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From UTSports:
Media Day Kicks Off Busy Opening Day For Vols
Vols Open Preseason Drills Later Today
Phillip Fulmer and the Vols held Media Day Saturday morning before beginning preseason drills.
Newcomer Numbers
6 - Ja'Kouri Williams-RB
7 - Brent Schaeffer
10 - Erik Ainge
15 - Sinclair Cannon - WR
27 - Arian Foster - RB
28 - Chris Brown - TE
29 - Inquoris Johnson - DB
30 - David Holbert - RB
33 - Jonathan Hefney - DB
39 - Ryan Karl - DB
48 - Elix Wilson - DB
51 - Robert Ayers - LB
53 - Jarod Mayo - LB
58 - James Turner - LB
64 - Cameron Mayo - C
78 - Ramon Foster - OT
79 - Anthony Parker - DT
80 - Britton Colquitt - P
85 - Xavier Mitchell - DE
97 - Ell Ash - DT
FULMER PRESS CONFERENCE CLIPS
Fulmer on: QB | RB | TE | OL | WR | DB | LB | DE | DT | PK/P
TEAM PHOTO | GALLERY
Fulmer | Leak | Clausen
Tennessee held its annual media day to preview the 2004 football season. Head coach Phillip Fulmer began the event with a morning press conference followed by the players session with the media on the field at Neyland Stadium.
Below are comments from Fulmer's preseason press conference.
"We're all facing a new challenge with the schedule. It is really fall camp rather than two-a-days. There are only a couple of days of two-a-days, and really it's worked out very well for us because of the inexperience, particularly at quarterback. We look forward to being in full pads next Wednesday when we will find out a lot more about our football team as we go along and lead up to game week.
"To overview our squad, the kids have reported in good shape. They've worked very hard getting themselves ready. There is real good potential on this team. There are obviously areas we are concerned about. One of those areas is at defensive tackle where Matt McGlothlin has been suspended for one full calendar year. That's a concern because it hurts our depth. Greg Jones still has a class to finish. If he does well, there is a good opportunity for him to be academically qualified. There is a waiver out there, but Greg has had one of those really tough years with the deaths of some of his family members. We're really trying to help him get back on his feet. At this particular time, we will redshirt Greg this year. More important than the football aspect of it, we have to get him on track. I'm hopeful he will rally and come back from this. That leaves us short at tackle.
"On a brighter note, from our standpoint and Britton Colquitt's standpoint, he's done what he is supposed to do, working through the courts, the student conduct folks and what we've required him to do. He is reinstated to the football team and will continue to work weekly with alcohol-related organizations to keep him on a good track. I'm pleased with what he has gotten done and the attitude he's taken to get himself back on the team and in good standing in the community.
"We're still working on a couple of kids for our incoming signees class. It always happens some years more than others. There are a couple of guys we hope will be with us at the beginning or middle of next week. If not, then we will have to look to a junior college or prep school route. That's Demonte Bolden and Arian Foster.
"The first thing about our squad is how well they've worked. They have tried to put themselves in a position to be the best they can be. One of the strengths we have on this team is our kicking game. Both Dustin Colquitt and James Wilhoit have had exceptional summers. It excites me to have that kind of experience coming back at those positions, guys we know we can count on in tough situations. That's very important for us. John Henderson, our holder, is like having a coach on the field. He's special and a leader of that group. We're looking for backups for kicking and punter. We're looking to solidify the snapping job.
"Offensively, there's a lot of interest and swirl around the quarterback situation. That's only normal. Whoever the quarterback is, will be a new guy. Like Al Wilson told me going into the 1998 season, whoever the quarterback is, we're not going to let him fail. I want our team to take that challenge, rally and play the best they can to help us through the quarterback situation. I do think there's some potential there. C.J. Leak made significant progress in spring practice and for nine straight days did really well. He had a couple of bad days that weren't typical of what he'd done. He got back on his feet the last three practices and did quite well. His challenge is to be efficient and on time with things, avoid bad plays and make good plays
"Rick Clausen is certainly in that battle. He needs to throw the football better. Bo Hardegree is also a guy who has worked hard. Some of the kids have said he has thrown the football better, and I am anxious to see how he's doing. He's athletic and a big, good-looking guy. He's matured considerably. The talk of Tennessee, if you will, is Erik Ainge and Brent Schaeffer. They will get every opportunity to see where they are. There is a lot of potential there, and have got to manage to give them enough scrimmage time to progress and learn. We have to find out where they stand. There will be no green jerseys. It is important they operate as close as they can to game conditions. We will see who will be efficient and make the fewest mistakes, who will make the best decisions and be the best playmakers. Quarterback will demand a lot of our attention.
"In the offensive line, you wonder about the deficiencies in our running game and whether it's the chicken or the egg - the offensive or the consistency of the running backs. I think it's been some of both. With Michael Munoz and a very competitive situation at left guard, with Arron Sears and Rob Smith, at center with Jason Respert and Chuck Prugh, with Cody Douglas and Richie Gandy at right guard and Albert Toeaina and Eric Young at right tackle, there is good potential for a good group. Another youngster in that mix is David Ligon who had a really good spring and came a long way fast. We have some competition and depth that encourage me.
"At tight end, we're still not where we need to be. Victor McClure will start off there and has done a good job of getting himself ready. Jake Finlayson certainly helped us last year. We hope that Justin Reed and Brad Cottam will make good progress fast. We'll see where Chris Brown is, starting this afternoon.
"We don't have a starting tailback. We've got potential. Cedric Houston with a big year could end up being Tennessee's all-time leading rusher. You don't think of him in that category because he hasn't been able to stay healthy. We need a back who is going to turn a four-yard run into a 14-yard run in the mode of Travis Stephens, Travis Henry and Jamal Lewis, Jay Graham or Charlie Garner. We're looking for more excitement from the tailback position, from Cedric, Gerald Riggs, Jabari Davis, Corey Larkins and David Yancey, who had the big spring. We want to see what Ja'Kouri Williams can do because he may be the fastest of the whole bunch. That's a very competitive situation.
"We came out of spring practice better in the wide receiver positions. Tony Brown, Derrick Tinsley, Chris Hannon, Jayson Swain, Robert Meachem, C.J. Fayton and Bill Grimes - all those guys, we want to see what they can do. We should be better at that position, and that will take some pressure off the running game. We need some big plays out of the wide receivers.
"Defensively, there are questions mostly around the secondary. Those guys haven't played back there. We lost three good players in the secondary - Jabari Greer, Rashad Baker and Gibril Wilson. Corey Campbell has played some at safety as had Brandon Johnson. Those guys need to take hold of the position and take over. We will move Robert Boulware from corner to safety. A walk-on named Ben Greene had a great spring for us. We're going to watch a couple of freshmen, Ryan Karl and Ellix Wilson and give them a chance. We will see where James Banks is in that mix. He's suspended for the first three games. We'll see what's best for the team, him in the secondary or at wide receiver.
"Linebacker, we've talked about them a lot. It's a good group of guys with potential and depth. One of the keys is Kevin Simon having a great year at middle linebacker. On the outside, Kevin Burnett and Jason Mitchell are proven players. Kevin Simon is very capable of being a leader.
"At defensive end, I am really happy with what Parys Haralson has done. Two guys who could make a difference in our defensive unit are Turk McBride and Antonio Reynolds. Reynolds gives us the guy off the edge who gives us that great speed that can make plays. I'm interested in seeing where freshman Xavier Mitchell is along with Jared Hostetter. They could be looked at as defensive tackles, where you also have Justin Harrell and Jesse Mahelona, Tony McDaniel and LaRon Harris. Harrell has to stay healthy. Jesse continued to work and improve. He's a good player but hasn't been here that long. Tony has to play up to his potential. LaRon looks the part but hasn't been consistent. Coach Brooks has a tremendous challenge to get it done.
"It's been a fun group of kids to work with and watch grow. Last year's team had a good attitude and work ethic. It's carried over. We have lots of meeting time and practice time to get it done."
PRESEASON NOTEBOOK
* The Vols will be trying for their 10th consecutive season-opening victory Sept. 5 against UNLV at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee owns a 79-22-6 (.766) all-time record in 107 lidlifters. It is 14-1 in its last 15 home openers, having won nine straight. UT leads the series vs. UNLV 1-0 (62-3 win in the 1996 season opener in Knoxville)
* With the retirement of Mississippi State's Jackie Sherrill at the end of last season, Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer became the dean of the league coaches as he begins his 13th season with the Volunteers.
* Fulmer needs three victories to pass former Tennessee coach Johnny Majors and long time Alabama coach Frank Thomas for 11th place on the SEC's all-time coaching victories list. Fulmer has 113 wins and has a shot to move into ninth place past Steve Spurrier (Florida) and Mike Donahue (Auburn/LSU) who recorded 122 wins apiece. Charlie McClendon (LSU) is eighth with 137 victories.
* Tennessee opens the 2004 with four straight home games. Not since 1977, when the Vols played five consecutive home games, have they enjoyed such a stretch.
* The Vols own the best interdivision record among SEC teams, going 27-8-1 (.764) against the Western Division since the league split in 1992.
* Since 1992, no SEC team has pitched more shutouts than Tennessee's 13. The Vols have recorded at least one shutout in each of the last three years, the longest current streak of any league team. Four times in the last 12 years UT has registered two shutouts in a season.
* With 1,629 yards under his belt, senior running back Cedric Houston needs just 80 yards to break into the Vols' all-time top 10 in rushing and is 371 yards shy of becoming the 11th UT back to rush for over 2,000 in a career. He enters the 2004 campaign needing 1,450 yards to break Travis Henry's all-time mark of 3,078.
* Tennessee is ranked No. 14 in the preseason ESPN/USA Today-Coaches Poll. The Associated Press preseason poll will be released later this week.
* The Volunteers open their 108th season with an record of 736-303-53 (.698) which ranks ninth all-time among Division I-A schools.
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