baddnole
Well-Known Member
Outback Steakhouse, the bowl's title sponsor, prepared 5,000 pounds of food for the event. Most of it, including 750 pounds of sirloin steak, 750 pounds of chicken and 900 pounds of ribs, was at least high in protein. Other parts of the meal weren't quite as healthy.
"They're throwing a lot of food at us with Outback," Tennessee senior left tackle Kyler Kerbyson said after dinner. "She (Maurer) usually keeps a close eye on us and makes sure we put the right stuff in our bodies to perform as best we can. She can't really help the fact that there's cheese cake in front of everybody's faces.
"I think it's cheat night for everybody out there."
The Vols (8-4) come into this bowl game with a better understanding of how to limit the "cheating" than they did a year ago in the TaxSlayer Bowl, in which they defeated Iowa 45-28.
Bowl week in advance of Tennessee's game against Northwestern (10-2) at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 1 (TV: ESPN2, noon) is packed with more bowl-sponsored activities than the Vols' game last year in Jacksonville. After Saturday's welcome dinner, the teams have a bowling night on Sunday, a trip to a Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game Monday, a trip to Busch Gardens on Tuesday and a beach party on Wednesday.
The Vols will take part in all of those events, but they realize the rest of the week has to be dedicated to winning the game.
"You just have to understand what you came down here for," Kerbyson said. "You didn't come down here to party or go out. You came out here to win a football game. You just have to keep that in mind. All the events that we're going to do, hockey game, Busch Gardens, it's going to be great. It's going to be a lot of fun to hang out with your friends and your teammates, but the most important thing is winning the football game. You have to keep that in the back of your mind and always think about that no matter what you're doing."
Last year's experience gives Tennessee a better understanding of the routine of a bowl week and how to strike that balance. The Vols say they never lost focus on the game last year, but it did take some doing for them to get their bearings.
Tennessee senior offensive lineman Kyler Kerbyson (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
"(The experience) It has made things go a lot smoother than they did last year when we didn't know what to expect," junior linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin said. "This year we know what to expect."
Last year's experience means that a bowl game is no longer a novelty for the Vols, but they said they are just as excited this year. This is UT's first trip to the Outback Bowl since Jan. 1, 2008, also the last time the Vols played in a New Year's Day bowl.
"It makes me remember my freshman year being home for Christmas," Reeves-Maybin said. "... You come down here and the vibe you get, being around the guys one last time, there's nothing like it. Everybody should be able to have bowl games all four years."
Northwestern has missed bowls the past two seasons with 5-7 campaigns, but the Wildcats seem well-built for the bowl week process. The seniors were around for Northwestern's win over Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl after the 2012 season, and the strength of this year's team was its ability to bear down late in games. The Wildcats claimed five of their 10 victories by a touchdown or less.
"It came down to making plays in the fourth quarter," Northwestern defensive end Dean Lowry said. "I think this team really, as opposed to previous years, relished that moment of going out there and making plays when it mattered. It made us win games late in the fourth quarter, which was consistent all year around."
"They're throwing a lot of food at us with Outback," Tennessee senior left tackle Kyler Kerbyson said after dinner. "She (Maurer) usually keeps a close eye on us and makes sure we put the right stuff in our bodies to perform as best we can. She can't really help the fact that there's cheese cake in front of everybody's faces.
"I think it's cheat night for everybody out there."
The Vols (8-4) come into this bowl game with a better understanding of how to limit the "cheating" than they did a year ago in the TaxSlayer Bowl, in which they defeated Iowa 45-28.
Bowl week in advance of Tennessee's game against Northwestern (10-2) at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 1 (TV: ESPN2, noon) is packed with more bowl-sponsored activities than the Vols' game last year in Jacksonville. After Saturday's welcome dinner, the teams have a bowling night on Sunday, a trip to a Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game Monday, a trip to Busch Gardens on Tuesday and a beach party on Wednesday.
The Vols will take part in all of those events, but they realize the rest of the week has to be dedicated to winning the game.
"You just have to understand what you came down here for," Kerbyson said. "You didn't come down here to party or go out. You came out here to win a football game. You just have to keep that in mind. All the events that we're going to do, hockey game, Busch Gardens, it's going to be great. It's going to be a lot of fun to hang out with your friends and your teammates, but the most important thing is winning the football game. You have to keep that in the back of your mind and always think about that no matter what you're doing."
Last year's experience gives Tennessee a better understanding of the routine of a bowl week and how to strike that balance. The Vols say they never lost focus on the game last year, but it did take some doing for them to get their bearings.
Tennessee senior offensive lineman Kyler Kerbyson (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
"(The experience) It has made things go a lot smoother than they did last year when we didn't know what to expect," junior linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin said. "This year we know what to expect."
Last year's experience means that a bowl game is no longer a novelty for the Vols, but they said they are just as excited this year. This is UT's first trip to the Outback Bowl since Jan. 1, 2008, also the last time the Vols played in a New Year's Day bowl.
"It makes me remember my freshman year being home for Christmas," Reeves-Maybin said. "... You come down here and the vibe you get, being around the guys one last time, there's nothing like it. Everybody should be able to have bowl games all four years."
Northwestern has missed bowls the past two seasons with 5-7 campaigns, but the Wildcats seem well-built for the bowl week process. The seniors were around for Northwestern's win over Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl after the 2012 season, and the strength of this year's team was its ability to bear down late in games. The Wildcats claimed five of their 10 victories by a touchdown or less.
"It came down to making plays in the fourth quarter," Northwestern defensive end Dean Lowry said. "I think this team really, as opposed to previous years, relished that moment of going out there and making plays when it mattered. It made us win games late in the fourth quarter, which was consistent all year around."
