VolNotes: Spotlight on D-Linemen

[orange+white=heaven]

Features on defensive linemen abound in the papers this morning. It's not like that position is important or anything after all.

We'll start there, then add some other notes...

TFP: Dan Williams

With senior J.T. Mapu the only proven player in the interior, the Volunteers could use quantum leaps from juniors Demonte Bolden and Walter Fisher and sophomores Williams and Victor Thomas. And with the season opening with a tough test at California, they need that to happen soon.

"I finally realized I'm not the young guy any more," said Williams, a third-year sophomore defensive tackle.
"It was kind of easy when you had a Justin Harrell or a Jesse Mahelona to look up to, but now all those guys are gone, so it's time for me to step up," Williams said.

Williams took a step forward in Saturday's scrimmage. He was originally credited with four of Tennessee's 13 sacks, though that number was ultimately changed to two.
"Four sounds better, but I just had two," he said.

"It's like night and day with the D-tackles," McClendon said. "The D-tackles and O-line have been challenged this whole camp, and I think we're both taking the challenge to run the ball or stop the run for the D-line.
"I think it's been a really successful camp for both sides of the interior line."
Coach Phillip Fulmer would like to have at least five defensive tackles ready by the Cal game, but defensive line coach Dan Brooks said he doesn't even know "who the first two are going to be.
"Some guys are making more plays than others, and some guys are in the right place all the time," Brooks said. "We're not settled yet."

TNsean: Walter Fisher

He said he's finally fully healthy and is enjoying battling for some significant playing time in 2007.
"I have two brand new shoulders so I have an advantage over everybody," said Fisher, a former Hillsboro star. "Other people have been banging on their shoulders. But I have two brand new shoulders. So I'm all right."

...injuries have limited Fisher's progress and he is behind defensive tackles J.T. Mapu and Demonte' Bolden on the depth chart. Despite not being able to improve physically for most of last year, he decided to improve the mental part of his game in the offseason.
Fisher, 22, spent chunks of his day watching film of NFL defensive linemen ....

"I've been watching them to see how hard they go with their feet and their hands together," Fisher said. "I've been trying to mimic the way they do it, trying to work with my hands a lot more and coordinating them with my feet."

Dan Brooks has seen the evolution. The Vols defensive line coach has hammered away at Fisher during the offseason to become more consistent and show the type of talent Fisher was known for in Nashville and Kansas.

"He's a guy who can make some plays and he's strong," Brooks said. "I think he's more ready to play right now than he's ever been since he's been here. A lot of it has to do with his health and knowing the system, but Fisher is ready to make a contribution for us."

TNsean: Ben Martin

Sacks were few and far between last season for Tennessee's defense.
Coach Phillip Fulmer thinks the Vols can fix that, and Ben Martin could help. Fulmer said Tuesday that Martin, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound freshman defensive end from Cincinnati, is "the real deal" and might be a part of the solution to Tennessee's pass-rushing problems.
"He's just young," Fulmer said of Martin, one of the top-rated prospects in UT's freshmen class. "We're trying to find out what he can learn and how fast he can learn it, because he's a special football player."

Notes from Tennessean...

Fulmer offered some additional insight into the coaching staff's decision to move junior offensive lineman Ramon Foster from right guard to right tackle Monday.
"I like him at guard," Fulmer said. "He gives us a physical presence at guard, which we're had with the Fred Wearys and the Casey Colemans and some of those guys … But at tackle, he kind of sets that edge pretty good — real good — from a pass-protection standpoint. And also from a physical standpoint, at that position, he mismatches a lot of ends with his size."

Freshman Tyler Maples moved from defensive back to receiver Tuesday. Maples was a first-team all-state receiver at Maryville High last year and caught 56 passes for more than 1,200 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Jacques McClendon remains behind Chris Scott at right guard, but Fulmer said McClendon has been impressive so far in fall camp.

"I tell you, he has made a ton of progress," Fulmer said. "It's a real close situation in there right now, and he just needs to continue to work on being fundamentally and technique-sound and play as physical as he's playing right now.
"He brings a dimension that's pretty special."

Kick duties..

After inconsistent performances from redshirt freshman kicker Daniel Lincoln in Saturday's scrimmage and Tuesday morning's practice, Fulmer said junior punter Britton Colquitt "may be doing all the kicking."
And that's OK with Fulmer, who initially had hoped for Lincoln to ease Colquitt's workload by handling some of the placekicking duties.
"It's not a concern," Fulmer said. "(Ryan) Succop does it very well for South Carolina. Other people have done it. Britton's fine with it. We just would have to be smart and make sure we don't over-kick him. He's a wonderful weapon, and we're going to use him every way we can."

TFP: Notes

Marsalous Johnson dressed but was limited in both of Tennessee's practices Tuesday with an injured shoulder, which bumped freshman Eric Berry up to first-team cornerback.

Phillip Fulmer said the prep All-American played well with the starters.
"There's good competition back there that he's created at all those positions," Fulmer said of Berry. "He's done very well."
Fulmer said he wouldn't hesitate to start Berry in the season opener at California but added that Johnson "has had a heck of a camp" and hasn't lost his job.
"You probably wouldn't want to take a quarterback and stick him out there on the road in the first game, but a cornerback, you're going to have to get in the fire sometime," Fulmer said. "Our schedule falls with a pretty tough start, so we'll put the best guys out there."

The mad scientist keeps tinkering in the O-Line...

Fulmer flipped Ramon Foster to right tackle and Chris Scott to right guard this week to test a new formula, and it appears the coach likes the results so far -- at least at tackle.

"There's no substitute for experience, and (Foster) has the most experience of any of the guys competing for those two positions," Fulmer said. "Ramon has taken the next step from a physical standpoint. From the tackle, he kind of sets that edge pretty good from a pass-protection standpoint and from a physical standpoint at that position. He mismatches a lot of defensive ends."

Jacques McClendon, who has shown flashes at guard but hasn't been consistent enough for Fulmer.
"(McClendon) will have four of five good plays and one bad one, but that one bad one can stop a drive," Fulmer said. "You just can't have those bad plays. He has made a ton of progress. It's a real close situation in there right now."
Said McClendon: "I have no clue what's going to happen. You have to come to perform every day, because you're either going to be starting or one play away from starting."

A word with the frosh...

With classes starting next Wednesday, the UT campus is about to feel a whole lot different for the Vols' freshmen.
So Fulmer took some time to meet with the first-year players to discuss possible issues that could arise in the next few weeks.
"It's a good group, and a very responsive group," Fulmer said. "I talked to all the freshmen today about school coming up, about drugs and alcohol, all those things that are important.
"But I also talked to them about how they can continue to improve on the field."

It's going to be record highs here in the Scenic City today.
Wherever you are, be careful out there...

Go Vols!!!

 

[norrislakevol]

Thanks for all the info you compile; keeps me from having to read so many different articles.

 

[orange+white=heaven]

Forgot the notes from GVX....

GVXractice notes

outlook bright in secondary

Safety Jarrod Parrish said watching tape from Saturday’s scrimmage confirmed the Vols were on their game.
“A couple of the younger guys were out of position a little bit, but that’s just from their youth,” Parrish said. “Overall, we had a pretty good day.”
“We don’t have anybody that’s scared to hit anybody here. And we like getting interceptions. Put those things together and we should have a pretty good defensive secondary.”

Mayo's RBs report..

linebacker Jerod Mayo has taken notice of UT’s freshman tailbacks.
“I’m real impressed with Daryl Vereen,” Mayo said. “He runs the ball downhill hard and (Lennon) Creer has speed to get to the outside. I’m real excited to see those guys.”
Playing middle linebacker, Mayo has a unique perspective when it comes to judging UT’s tailbacks. Vereen has definitely made an impression.
“He hits the hole with force,” Mayo said. “He’s only about 180 pounds but he gets there.”

Fulmer said the Vols are focusing on solidifying their two-deep chart, hinting that nearly all of UT’s season-opening starters have been determined.

“Our depth is where we’re focused a lot right now,” Fulmer said.

I don't know how committed we are to this WR at QB look...

Sophomore receiver Lucas Taylor and freshman receiver Gerald Jones both saw time at quarterback during Tuesday’s afternoon practice.

Offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe said previous plans to put Eric Berry behind center are on hold, as the freshman is “overloaded” with preparing to play cornerback.
Once Berry has a better grip of cornerback, he could find himself back in the quarterback rotation.
“They can all throw the ball,” Cutcliffe said. “They can certainly run, so we’re going to continue to see if we can grow with that package and add a little dynamic.
“What we’re trying to do is find playmakers and ways to get touches to our playmakers. That gives you another way to do it.”

Cutcliffe said UT will continue to work on the package. When it may debut, if ever, is anyone’s guess.
“Whether we get it game-ready, we’ll see,” Cutcliffe said.

UT’s receivers had shown improvement since turning in a “poor” practice on Saturday. Cutcliffe said the key to UT’s improvement at receiver was better adjusting routes to different coverages.

The reps at Kick returner

Berry, Vereen, freshmen receivers Brent Vinson and Denarius Moore and Arian Foster received most of the kickoff return work on Tuesday.

 

[jakez4ut]

tks owh......good stuff........we're getting close!!

 

[Vercingetorix]

Great info. Thanks!

 

[SWIL]

Berry in the QB rotation?? Really?! hmy: