Bigger doesn’t always mean better.

That’s a lesson that Tennessee football fans have learned through the play of Pig Howard during the last two seasons.

While the Tennessee coaching staff has landed some large, fast and physical receivers in the last few recruiting cycles, such as Marquez North, Josh Malone and Von Pearson, none of those guys have made the full impact on the passing game that fans have expected. Injuries tore through the team’s receiving corps last season, and that trend extended into spring practice.

It has been Howard, standing at 5-foot-8 and 180 pounds soaking wet, that has led the way in receptions for the Vols during both 2013 and 2014.

In fact, it was Howard that led Tennessee in both receptions (54) and receiving yards (618), while earning nine starts during the Vols 7-6 season a year ago. He had arguably his best performance (5 catches for 109 yards, 4 rushes for 29 yards and a touchdown) in Tennessee’s biggest win of the 2014 season (45-42 overtime win at South Carolina).

Described by Vols receivers coach and passing game coordinator Zach Azzanni as a “quick twitch, quick burst” type of player, the Tennessee coaching staff has been able to get the most out of Howard by lining him up alongside some of those bigger, more physical receivers and forcing the defense to make a choice in prioritizing its coverage.

And while the Vols likely do need a breakout season from a North, Pearson or Malone if they are planning to make a significant jump in the SEC East standings, fans shouldn’t underestimate the importance of another steady performance from Howard in 2015.

Howard, who is entering his final college season, has caught a pass in each of the last 33 games he’s played. It is a level of consistency that has made it hard to remember that he almost lost his chance to be a contributor to this team prior to the 2014 season.

He was separated from the team for several months early in the year due to “personal issues,” which were resolved in time for him to return to the Vols for fall camp last season. He went on to have his best season that fall.

247Sports.com’s Wes Rucker quoted Butch Jones on the transformation he saw out of Howard following last season:

“He’s matured,” Jones said. “He’s been very mature in every aspect — academically, the way he takes care of his body now, the investment in his body and taking care of it with rest and recovery, the way he eats. I always watch what he’s eating down at Smokey’s, and he’s been very, very determined, he’s been very, very goal-oriented, and probably beyond his maturity, he’s been very consistent each and every day at practice, and then in games, as well.

“We’re gonna need him to step up big, but I’ve been very, very proud of him and how he’s matured over the course of a year. It’s a great story, because again, we always talk about coaching is creating change. When you see individuals change and really grow up and mature and learn from their past experiences, it’s very fulfilling.

“That’s why you coach.”

So how will Howard’s final season on Rocky Top play out? Will he lead the Vols in receptions for a third consecutive season? Will he extend his consecutive games with a catch streak to more than 40 games?