keep him strong.
"(His diagnosis) was obviously scary, but when I talked to him, he wasn't worried, so I wasn't worried."
Managing Medley
After finishing second in the SEC with 20 made field goals and hitting one in every one of Tennessee's games last season, Aaron Medley knows his expectations are going to increase heading into his sophomore season.
"I think the biggest change going from last year to this year is we go out there for a field goal, and I'm expected to make it now," he said. "Last year it was like, 'OK, let's see what he can do.' I think the standard is up there now, and I have to maintain it."
Medley once nailed a 65-yarder at a high school camp and he was making kicks from 55 yards in practice Tuesday, but he hit just once in six tries from 40-plus yards last season.
"He is intrinsically motivated," Jones said. "But we have worked on his length, and that's one of the things. He was very productive from about 30 (yards) in, but his struggles occurred 40 and beyond. We've really, really challenged him."
Tennessee tidbits
Jones said quarterback Josh Dobbs "had one of his better days of the spring." ... Defensive tackle Owen Williams is practicing through a hand injury this spring. "Owen has been out there, and I give Owen a lot of credit," Jones said. "With his hand, he's fighting through some nagging injuries. Owen shows up to go to work each and every day." ... Former Tennessee quarterback commitment Austin Kendall announced his commitment to Oklahoma on Tuesday evening.
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.