Tennessee OL Brett Kendrick says pressure, expectations got to Vols

Tennessee entered the 2016 season as SEC East favorites seen by many to be able to challenge Alabama for the conference championship and potentially make the College Football Playoff.

Those expectations got to Team 120 a bit, causing them to play too tight feeling they couldn’t make any mistakes.

I asked Kendrick about why the team wasn't looser earlier in the season. He said the expectations and pressure got to the Vols a little bit.

— Patrick Brown (@patrickbrownTFP) November 8, 2016

#Vols OL Brett Kendrick said expectations may have weighed down the team early and not worrying about making mistakes has helped.

— Rhiannon Potkey (@TennesseeBeat) November 8, 2016

After a three-game losing skid, the pressure is off. Tennessee is back to being the hunter instead of the hunted, trying to play its way into the division lead and earn a spot in the conference championship game.

While the third loss elminated the Vols from any playoff possibilities, Butch Jones’ squad still has plenty to play for, including the chance to win the team’s first SEC championship since 1998. From what Kendrick says, it sounds like the Vols will be loose over the three-game stretch to close out the regular season.