Authentic Jennings is the Pride of Tennessee

"When I'm out there, I see the play before it happens," said wide receiver Jauan Jennings as he reminisced about his monumental highlight-reel catch against Georgia in 2016. "I knew I was going to catch it."

Jennings' game-winning grab will live on in Tennessee lore as it marked the first time the Volunteers had downed the 25^th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs in Athens, Georgia since 2006. A then sophomore, Jennings out-jumped a host of Georgia defenders to catch a 43-yard Hail Mary from Joshua Dobbs on the game's final play to stun the Bulldogs in Sanford Stadium, 34-31.

Big catches became a signature for Jennings, who recently became the 22nd member of the Vols' 100-career receptions club after he caught a six-yard toss against the Florida Gators in Gainesville, another team that Jennings has had standout moments against. He currently ranks 16th all-time at UT in career receptions with 106 catches.

"I'm going through the motion and I'm thinking, the ball has got to be coming in the air soon," said Jennings as he continued to relive the moment at Sanford Stadium. "I'm thinking he (Dobbs) is probably going to put it right here. I just be talking to myself while I'm running routes. I be feeling it. You don't hear the crowd, but you can hear your own steps. It's weird."

Though the process seems weird, it's something that Jennings lives for.

"At the time I looked up and I just saw the ball and I was there," said the redshirt senior. "It felt like I was in the back yard again, back to me growing up in Murfreesboro."

As a child, the back yard was where a competitive Jennings got his start. Athletic competitiveness is in the family's DNA. Jennings' father Bennie Jennings is a football Hall of Famer at North Alabama (1987-90), while his mother Angela Holman had an impeccable scholastic career in track and field according to Jennings.

"We always grew up competing," Jennings said of his siblings. "I feel like all of my siblings contributed into where I'm at today in my sports career. We're all close and we all stick together."

Jennings credits those moments for shaping him into the playmaker he's become and created his hunger to be the best.

It also benefited his sister Alexis Jennings, who had a standout collegiate basketball career with Kentucky and South Carolina, where she picked up All-SEC honors, before she moved to Spain to play professionally.

But it was mom, who texts Jennings to have a good day every morning, that really ignited her son's competitive spirit.

"I couldn't even beat my mom in basketball until I was about 12," said Jennings, who is also a fisherman. "Everything I did, I competed with my mom. Foot races, basketball, and when we'd go fishing, we'd see who could catch the most fish."

His youthful years also contributed to his standout personality, as he has become the Vols "Mr. Quotable" early during his senior campaign. A penchant for authenticity, unfiltered truth and personal accountability – he openly shouldered the blame for UT's season-opening loss to Georgia State – has made Jennings endeared by fans and teammates. He developed a way with people by learning to be himself at an early age.

"When I was growing up, I moved a lot," Jennings said. "Everywhere I went, I had to start over. From moving around, I just became comfortable with who I was. I knew I'd make friends everywhere I went, but my main goal was to excel in sports. I would just be like, 'I'm always going to be me and everything will take care of itself.'"

That message was also reiterated as he became an adult.

"I was at my friend's wedding a few years ago and I remember the preacher told them, 'If you ever have something to say, don't hesitate. Just say it.' And that just stuck with me," Jennings said.

He also developed a sense of state pride early on and that's what eventually led him to the state's flagship institution.

"Home state," Jennings said emphatically. "I got a sense of pride in this and what we got going. Even growing up, if we would go play games in Alabama or Kentucky, I always took pride in being from Tennessee. When I was playing, I'd be like, 'I don't care where you're from, I'm better than you.'

"So, coming to Tennessee, I've got that mentality. I don't care who we play, you're not as good as me or as good as us," Jennings added. "I just love the people here and I feel like we have enough talent here to do great things."

Jennings' edginess and pride are palpable and they're what carried him through a season-ending injury in 2017 and an injury-plagued 2018 to a notable start in his final year.

Head coach Jeremy Pruitt has continually praised Jennings for his outstanding work ethic and an unmatched energy that he brings each and every day.

"The guy just really loves ball, he really loves ball," Pruitt said. "Loves to practice, loves to compete. (We) usually have to slow him down at practice, especially when he was injured a little bit. I've said it before, I wish you could coach a team full of guys like Jauan. I've had the opportunity to coach a lot of really good players in my career, and guys that try to do it the right way and Jauan is one of those guys."

Jennings has emerged as a captain and team leader this season. When the players exit the locker room and hit the "I will give my all for Tennessee today" sign before emerging out of the tunnel and through the T at Neyland Stadium, it's hard to think of someone who embraces that more so than Jennings.

"I'm a guy that came in to earn what I've gotten and play ball," Jennings said. "Every Saturday, I played ball, win or lose. That's all I want our fans to know."

University of Tennessee Athletics

Players Mentioned

Jauan Jennings

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