Vols Start Knocking Heads

#1
orange+white=heaven

orange+white=heaven

VN GURU
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#1
Now we start to figure out what this team's character is going to be, and who is reeady for some football...

tfpOnlone:Vols Start In Full Gear Today
Finally, real football.
Well, at least real practice.
After four days of working out in shorts and shoulder pads, the University of Tennessee football team will suit up today in full gear.
"Tomorrow we finally get to see what we are going to be about," coach Phillip Fulmer said Monday. "Attitude's good, work habits are good. Right now it's just a matter of getting to really play and see where we are."
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"You get surprised occasionally," Fulmer said. "You get a guy where you wonder if he's fast enough or athletic enough, and then he gets the pads on and makes up for it because he is so intense and aggressive.
"Or sometimes you get a guy who looks great in shorts and he turns around and he's not the bravest guy around when he crosses the middle looking for the ball. It tells you a lot once you get the pads."
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Bolden's all about business, and it's good to hear...
Entering his third season at UT, Bolden has learned the best way to deal with criticism is to ignore it.

"I'm being real honest. I don't care what the media has to say about me," Bolden said. "I have a job I have to get done, and all I've got to do is get it done. That's it."
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More talk about the no huddle...
The Vols' no-huddle offense is already paying dividends on the practice field, even with a crop of freshmen who didn't get to work through it during spring practice.
"I'm really surprised how well and how quickly they have caught on," Fulmer said. "We are getting more reps because we are at the line of scrimmage quicker. It really makes them continue to focus and not go back to the huddle and think about the last play. Instead they are right back on the line of scrimmage thinking about the next play."
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tfpOnline:Ben Martin Impressive
An end needs quickness and acceleration to race around the edge of the line and strength to whip opposing Southeastern Conference linemen. Few high school prospects combine the traits well enough to start immediately.
Well, Fulmer can think of one notable exception.
"Will Overstreet did it," Fulmer said.
Nine years later, everything about blue-chip freshman Ben Martin says he's ready to follow Overstreet's starting status in Tennessee's national championship run of 1998.
Coaches can't stop glowing about Martin's quick first step, and there is muscle and maturity on his 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame.
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During Friday's first practice of the preseason, coaches noticed him shaking through blocks in a hurry on one of his first plays.
Fulmer raised an eyebrow.
"He didn't look like a freshman," Fulmer said. "He closed and played under the running back and was in position to make the tackle. A lot of times these guys are intimidated by the speed or the physicalness of it. He never even batted an eye. ... If we put him on the edge, I believe he can do something."
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Tennessean:TightEnds and Tennessee 2007

It's almost too much excitement for Brad Cottam to contain.
Whenever the Tennessee tight end is asked how many passes he will see this year because of his team's lack of experienced wide receivers, he tries to fight back a big, wide smile.
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The Vols' tight ends will play a major role in the passing game this season as the coaching staff attempts to piece together a competitive wide receiver unit.
Cottam, his sophomore brother Jeff, senior Chris Brown and redshirt freshman Luke Stocker form a set of tight ends with experience, talent, and trust with quarterback Erik Ainge.

"I expect us to play a big role in the game," Cottam said recently, struggling not to grin. "We bring a lot of problems to the defense, especially when you throw in the no-huddle, when the defense can't sub and we can spread out wide or move in."
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GoVolsXtra:Full Pads
Tennessee’s junior offensive guard can’t wait to put on full pads for the first time.
“I play O-line,” Parker said. “There’s nothing for us to do running around in helmet and shorts. I don’t play wide receiver. I don’t like running around. I want to hit somebody.”
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On the offensive line, at least four players will battle for starting jobs at right guard and right tackle.
Fulmer said the left side is mostly set, with Eric Young at tackle and Parker at guard. Sophomore Josh McNeil is the starter at center, after being named first team freshman All-SEC last season.
On the right side, though, Jacques McClendon is battling Ramon Foster for the starting spot at guard, while Steven Jones remains behind Chris Scott at tackle.
Vladimir Richard and Ramone Johnson could also compete for playing time up front.
“I think every day we come out here to compete and get better,” offensive line coach Greg Adkins said. “It’s (today’s) the day we put the full pads on, make sure our pads are down competing and make sure the low man wins.
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Enjoy your day friends...

Go Vols!!!
 
#5
#5
Great Report!

Lets Pray that we have a Great Practice and No One Gets hurt. :rock:
 
#6
#6
I love it when it's pad poppin time but not the injuries that come with it. I hope we can stay away from the serious injuries.
 
#7
#7
*NOTE......
Dates, times, for the three preseason scrimmages at Neyland. Open only to media.

11 August, 3:40p
18 August, 8:00p
25 August, 10:40a.. kicking game scrimmage
 
#8
#8
“I play O-line,” Parker said. “There’s nothing for us to do running around in helmet and shorts. I don’t play wide receiver. I don’t like running around. I want to hit somebody.”
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LOVE IT! :rock:
 
#10
#10
I missed OWH's posts just slightly less than football season. :hi:
 
#17
#17
lawgator1 said:
OWH, any news on the running backs?
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Well, I assume you, like everyone has heard that Foster looks better.

There was this on Hardesty, who is healthy for the first time since he was a frosh...

Healthy Hardesty Set For Season

Hardesty, a 6-foot, 205-pound product of New Bern, N.C., arrives for his sophomore season at Tennessee a bit below the radar -- and it doesn't bother him at all.
After undergoing surgeries on both knees, including multiple procedures on his left one, Hardesty is happy to be finally healthy for basically the first time since his true freshman season.
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"It's just real good to be healthy, man," Hardesty said. "It feels good to go out to practice and not worry about, 'Is my knee going to be swollen today?'
"I can just go out there and play football."
It's easy to forget that Hardesty was the only tailback to play in all 13 games last season. With 107 attempts, he finished one carry behind LaMarcus Coker for the most on the Volunteers' team. Hardesty also posted 62 more rushing yards than Arian Foster, the first-string tailback to start and finish the year.
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"Anybody that's used to relying on their body so much as he is, it's hard when some of that is taken away from you," Roper said. "But I think what you see is a guy that has really strong mind to fight through those things and reach the point where he is now, where he's gone through a lot of adversity, setbacks and pain, but he's still trying to be the best he can possibly be."
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Montario could well be a big surprise to many this fall.
Of course, if he is, everyone will say they knew it all along.
Truth is, folks doubt him perhaps most of the threesome...
 
#18
#18
The first day of pads in 1998, Al Wilson BROKE a blocking sled...it was still under warranty and the company that made it said it was only the second one they have ever had to replace.

Geez...I miss Al.
 
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