JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Tennessee Volunteers had a month to dwell in the positive momentum of a 6-1 finish to their regular season and an invitation to the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.
Wednesday morning at a news conference for coach Jeremy Pruitt and his team captains, if there was any residue from the Vols (7-5) resting on the laurels of that strong second half, it wasn’t showing.
Pruitt and seniors Daniel Bituli, Marquez Callaway, Jauan Jennings, Darrell Taylor and Nigel Warrior all appeared focused on Thursday’s 7 p.m. game against Indiana (8-4) that will be televised on ESPN.
There’s good reason for that focus.
Each senior has been with the program through highs and lows: Jennings and Taylor were part of the nine-win seasons in 2015 and 2016, with Bituli, Callaway and Warrior freshmen in 2016. They all experienced the success that came from being ranked in the top 10 that year, then had to do their part in bringing the program back from the gutter, which was where it appeared to be after a 4-8 showing in 2017. That was the first eight-loss season in the history of a program that dates to 1891.