University of Tennessee Athletics
Dobbs Rested To Face Alabama Again
October 19, 2015 | Football
By Brian Rice
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
UTSports.com
Players used the combination of the weekend off from football and Tennessee’s fall break from classes to head home and take a physical and mental break from the long grind of a football season in the Southeastern Conference. No that they have returned to campus, all attention turns to the annual renewal of a longstanding rivalry that has a pedigree unlike any other on UT’s schedule.
“I understand the importance of the rivalry,” said Head Coach Butch Jones. “This game means a lot to both universities, our fan bases and our players. It means a lot. I have spoken about getting the rivalry back to making it relevant again and being in these football games for us.”
Joshua Dobbs got his first taste of Tennessee-Alabama rivalry as a freshman in 2013. With starter Justin Worley injured on the final drive of the opening half, Dobbs made his collegiate debut on the first Tennessee possession of the second half. He led the Vols on a scoring drive in his first action.
“I remember a lot,” Dobbs said. “I did some good things and needed to improve on some other things. It was a learning experience, and obviously I've matured a lot since thing over the past two years.”
He did not enter in the same pressure-filled situation that he hopes to face Saturday, the Vols trailed the Crimson Tide, 35-0 when Dobbs took over. In addition to the field goal on his first possession, Dobbs led a touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.
“It was a very difficult situation he went into the game,” Jones said. “I thought with the circumstances, he did some good things. He was very poised, very calm and collected.”
A year later, Dobbs again saw his first action of the season against Alabama, entering a game at Neyland Stadium down 13-0. Dobbs threw a pair of touchdown passes as the Vols fought back against the Tide. In his two career games, UT has actually outscored Alabama, 30-29, with Dobbs in the game.
This season, Dobbs has already built a resume and enters the tilt coming off of his best performance of the season. The junior went 25-for-42 for a career-high 312 passing yards and three touchdowns and also ran for 118 yards and two scores to lead Tennessee to a 38-31 comeback win over Georgia. The performance earned him numerous accolades including SEC Offensive Player of the Week and Davey O'Brien Quarterback of the Week.
“I thought he grew up a lot last week against Georgia,” Jones said. “He was really holding players accountable in a very, very positive fashion, a very constructive fashion, which was great to see. That's what we need from him. I thought he was in control, but that's Josh Dobbs. From a leadership standpoint and a mentality standpoint, he's done a good job with that but I thought he took it to another level in the Georgia game. We're going to continue to need that as the season progresses.”
But in typical Dobbs fashion, what happened in a prior game is not on his mind at all.
“The Georgia game was a great win but it has no effect on how we play this week,” he said. “We started last week on Alabama and watched their game this weekend and refocused when we returned.”
Nor is he moved by the rivalry. He understands what the game means to fans and to the history of the program, but he does not allow that to affect his preparation.
“Every week is intense,” Dobbs said of SEC play. “If you’re not intense every week, your opponent is going to pass you up. You have to be intense, locked in and ready to go.”
