KNOXVILLE - Jason Croom's last reception for Tennessee was a 4-yard touchdown catch against Missouri 642 days ago in November 2014.
The Volunteers have plans on making up for the lost time.
Croom, a fifth-year senior, will make his debut as a tight end a week from today when ninth-ranked Tennessee hosts Appalachian State to open the season. The former wide receiver could add a wrinkle on offense the Vols didn't have last season, which the 6-foot-5, 250-pounder missed after multiple knee surgeries.
"He can be a huge weapon," quarterback Josh Dobbs said Tuesday. "His body type, his expertise coming from the receiver position and moving to tight end, he's very physical, but he also runs very clean routes and he's very good catching the ball in space. We'll definitely be able to utilize him in a lot of ways.
"He presents a lot of matchup issues for the defense, so it's definitely great to add that dynamic to the tight-end room to complement Ethan (Wolf)."
Though Tennessee likes to spread the field with multiple wide receivers, offensive coordinator Mike DeBord still values two-tight end formations, and the Vols used them often last season with Wolf and Alex Ellis, a former walk-on who caught a touchdown for the Tennessee Titans in a preseason game last weekend.
Ellis only caught eight passes for 117 yards in 2015 - he had three catches for 74 yards in the Outback Bowl - but his value often went beyond the box score.
Croom's development at his new position has given DeBord confidence he'll be able to continue to use similar sets while also designing ways to get the football to the jumbo athlete.
"He can be a matchup problem for people," DeBord said last week. "Jason's really bought into that and has been doing a good job. Jason's always been tough. Even when he was out as a wide receiver, he's a tough player. The biggest thing is now you go in and you line up against a (player the caliber of Vols defensive end) Derek Barnett. That's a different deal.
"(Tight ends coach) Larry Scott's done a great job with him technique-wise. I feel good with where he's at."
The trickiest part of the transition for Croom was blocking, and he knew if he could develop into a reliable end-line blocker it would enhance his chances of being the all-around tight end Scott has pushed him to be. So this summer Croom focused on that, and Scott said it produced "major improvements" evident during preseason practices.
"A lot of being a really good blocker comes with having a mentality and a toughness to you. He had that," Scott said. "A lot of where he needed to develop was just in the area of learning how to do it from a fundamental and technique standpoint. That takes some buy-in, that takes some investment and that takes some time. He's really buckled down on it.
"In the offseason he wouldn't be out doing what he already knows he can do, which is run routes and catch the football. He was pulling the boards out and the sleds out, and he went at it and worked his technique and fundamentals in the development of being a good run blocker. That's where he's made some really good strides and will continue to."
Croom's hunger to deliver in his final season became apparent to teammates and coaches, and he has developed into one of the team's more vocal leaders despite missing so much playing time.
"I'm always trying to ask guys what I need to work on," he said. "If the defense is calling out something I'm about to do, I'm asking them, 'What did I give away?' Then they'll help me out and I'll be sure not to do it the next time."
Wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni shook his head Tuesday when Croom's departure from his position group was brought up by a reporter.
He, too, is expecting big things from Croom this season.
"He's a mismatch problem," Azzanni said. "He was when he played wideout for us. Anybody that can run as well as he runs and as big as he is, you talk about a guy that's developed. He's developed - and I know he's had some injuries - from his first year to now, it's been tremendous.
"If we can get him back in there and get him in the fold healthy and ready to roll, he's going to be a mismatch problem all over the field. We can move him everywhere. That's what neat, because he's already done the perimeter stuff. To split out there and play, even though he's listed as a tight end, technically you split him out there as a receiver. He's already done that, so he's going to to provide a lot of different options for us, which is going to be neat."
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.