One too many Leaks for Burnett
Recruiting saga creates conflict for UT co-captain
By GARY LUNDY,
lundy@knews.com
July 30, 2004
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Because of his dislike of Florida quarterback Chris Leak, Tennessee co-captain Kevin Burnett said Thursday it can be awkward being around UT quarterback C.J. Leak.
C.J., a senior, is expected to start preseason practice as the Vols' No. 1 quarterback. His brother, Chris, is a sophomore starting quarterback at Florida.
When Chris was a highly recruited senior, he questioned the integrity of Vols coach Phillip Fulmer in an ESPN.com column after C.J. was pulled from the Georgia game in 2002.
"I don't like Chris for the simple fact that he talked bad about my school and I really do not appreciate that,'' Burnett said at SEC Media Days.
Burnett said he has expressed his feelings about Chris to C.J.
"He (C.J) got mad at me one day,'' Burnett said.
"That's his brother. That's his family. I understand. But tell your family to keep Tennessee's name out of the mud. Blood's thicker than mud."
Asked specifically if his dislike of Chris created an awkward situation with C.J., Burnett responded, "really it does, but I don't care.
"You are either with me or against me. And if you are against me, I feel sorry for you. This is a hungry Tennessee football team. There's nothing more scary than a crazed dog (unless it's) a hungry, crazed dog.''
At one point, the Vols appeared to have the inside track to sign Chris but Fulmer reportedly pulled the scholarship offer following the ESPN.com incident. Before his relationship with Fulmer turned sour, the younger Leak often visited UT's practices. In March 2003, a month after signing with the Gators, Chris showed up unannounced at UT's spring drills to watch C.J. practice. Burnett indicated he was baffled by the way Chris handled the recruiting process.
"Why did he come around if he didn't want to go there?'' Burnett said. "It blows my mind . . .
"I feel like from a man's standpoint it's hard to respect somebody after you go find bad things to say about one school, but then you go to another school.
"Be man enough to say 'I just didn't want to go there.' I'm disappointed in the fact he didn't just come right out and say, 'I don't want to go to Tennessee,' instead of running our name through the mud.
"I feel like coach Fulmer feels about that situation. Don't run my name through the mud. Just say you don't like it."
