Vols’ 2014 Season In Review
By Zach Ragan
Nov 29, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Josh Dobbs (11) drops back to pass during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Offensive MVP — Josh Dobbs
Josh Dobbs only played half the season for the Volunteers, but that’s all he needed to make a major impact.
The sophomore quarterback, who Butch Jones planned to redshirt, made his season debut against Alabama, much like he did last season.
But there was a stark difference between the 2013 version of Dobbs and the 2014 version.
Dobbs this season was much more confident. He was a leader on the field and it showed.
The Georgia native ran for 75 yards against Alabama, before shredding South Carolina. Against the Gamecocks, Dobbs rushed for 166 yards and three touchdowns. He also threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns.
Dobbs finished the season with 1,077 passing yards, nearly 400 more than he had as a freshman in the same amount of games (695).
But Dobbs’ biggest impact came in the running game. He picked up 393 yards with his legs and led the Vols with six rushing touchdowns. The added element that Dobbs brought to the offense helped take some of the pressure off Tennessee’s beleaguered offensive line.
With Dobbs expected to be the starting quarterback next season, there’s no telling what kind of numbers he’ll compile by season’s end.
Honorable Mention:
A couple of other guys that had great offensive seasons were true freshman running back Jalen Hurd and junior wide receiver Pig Howard.
Howard led the Vols in receiving, catching 52 passes for 589 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed the ball 13 times for 72 yards and two touchdowns.
More on Jalen Hurd in a bit.