University of Tennessee Athletics
Outback Bowl Day 2: Investing In Winning
December 27, 2015 | Football
Photo Gallery | Photo Gallery - Team Night at Splitsville
TAMPA, Fla. -- Butch Jones led the Vols through their first practice at the University of Tampa on a warm Sunday afternoon. It was very clear, the Vols have keen focus on capturing their second consecutive January bowl game and have 'invested in winning,' according to Jones.
"It was a good start to the week," said Jones. "Everything is about getting into game week preparation. I thought our players had very good focus."
Tennessee got acclimated to the warm and humid conditions at Tampa's Pepin Stadium as the Vols practiced through temperatures in the mid-80s.
"We needed the heat," said Jones. "It was 84 degrees, sunny and humid. We needed to sweat a little bit."
The weather also presented conditions the Vols haven't been in for the last few months.
"Being in the sun, catching balls in the sun, catching particularly catching punts and kickoffs, it was good to get that work in today. We will build up a little more tomorrow and as we get more into game week."
Jones made it clear, the week has been about business for the Vols.
"Our players have been focused so far," he said. "That's the thing, you come down here, you enjoy team camaraderie and being together as a football team, but you also have to invest in preparation, you have to invest in victory."
Looking Forward To Bowl Festivities
Between practices, team meetings and meals, the Vols will be participate in various bowl events throughout the week. Blending fun and camaraderie with some friendly competition, the Vols will have a team night of bowling tonight at Splitsville. Senior Brian Randolph looks forward to showing off his bowling skills.
"I've got a technique that no one knows about, so I'm going to unleash that tonight," Randolph said.
Randolph said that his bowling technique is self-taught and geared for winning.
"I went to a bowling alley and they said that you get a free meal if you get a strike," he said. "So I just tried my technique there and got a strike and got a free meal."
Josh Smith said that he is looking forward to going to the beach and attending Monday's Tampa Bay Lightning game. Tennessee and Northwestern will compete in a special slap shot competition between the second and third periods.
"This will be my first (NHL game)," Smith said. "So I'm very excited."
Joshua Dobbs is one of four Vols selected for the slap shot competition. Dobbs, who last attended a hockey game when the current Winnipeg Jets were the Atlanta Thrashers, is looking forward to showing off some special hockey skills.
"I haven't played hockey since I was like six," Dobbs said. "I was in elementary school and we had a hockey competition where if you shot it in the goal and in this little tube you got (pretend) money every time you made it. You would get like 1,000 dollars of fake money. I shot it in the tube and that was the last time I played hockey. So I guess I'm pretty good."
