The Most Important Tennessee Volunteers Players for the Rest of the Year

After dismantling the Kentucky Wildcats 50-16 on Saturday, the Tennessee Volunteers are just one win away from bowl eligibility and three SEC wins—the most the team has seen since 2010. 

With star senior linebacker and team captain A.J. Johnson and redshirt sophomore defensive back Michael Williams currently suspended due to a sexual assault investigation, the Vols need their younger players to step up now more than ever to continue building momentum and establishing Tennessee as an SEC team on the rise.

Saturday's matchup against the Missouri Tigers will be one of Tennessee's most important games of the season, as it gives the team a chance for redemption after it allowed the Florida Gators to escape Neyland Stadium with a win two months ago.

The Tigers control their own destiny to make it to Atlanta for their second SEC Championship appearance in a row, but the Vols can spoil their dreams if the team's outstanding new players continue to progress and improve.

In addition, with depth becoming a critical issue for Tennessee late in the season, the Vols must be careful to not take even a struggling Vanderbilt team for granted to close out the year, as the Commodores would love nothing more than to keep their in-state rival home for Christmas once again. 

For Tennessee to have a chance at winning out and reclaiming the state championship, here are five players who will be asked to play big roles down the stretch. 

Joshua Dobbs

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It's pretty simple: Tennessee is an outstanding offensive team with Joshua Dobbs at quarterback, and a team that can barely move the ball and pick up first downs without him. 

Even when Justin Worley was playing to his maximum pre-shoulder injury potential against the likes of Utah State and Georgia, the Vols offense never had the versatility, unpredictability and big-play potential like it has with Dobbs at the helm.

The scary thing for opposing defensive coordinators is that Dobbs seems to improve every week. A raw but promising performance against Alabama turned into a furious display of talent against South Carolina one week later.

Then, after two weeks of practice reps with the starting offense, Dobbs turned in a remarkably efficient performance against Kentucky, throwing for nearly 300 yards and three touchdowns and completing 19 of his 27 passes. 

Statistically, the South Carolina game was better for Dobbs, but he only played 45 minutes against Kentucky compared to 60 minutes and an overtime possession against the Gamecocks.

With Dobbs under center, Tennessee's offense has the potential to score points very quickly every time it has the ball, and that puts enormous pressure on opposing defenses.

Although the Vols coaching staff would have preferred to redshirt Dobbs this season, giving him the opportunity to close out the year as the starter and complete a full slate of bowl practices with the first-team offense will be huge for Tennessee's chances of competing for the SEC East title in 2015. 

Jalen Hurd

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With defensive linemen and linebackers unable to key in on Tennessee's running game now that Dobbs is a legitimate threat to take off himself, Jalen Hurd is turning into an elite running back for the Vols.

Hurd enrolled at Tennessee in January with immense hype after proving to be the Volunteer State's best running back prospect since Gerald Riggs Jr. 

Although he struggled to gain yardage early in the season due to running behind a shaky offensive line, his hard style of running and ability to fall forward and pick up extra yards is a trait not seen on Rocky Top in a very long time. 

With 716 total rushing yards under his belt through 10 games, per UTSports.com statistics, Hurd may very well break through to the 1,000-yard mark, provided Tennessee makes it to a bowl game. 

But in order to get there, the team needs Hurd to not only continue taking the bulk of the carries but to also stay healthy. The fact that he has done both so far is remarkable for a true freshman. 

Von Pearson

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After showcasing his shiftiness during the Vols' season opener against Utah State, Von Pearson spent the next several weeks either on the sidelines healing from a high ankle sprain or playing at half-speed while waiting for it to fully heal.

If his performance against Kentucky is any indication, Pearson's ankle is close to 100 percent. 

His cut in space to make a Wildcats defender miss en route to his first touchdown of the day in the first quarter highlighted why wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni endured the elements and a cross-country trip to see Pearson play at Feather River Community College in Quincy, Calif.

Head coach Butch Jones told Patrick Brown of the Chattanooga Times Free Press that Pearson's health is important for Tennessee's offense moving forward:

"

Getting Von Pearson back to where he's 100 percent healthy really gives our offense a spark. I think the bye week really helped him to get back his health, and he's 100 percent. He adds a whole other element when he has the ball in his hands, and it's not just him having the ball his hands, but it's his personality.

"

With Marquez North still battling nagging injuries and Josh Malone still learning the ins and outs of life as a wide receiver in the SEC, the 23-year-old Pearson stands to be Tennessee's most dangerous receiver to close out 2014. 

Derek Barnett

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Fifty-six total tackles, nine sacks and 18 tackles for loss read like All-America stats for a senior who just finished a successful 13-game season.

But in reality, that's the stat line through just 10 games for freshman Derek Barnett. 

Six months ago, Barnett hadn't even set foot on the University of Tennessee campus as a student-athlete. Apparently, the Boy Wonder, as Tennessee's coaches call him, didn't need an early enrollment period and spring practices to become one of the best defensive players on the roster.

Combined with redshirt junior Curt Maggitt, Barnett is kryptonite for opposing offensive lines and seems to make a play by either sacking the quarterback or causing him to throw the ball away on every other down. 

The Vols need him to continue his success and improvement week to week to beat Missouri and deliver a statement game against Vanderbilt in Barnett's hometown of Nashville to end the regular season. 

Emmanuel Moseley

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Emmanuel Moseley, a 3-star cornerback on 247Sports whose offer list was once highlighted by schools like Charlotte and North Carolina A&T, is quickly becoming one of Tennessee's secret weapons on defense.

In addition to solid coverage, he had two impressive pass breakups against Kentucky on Saturday in a game that also marked his first start of the season. 

With fellow cornerback Michael Williams' future with the team in jeopardy due a sexual assault investigation, Moseley's emergence couldn't have happened at a better time. 

Jones primarily recruited Moseley for his speed, which is a trait Tennessee's secondary has lacked for years.

And with Justin Coleman set to graduate after this season, he'll have no shortage of opportunities to show it off in 2015 as he plays opposite Freshman All-SEC defensive back Cameron Sutton.