Before the mustard bottle and golf ball were hurled inside Neyland Stadium during the waning moments of Tennessee's 31-26 loss to Ole Miss last October, running back Jabari Small of the Volunteers had already realized he needed to get bigger and stronger.
"I was running real hard in the first half," Small said Tuesday, "but in the second half, I was like, 'Dang, I'm tired. I'm beat up. I can't even feel my shoulders.'
"That's when it clicked to where I was like, 'I've got to address this.'"
Small was listed last year at 5-foot-11 and 206 pounds, but running backs coach Jerry Mack said Tuesday that he weighed 199 in the Music City Bowl. In that 48-45 loss to Purdue, Small had a season-high 26 rushes for a season-high 180 yards, but it was Jaylen Wright who received the critical carries during the fourth quarter and in overtime.
Mack said Small is now between 212 and 215 pounds and added that there is a noticeable difference in his ability to break arm and shoestring tackles.
"He's added armor to his body," Mack said, "and that is going to help him down the road. Being able to finish games is what we've been talking about, and the added weight should help him a ton to try to increase his carries. Obviously in fall camp, we're just trying to make sure he understands how to finish the practice."
Small, a junior out of Briarcrest Christian in Memphis, was plenty effective a year ago in rushing 141 times for 796 yards (5.6 per carry) and nine touchdowns. He was sidelined for wins over Tennessee Tech and South Carolina, and he and Mack were apparently on the same page at season's end.
"Jabari knew that he should've been a 1,000-yard back at the end of last year," Mack said. "He would have been if he had been able to play in all those games and do what he's supposed to do. There is no reason he couldn't be one of the elite players in the SEC, but he knew he was going to have to get better."
So the two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll spent more time in the film room studying pass protections, and he started packing on the pounds.
"I ate a lot of protein. I ate a lot of steak," Small said. "I came into work when I wasn't asked to. I'm just trying to be available for my team and finish games.
"That comes with a lot of benefits, and it makes me a better player."
Small rushed 41 times for 283 yards and three touchdowns in Tennessee's last two games a year ago, which is more than a fourth of the way to a 1,000-yard season. The Vols have not produced a 1,000-yard rusher since Jalen Hurd rambled for 1,288 in 2015, but it's certainly a milestone Small is targeting.
"I want to finish each game, and I don't want to leave any yards out on the field," he said. "Whatever number that is at the end of the season, I will live with that."
Correcting coaches
Small was asked Tuesday how sixth-year senior quarterback Hendon Hooker is different from this time last year, and he provided a lengthy list.
"His confidence," Small said. "He's very vocal. His leadership. His knowledge within the playbook. His making checks. He's even correcting some of the coaches on some play calls."
Hoop commitment
Tennessee's basketball team on Tuesday received a 2023 commitment from Freddie Dilione, a 6-4, 185-pound combination guard from Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Dilione, rated the No.16 combo guard and No. 87 prospect overall on the 247Sports.com composite rankings, selected the Vols over offers from Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia Tech, Indiana, LSU, Louisville, Virginia and Wake Forest.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.