KNOXVILLE -- A run of one injury after another turned a promising 2014 season into a very frustrating one for Tennessee's receiving corps.
The position group is hoping to bounce back in 2015.
There's enough talent at the position - six of the Volunteers' top nine wide receivers were four- or five-star prospects coming out of high school - that Tennessee should feel confident in the group going into this season.
With a settled situation at quarterback and two dynamic running backs to divert the focus of opposing defenses, it's time for the wideouts to deliver for the Vols.
"There's nothing limiting our potential," sophomore Josh Malone said earlier this month. "I feel like the only thing that can really stop us is us. We've got so much talent, and I know as a unit we're trying to handle everything in a professional manner and really dedicate ourselves to our craft and put ourselves as a unit and as a team in the best situation to win."
Malone was perhaps the best example of the frustrating 2014 season Tennessee's receivers had. He came to campus as a five-star recruit, but his freshman season fizzled out after a five-catch game for 75 yards at Ole Miss and his first touchdown reception against Alabama a week later. Multiple nagging injuries sapped the 6-foot-3, 197-pound Malone's natural talent.
"I feel like I'm ready to go," Malone said. "I've been taking care of my body, staying healthy and just really been focusing on football. I'm just trying to limit all the distractions off the field.
"I'm playing a lot faster, and I just feel a lot more comfortable out there. I'm able to do the stuff that I want to do out there on the field."
He still had it easier than Marquez North and Josh Smith, whose seasons ended prematurely due to injuries. Malone didn't miss any games, as Von Pearson did early in the season. During bowl practices, Jason Croom went down to a knee injury from which he's still not 100 percent.
Though North has missed more than a week with a knee injury and both Smith and Pig Howard, Tennessee's leading receiver last season, have been limited at times this month, the Vols have gotten preseason boosts from two freshmen, converted quarterback Jauan Jennings and walk-on Vincent Perry, who look like they can help right away.
Jennings, in particular, has been one of the surprises of Tennessee's training camp.
"He's definitely hungry to get better every day," quarterback Josh Dobbs said. "It's been a great transition for him. I think it really helped him coming in the spring and being a quarterback, because he was able to understand the concepts and the quarterback's reads.
"Now he's out there playing receiver, and he understands how to make space and how to get open and where he needs to be. He's done a great job of getting better every day. Not only him, but the receiving corps, you've got guys like Malone, Pig, Von - every day working to get better, which is great to see. We're going to need those guys to make plays this year."
Malone has impressed Tennessee's coaching staff with his consistency this month, too.
"I believe he is (more confident)," offensive coordinator Mike DeBord said. "He's really had better focus. I think that's been the big word for him, is he's really focusing on the little details. I think Coach (Zach) Azzanni's done a great job of continuing to push him. You've got to give Josh a lot of credit for his improvement."
Pearson's return from suspension also has helped, and the senior has been sharp in practice and shown no signs of rust despite being away from the team for more than three months.
"I was really happy when Von came back," Malone said. "It was big, because we love Von and Von loves us, and we knew it was killing him not being out there on the field. I knew Von was just going to come out and ball. He was going to go back to his natural instincts."
The ability of its talented receiving corps to deliver with big plays and stay healthy could go along way in determining how good Tennessee's offense will be this season.
"(Last season) fueled us a lot," Malone said. "That's been the only thing that's really stopping us from progressing like how we're really supposed to. It was the injuries and the setbacks, so this offseason we've just been focusing on getting better each and every day and just perfecting our craft and working hard every day."
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.