Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs throws to a receiver in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Missouri, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)KNOXVILLE – About half of the football teams in the Southeastern Conference entered the final month before the season unsure of who their starting quarterback will be.
As the competitions headlined preseasons at Alabama, Georgia, Florida and LSU, Tennessee knows it is settled at the game’s most important position.
Much of the Volunteers’ hopes this season rest on the arms and legs of Joshua Dobbs, the junior who was the catalyst of last season’s turnaround, a four-wins-in-five-games run that set the stage for an offseason of elevated expectations and a preseason of billowing hope.
“He’s a great leader, and it’s great to see him being the starting quarterback and named that guy,” fifth-year senior left tackle Kyler Kerbyson said. “You can see it in him. He’s a lot more confident, which is great for us because we want a confident quarterback. Having all that is making us a lot better.”
Before Dobbs entered the picture last season, Tennessee’s offense was stuck in the mud. In October games against Florida and Ole Miss – two of the SEC’s top defenses – the Vols scored just 12 points and failed to find the end zone. The struggles of an inexperienced offensive line, a thin backfield and an ailing receiving corps were magnified.
But once the 6-foot-3, 216-pounder from Alpharetta, Ga., entered the lineup, Tennessee’s offense came to life.
In six games, Dobbs, the aerospace engineering major who one day wants to design and build airplanes, had 1,675 yards of total offense, threw nine touchdowns and ran for eight scores – more than any other player.
“Josh knows the offense,” offensive coordinator Mike DeBord said. “He’s played in this conference; he’s had success in this conference. That’s a great feeling.
“I think Josh has continued to get better in every practice, and I really think right now his accuracy is really good. Right now, he’s just getting better every practice. I just see it coming for him, and I’m really excited about that.
“I think he’s always had a great work ethic. He’s always been a hard worker. He’s always spending extra time (working), and he does all the little things you have to do at quarterback. I’ve always been excited about his work ethic and his work habits and how he gets along with his teammates.”
There’s enough talent around Dobbs at running back and receiver for Tennessee to replicate the 36.7-point average the Vols posted in his five starts last season, but the key to the season will be the offense’s ability to deliver such big-time performances against the team’s primary SEC rivals.
Tennessee may or may not be capable of accomplishing that objective, but one thing is for certain: The Vols think they have the right guy leading them into the bright future that soon could be the present.
“It gives us a lot of confidence,” running back Alvin Kamara said. “Dobbs, it’s his second year in (as the starter). He knows the offense. He has a good feel for the offense. The guys respect him. I respect him. He makes plays, so having Dobbs there is definitely a confidence boost.”
Said receiver Jason Croom: “It’s always good to have a quarterback to go out there with confidence and take over. If you see a leader having confidence, you’re going to have confidence in yourself. We see that from Dobbs, and that allows us to go out there and make big plays for him.”
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.