KNOXVILLE - Jeremy Pruitt's view of Jauan Jennings seems to align with how many Tennessee fans view the redshirt junior receiver.
"He's one of my favorite guys," the Volunteers' first-year head coach said Monday.
A profanity-laced tirade that resulted in Jennings' dismissal from the program last November is almost a year in the past now.
For those still holding a grudge about Jennings' publicly broadcast lapse in judgment, Saturday's game may have been therapeutic.
Jennings set season highs with five catches for 71 yards and a touchdown in Tennessee's 30-24 victory at Auburn. All five of his catches came on third-down plays as the Vols snapped an 11-game Southeastern Conference losing streak.
Jauan Jennings on his postgame embrace with Phillip Fulmer. pic.twitter.com/QvUFIpg42q
— David Cobb (@DavidWCobb) October 15, 2018
The performance earned Jennings the chance to speak with reporters for the first time in more than a year on Monday. He used the opportunity to reinforce the message that has been conveyed through his arduous journey back to the field.
"Being able to be with my brothers, that's the most important thing to me," Jennings said. "Getting that second chance to come back, that just means so much. I'm just thankful."
Jennings said he "learned a lot" from the ordeal that cast his football future in jeopardy.
"It made me who I am today, obviously," he said. "I'm just grateful for that experience, because now I'm here back with this team."
Jennings indicated that he never considered playing elsewhere as his future at Tennessee looked uncertain late last year.
"I was hoping and praying I would get a chance," he said. "My priority was not going anywhere else. So I really didn't think about wanting to play anywhere else. I was just focused on getting back on the team."
Even as he met the reinstatement requirements of Pruitt and athletic director Phillip Fulmer, returning to football presented challenges for Jennings.
Pruitt used the word "slowly" on Aug. 9 to describe Jauan's progression toward full strength and expressed concern over the fact that he had not been tackled much during practices while rehabilitating a knee injury.
Jennings' early-season workload reflected the coaches' cautious approach to working him back into the offense. He had just 59 receiving yards through Tennessee's first three games.
Saturday's receiving performance - in addition to some highlight-reel run blocks from Jennings - are an indication of a return to the form that allowed him to make 40 catches, including seven touchdown grabs, in 2016.
"It's good to see him be able to go out there and compete," Pruitt said, "because I think he's a guy who has an impact on the other players on our team. So I'm glad for him."
Senior defensive lineman Kyle Phillips described Jennings on Monday as an "alpha dog."
Fellow receiver Marquez Callaway called Jennings a "role model."
"I think he's more locked in," Callaway said. "He's more dialed in. He wants to be here."
"We're 10 months here and Jauan Jennings has done everything that I've asked him to do since I've been here," Pruitt said. "Guy competes, works hard; he loves the University of Tennessee, has passion for it. He's healthy. I've said all along the guy had a bad knee injury, he just got started practicing in fall camp and that it would take him a while to get his legs back under him.
"He's closer to being healthy, so it's good to see that."
Jennings said he "always feels good."
"To come back and play for the University of Tennessee," he said, "I'm just grateful that Coach Fulmer and Coach Pruitt that's allowed me to come back and be on the team and play with my brothers."
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidWCobb and on Facebook at facebook.com/volsupdate.