As Tennessee tips off its regular season tonight against Temple, the Vols' basketball team enters the year with some serious expectations on their backs.  

Chris Lofton, however, isn't worried about the preseason prognostications, only the next team on the schedule in his final campaign as a Volunteer.

It's been a long journey to this point for the senior from Maysville, Ky., who was infamously turned away by the home-state Louisville Cardinals and Kentucky Wildcats. 

Lofton, now a preseason All-SEC selection and national player of the year candidate, still isn't satisfied.

"It's a great recognition for me, but you know I really don't pay attention to that stuff because none of that preseason stuff means anything," Lofton said. "So at the end of the year if I'm first team All-SEC, maybe I'll be happy. The preseason stuff means nothing."

Maybe.

"Don't believe the hype. We all know that we're not there yet. Chris Lofton, on the Vols' lofty expectations Lofton never seems satisfied with where he is as a player, and the hard work that goes along with that has made him the player that he is now.

On the eve of the Vols season opener, Lofton had to be persuaded by coaches to leave the gym for fear he was shooting too much and wearing himself out, according to team manager Bryce Basler.

That's not out of the ordinary for Lofton, a player known to spend three to four extra hours a day improving his game.

Despite his team being picked to win the SEC, Lofton still feels like an underdog.

"The underdog role. That's what we've always known since I've been here and that's what we're going continue to do. We know we're not there yet," Lofton said.

As fans l awake at night with dreams of Final Fours and Wooden Awards dancing in their heads, Lofton is just thinking about the Vols' next game.

"We're just trying to take one step at a time and trying to get better."