Before making his first appearance of the 2014 season in Week 9, Joshua Dobbs was praised by his coaches for the progress he’d made since his freshman season. Dobbs, who started Tennessee’s final four games in 2013, validated the praise in last week’s 45-42 win over South Carolina, leading Tennessee to a fourth quarter comeback and nabbing SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Tennessee offensive coordinator is one of the coaches that has taken notice. Bajakian said the sophomore’s improvement is due to his ability to get rid of the ball quicker, as he’s fixed some mechanical issues that slowed down his release.
“He’s making quicker decisions,” Bajakian said. “That’s first and foremost, if you ask me, which allows him to be more decisive with the ball and allows him to be more accurate in smaller windows. When you’re throwing the ball on time and making timely decisions, I’d say those are the main things.”
It’s no secret that the Aerospace Engineering major is intelligent, which has also played a major role in his development. Bajakian mentioned Dobbs’ progress in his ability to read defenses and possess what he sees on the field.
“He’s able to come off the field and give me very detailed accounts of what he saw, which is usually very accurate,” Bajakians said. “He’s got a very good memory, and that, in turn, allows him to process information more quickly. And that comes along with reps.
“Obviously the reps, the game reps he got last season, were invaluable, and the reps he got through spring and training camp and this season were invaluable. But there’s definitely a decision making process that’s sped up.”
Dobbs has made physical improvements this offseason, adding 20 points of muscle. Bajakian says the added weight has made him a new player.
“That’s huge, and that’s something we’ve stressed since day one with him – making sure that he puts on the size and weight -as much as anything, yes, to improve his athleticism, but also to improve his durability, and I think it’s paid off,” he said.
“It’s added to his durability, added to his athleticism, and added to his arm strength.”
A former freelance journalist from Nashville, Jason covers Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Kentucky