Coach Fulmer's Time for the 'Last Tackle'

Nov. 27, 2008

Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer never has been one to make a big deal over himself and, apparently, doesn't intend to start now.
But Thursday after the Vols' last full practice at Haslam Field, after paying a verbal tribute to his 25 seniors and sending them one at a time through the line of teammates to their "Last Tackle," Fulmer decided to take matters into his own hands.
"I kind of got in on a cleanup block," Fulmer said of his charge through the line on a beautiful Thanksgiving afternoon. "I didn't have to hit it. It was already on the ground so I just cleaned it up a little bit."

Asked if he had ever before taken part in the Tennessee tradition, Fulmer said in his typical unpretentious manner, "It wasn't my year to be the `Last Tackle.'"

This Saturday, however, Fulmer coaches his final game on the UT sideline when the Vols host Kentucky in a 6:45 p.m. Eastern time kickoff. A win against the Wildcats not only keeps alive UT's 23-game winning streak in the series but also raises Fulmer's coaching record in 17 seasons to 152 wins against 52 losses.

Knowing the circumstances, Thursday's post-practice wrapup involved lots of hugs, thank-yous and well-wishes from players current and past.
"A lot of friends came out to see us," Fulmer said. "It was a good day and I'm looking forward to the weekend."

Thursday's "Last Tackle" and Saturday's pregame ceremonies honor 25 seniors playing their final game for the Big Orange. Those being recognized are: Brett Barnes, Demonté Bolden, Josh Briscoe, Jake Brown, Britton Colquitt, Stephen Darville, Walter Fisher, Arian Foster, Brent Freeman, Derrick Furlow, Antonio Gaines, Ryan Hill, David Holbert, Nevin McKenzie, Adam Myers-White, Anthony Parker, Brett Thomason, Phillip Tritapoe, Ben Weisensel, Ja'Kouri Williams, DeAngelo Willingham, and captains Lucas Taylor, Ellix Wilson, Ramon Foster and Robert Ayers.

The Vols coach said Thursday he has not made a final determination for Saturday's starting quarterback, offering that it likely would be Jonathan Crompton and that B.J. Coleman has been limited this week by a foot injury. Coleman, who saw his first extensive action in last week's 20-10 win at Vanderbilt, is expected to play.

As for Thursday's workout, the Vols practiced 75 minutes in a good tempo.

"We had a much better day as far as offensive execution than we had Wednesday, which was encouraging," Fulmer said. "It was a fun day. The guys changed jerseys and that's fun for them -- although it's hard to see Gerald Jones out there in No. 75 running the football.
"And the last tackle is always special."

Make that extra special; just don't make it that big of a deal.

www.tennfb.com

Thanks Coach Fulmer For The Memories

Nov. 27, 2008
It probably had to do with winning college football's national championship. Things like that tend to make an impression.

But sometime in the late 1990s, Phillip Fulmer became synonymous with the Tennessee Volunteers.

The very mention of his name and listeners or readers immediately thought "Tennessee."
As in, "Yes, Phillip Fulmer coaches the Tennessee Vols and they won the BCS national championship and always are on TV and his daughters run off the field with him after every game and, well, he's Tennessee. He is Tennessee."

Fulmer obviously hasn't been alone in that distinction. UT fans would place Peyton Manning in that category, although the guess now is that Peyton is known nationally more for his Indianapolis Colts success and Super Bowl victory than for his days at Neyland Stadium.

Pat Summitt meets the criteria and has become one of college basketball's true ambassadors. Eight national championships carry a great deal of exposure, and Summitt never fails to put a class product on the floor. This story just as easily could be about her and all the great things she's done for this university, city and state, as well as her status as an icon for the sport of women's basketball.

But Fulmer has been UT on its biggest sporting stage, a venue that seats more than 100,000 fans every Saturday. Home games or away games meant massive crowds and mind-numbing media scrutiny.

College football is not the nation's most popular athletics endeavor, but it's not 12th either. Coaches roaming the sidelines in the powerful Southeastern Conference in front of six-figure crowds carry a certain notoriety to say the least.

And Phillip Fulmer has been the face of the Tennessee Vols.

That meant whether it was during a nail-biter against Georgia or during a Big Orange Caravan stop in Germantown, Fulmer was the one Vols fans wanted to see.

But now he's leaving, stepping down after 17 seasons at the helm. Tonight's game against Kentucky marks his final appearance as head coach of the Volunteers.

So before kickoff, we say, "Thanks, Coach," for all you've done for UT fans and for what you've meant to the Tennessee football program:

Thanks for that 34-31 win at Georgia in 1992, your first road triumph. You broke out the white pants away from home for the first time in 10 years and started a winning streak against the Bulldogs that lasted the rest of the decade.

Thanks for your very first bowl game victory over Boston College in January 1993. Tampa's Hall of Fame Bowl -- now the Outback -- was the setting as Tennessee and quarterback Heath Shuler breezed to a 38-23 triumph. Tampa also marked your final bowl appearance, a 21-17 win over Wisconsin this past January.

Thanks for closing out the artificial turf era on Shields-Watkins Field with a 62-14 thumping of Vanderbilt. The Vols ended with a record of 125-38-7 at home on artificial turf, and your mark as head coach was a perfect 9-0.

Thanks for recruiting an amazing cast of footballers to UT in the spring of 1994. Names such as Jeff Coleman, Jeff Hall, Mercedes Hamilton, Steve Johnson, and Jarvis Reado were all future starters for the 1998 national championship team. Oh, and that Manning guy mentioned earlier played a down or two in the seasons prior, as did starters Terry Fair, Cory Gaines, Ron Green and Marcus Nash before leaving Big Orange Country. Out of the 22 signees in February 1994, Manning was selected All-America, five others made All-SEC and seven were chosen in future NFL drafts, including Manning and Fair in the 1998 first round. Such hauls helped cement your status as one of the nation's top recruiters and made Neyland Stadium a destination location for top high school talent.

Thanks for compiling that 45-5 record from 1995-98, culminating in the very first Bowl Championship Series title.

Thanks for patching those gaping holes in the 1998 lineup and guiding that team through a scheduling gauntlet, one that included seven ranked opponents at the time you played them and four teams ranked among the elite top 10.

The entire 1998 season was highlighted by the development of unsung quarterback Tee Martin, successful replacement of injured all-star tailback Jamal Lewis, a relentless defense led by Al Wilson that routinely came through with tide-turning big plays and a field goal kicker in Hall whose heroics salvaged victory in the first two games.

Coach-of-the-year honors cascaded one upon another into your trophy case, culminated by the Eddie Robinson National Coach of Distinction Award.

Thanks for the 2001 season. No it didn't end the way everyone would have liked, with an SEC championship and berth in another BCS national title game. But still it was a heck of a ride. Gritty wins that year over Arkansas, LSU, Alabama, South Carolina and Notre Dame, not to mention rallying from a 21-point deficit at Kentucky, only set the stage for a spectacular night in Gainesville. The Vols prevailed in a top-5 showdown, defeating the Gators 34-32 after entering the game more than two-touchdown underdogs. LSU won the rematch one week later in Atlanta, but a bowl win over Michigan -- the first meeting between these traditional powers -- capped an 11-2 campaign that saw the Vols finish fourth in the AP poll.

Thanks for the overtime experiences. It took six extra periods to topple Arkansas in 2002, five for the win at Alabama in 2003 and four more at Kentucky in 2007 to clinch the SEC Eastern Division title. You became a master motivator when the ball was placed at the 25-yard line, winning six straight OT games from 2002-07.

Thanks for the gutsy fourth-down calls. Like that steamy November Saturday in Miami when the Vols went for broke just before halftime and Derrick Tinsley swept around right end. You said leaving the field, "We came down here to win a football game!" Tinsley scored the afternoon's only touchdown in a 10-6 victory that ended the Hurricanes' 26-game home winning streak.

Thanks for believing in America's youth. Tennessee began the 2004 season with a pair of true freshman quarterbacks in Brent Schaeffer and Erik Ainge. The results were an appearance in the SEC Championship Game, a smashing Cotton Bowl victory and a 10-3 finish.
Thanks for all the miraculous finishes. Rick Clausen rallying UT from 21-0 down on a Monday night at LSU in 2005 to win in overtime might have been the most impressive.

Other great come-from-behind wins in UT football history also occurred on your watch -- 18 down against Arkansas in 1998; 21 at Kentucky in 2001; 24 at Notre Dame in 1991 (when you were offensive coordinator); and 25 against Vanderbilt in 1987 (when you coached the offensive line). And though not among the top five, coming from 24-7 down at Georgia in 2006 to win 51-33, and rallying last season for the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in Neyland Stadium history to clip Vanderbilt 25-24, after trailing 24-9, are games that will go down in the annals of UT football lore.

Thanks for the great run against Alabama. An 11-5 career coaching record versus the Crimson Tide is no small accomplishment. Even sweeter was becoming the first school and head coach in history to post seven consecutive wins over Alabama (1995-2001).

And finally, thanks for the pageantry of the SEC Championship Game. The Vols have played five times in the league's premier event, all with Phillip Fulmer patrolling the sideline. You won two nail-biters and lost three heartbreakers, but over the final decade of your tenure you never went more than three years without taking a team to Atlanta. Over the last two decades -- really, for the last 40 years -- Phillip Fulmer has become synonymous with the Tennessee Volunteers. Fans this weekend from Memphis to Mountain City are saying "Thanks, Coach."
You did it your way, the right way, the Tennessee way. To the end.

Berry Named Thorpe Award Finalist

Berry Named Thorpe Award Finalist, SEC Defensive Player of the Week

Tennessee's Eric Berry saw his weekend exploits spill over into Monday as he was named both a Jim Thorpe Award finalist and the SEC's Defensive Player of the Week in the same afternoon.
Berry is one of three finalists for the coveted Thorpe Award, presented to the nation's top defensive back by a selection committee of former players, coaches, journalists and representatives of the major conferences. His selection as a finalist means the UT sophomore is headed to Orlando, Fla., for The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards.

The program, hosted by ESPN's Chris Fowler, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit, originates Dec. 11 from the Atlantic Dance Hall at Disney's Boardwalk on the Walt Disney World Resort. The program airs live on ESPN from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Eastern time.

Other finalists are Ohio State senior Malcolm Jenkins and Southern California junior Taylor Mays.

Berry stands alone nationally with seven interceptions for the season. His 265 interception return yards this year are threatening the all-time NCAA mark of 302 set by Southern Cal's Charles Phillips in 1974, and his 487 career yards in just 24 games are within 14 of the NCAA career mark of 501 set by Florida State's Terrell Buckley from 1989-91.

The fierce-hitting safety also earned his second weekly SEC defensive honor of the season for his efforts in Saturday's win at Vanderbilt.

The sophomore returned an interception for a touchdown for the second time in five games to help Tennessee past the Commodores, 20-10. Berry's season interception return yardage total broke the 52-year-old SEC record of 242 set by Florida's Joe Brodsky in 1956. He added one sack in the game and also took four snaps at quarterback, rushing for 11 yards and a first down.

This week's other SEC recipients were Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon (offense), LSU placekicker Colt David (special teams), Mississippi center Daverin Geralds (offensive lineman) and defensive tackle Peria Jerry (defensive lineman), and Florida running back Chris Rainey (freshman).

187 YEARS OF RECORDS SHATTERED

Berry in less than two seasons has broken interception return yardage records that had been on the books for a combined 187 years. He now owns records for a UT season (previously stood for 37 years), UT career (39 years), SEC season (52 years) and SEC career (59 years).

www.utsports.com

Coach Fulmer's Media Day Comments

"I'm going to really try and keep this on task as far as getting ready for Kentucky and our game against Vanderbilt if you want to talk about that. Obviously we have a very short week with Thanksgiving coming up. We're certainly glad to get the Vanderbilt win, but we didn't spend a lot of time even going through the tape except for plays that we felt like were relevant during the game. We wanted to get right onto Kentucky with all of our Sunday preparation. Where normally we would give corrections, we skipped so that we could get ourselves started on Kentucky because of the short week and because it's a very important game to our seniors and our football team.

"Kentucky presents a significant amount of problems on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Offensively, they have done a really good job as they've changed quarterbacks. I'm so impressed with Randall Cobb when you consider his youthfulness and look at his ability and what they've been able to do with him. We'll have to do a great job of containing him in this ballgame because a lot of what they're doing is built around him. The fact that they are a no huddle team, we've been able to see quite a bit of that during the course of the year. The practice time and the preparation are always a little bit more difficult because of that. It really makes you work.

"I think it's appropriate to say that the defense really has a challenge this week. I've been really proud of our defensive football team this year, particularly in light of some of our inefficiencies on offense. It's almost amazing what they've been able to accomplish this year getting that done.

"Last week was the first consistent time during the season our offense was able to take some of the burden off the defense by keeping the ball 34 minutes or so and scoring some points. Hats off to our defense and also to our offense to stay on the path that we're on. We obviously have to throw the ball better and more than nine times. You're not going to get away with that too often. That's certainly one of our priorities during the course of the week.

"When you look at Kentucky, at their kicking game, they've done a good job. Their punter is very good, their kickoff is very good. It's a good solid kicking game. That was another area where I felt like made a difference -- there were some hidden yardage plays that made a difference for us versus Vanderbilt. We will continue to address that during the course of the week.

"Our challenge has been our offensive team. They did take the challenge a bit better against Vanderbilt. We need to be able to continue to run the ball effectively. We must improve our balance. At this point right now, all of the quarterbacks are in the mix. We'll go here during the course of the week and decide exactly what we want to do. We'll continue to be creative a little bit with some of the things we do. Hopefully, we can do enough things well to keep Kentucky having to work to stop us.

"The guys started off well on Sunday night. Today and through the week it's going to be extremely important that we put the plan in place and execute to be able to do what we need to do."

www.utsports.com

Vols Want To Sharpen Focus During Last Tackle

Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer didn't see a particularly sharp team during Wednesday's 90-minute workout at Haslam Field. Only one full practice date remains for UT before the 2008 season finale against Kentucky this Saturday night.
"Hopefully in the morning we will pick up the slack there," said Fulmer, whose squad returns to practice on Thanksgiving. "Today wasn't as sharp as I'd like for it to be offensively. I thought we have had two good days defensively."
Defense hasn't been the problem for Tennessee this season. The Vols rank sixth nationally in total defensive yards allowed and among the top 16 in all five major defensive categories.
Thursday also marks the day of the "Last Tackle," a Tennessee tradition in which Fulmer uses the occasion to gather his seniors at one end of a double line of teammates and offer a few kind words about each individual. The players then take turns plowing into a tackling dummy one last time, to the cheers and salutes of their teammates.
"We've done it this way for quite some time," Fulmer said of Thursday's annual ritual.

TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR FULMER FAREWELL
Individual game tickets for Tennessee season football finale -- and the final game for head coach Phillip Fulmer -- remain available for purchase online at utsports.com, via phone at (800) 332-VOLS and at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Kickoff for UT-Kentucky is 6:45 p.m. from Neyland Stadium. Tickets for are $50 each plus shipping and handling.

www.utsports.com

I Voted For Eric Berry As A 1st Team All-America Player

Eric Berry has the athletic ability, swagger, size and mentality to be one of the greatest defensive players in SEC and Tennessee history.

I voted for Berry as a member of the defense for the 2008 Football Writers Association of America All-America team. This is why I won't leave Eric Berry off of the list. Compliments of http://www.youtube.com/

Who Will Replace Fulmer

The decision on who will be the next football coach at Tennessee may still be many days away. The media is speculating about a variety of coaches who could come to Knoxville.

The Sporting News talked with the Tennessee Titans Albert Haynesworth and the Dallas Cowboys Jason Witten and asked them who they would hire to replace their former coach Phil Fulmer at Tennessee.

Here's what they told the Sporting News

Albert Haynesworth, Tennessee Titans defensive tackle
Choice: Jon Gruden, head coach, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: "I heard they wanted to get (Steve) Spurrier, but I don't know about that. They need a new wrinkle, kind of how (Alabama did with) Nick Saban."

Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys tight end
Choice: Gruden. "I played for Coach (Phil) Fulmer, and I hate to see him go down after all the success he's had. I heard Jon Gruden's name has been mentioned. Obviously he has a connection there. ... You see some programs across the country that go through slumps there and just had a bad couple of years, but Coach Fulmer did a great job over the years, and I hate to see this happen."

Check out the Youtube tribute to Phillip Fulmer

Fulmer Talks About Tennessee and Vanderbilt

Fulmer's Media Day Comments
Nov. 18, 2008

"I won't take too long talking generally; I'll answer your questions. We went back to work on Sunday getting ready for Vanderbilt. We did use the open week I think very effectively. We took a couple of days to work on fundamentals and also to get some guys time to heal up and get over the nine-game stretch that we had, whether it be physically or getting ourselves in better shape for the last couple of ballgames, which a number of guys needed. Also from an emotional and mental standpoint, (it allowed them) to get over the events of the prior week.

"Sunday would be one of our best practices. We don't particularly practice on Sunday in full gear or anything. We went out in shorts and shoulder pads and had a physical, good practice. I appreciate that from our coaches and our players.

"Regarding Vanderbilt, they're a good football team. Obviously, they played very well against Kentucky, particularly in the first half. Since Bobby (Johnson) has been there, they've done a really good job on defense. They're a defensive football team that's very sound and makes you work at moving the football.

"Offensively, the quarterback is making plays for them. They've done a good job of using their personnel, particularly when D.J. Moore comes over and gives them some plays from an offensive standpoint. He's certainly one of the best players in our league.

"Our struggles are pretty obvious. You can't just point to the quarterback, everybody wants to do that. That's been one of the areas where we haven't done nearly as well as anybody would like, but we've also had our inconsistencies in a lot of other places, whether it be running the ball, people stacking the line of scrimmage to stop that and making us throw the football and execute in the passing game. Whether it be protection, consistently catching the ball as we should or consistently throwing the ball as we should has been a real struggle for us.

"Our goal this week is to improve the consistency and be efficient. The defense has played well enough to win most of our football games this season. We need to play the kicking game extremely well in this particular ballgame and take the plan that's in place and execute it."

http://www.utsports.com/

Fulmer has only two games left in the 2008 season. Here's a look at some of his speeches courtesy of youtube

UT-Kentucky Kickoff Set For Evening Kickoff On ESPN2

The Southeastern Conference announced Monday that Tennessee's Nov. 29 season finale against Kentucky is being televised by ESPN2 and kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time. UT has made two previous appearances this year on ESPN and one on ESPN2.

The Vols lead the series against the Wildcats 71-23-9, having won the last 23 consecutive games against their northern neighbor for the nation's longest active streak against the same opponent. Kentucky's last triumph in the series was by a 17-12 margin in Knoxville back in 1984. Three of the last four games in the series have been decided by six points or less, with UT winning 37-31 in 2004, 17-12 in 2006 and a 52-50 thriller in four overtimes last season in Lexington.

Other game being televised over the Thanksgiving weekend involving SEC teams include a pair of Friday games and five additional Saturday contests. Friday's twin bill features Mississippi State at Mississippi in the Egg Bowl on Raycom Sports (12:30 a.m. Eastern) and LSU at Arkansas on CBS (2:30 p.m. Eastern). Saturday's scheduled games are Georgia Tech at Georgia on CBS (noon Eastern), Auburn at Alabama on CBS (3:30 p.m. Eastern), and Vanderbilt at Wake Forest on ESPNU (7 p.m. Eastern).

Two additional Saturday games, Florida at Florida State and South?Carolina at Clemson, are part of the ACC television package and will be picked on a six-day selection. The Florida game will be televised at either 3:30 p.m. Eastern or in prime time (7:45 or 8) on ABC or ESPN, and the South Carolina game will be televised either at noon or 3:30 p.m. Eastern on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or Raycom.

SLADE FINALIST FOR NATIONAL SECONDARY COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD

Tennessee veteran assistant coach Larry Slade is one of three finalists for the FootballScoop Defensive Back Coach of the Year Award presented by Muscle Milk, it was announced Monday.

Slade is in his 10th season with the Vols and this year's unit might be his best ever. Tennessee has been among the nation's leaders all season in interceptions, currently standing 11th nationally with 15 interceptions.

Slade teaches man-to-man technique as well as anyone in the business. Over his career, he has coached a number of players who have gone on to become excellent NFL defensive backs. One of his current Vols, Eric Berry, might be the next to make it big on Sundays. Berry currently is tied for the national lead with six interceptions and leads the country with 220 interception return yards.

Key Tennessee Secondary Stats:

7th nationally -- Total defense (275.6 yards per game)

15th nationally -- Scoring defense (18.1 points per game)

7th nationally -- Passing defense (164.0 yards per game)

11th nationally -- Interceptions (15)

www.utsports.com

2nd Annual Toyota East vs. West Tennessee All-Star Classic

(Randall Cobb (Alcoa) played in the Toyota East vs West All-Star Classic in 2007. Today, he's the starting QB at Kentucky as a freshman)

The Tennessee Athletic Coaches Association and Toyota are proud to announce that the 2nd Annual Toyota East vs. West Tennessee All-Star Classic will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2008 at Burke-Tarr Stadium at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City.

The game will feature approximately 90 of Tennessee’s top high school football seniors divided into East and West teams. Several Division I commitments are expected to play in the game, and it will also give other undecided seniors an opportunity to shine in front of college coaches and a state-wide television audience.

Player nomination forms have been sent to coaches and the teams will be announced in early December.

Toyota East Vs. West Tennessee All-Star Classic Facts

Date: Saturday, December 13, 2008, Kickoff TBA

Site: Burke-Tarr Stadium (cap. 5,500) at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, TN

TV/Radio: The game will be broadcast on television in Knoxville (MyVLT-TV), and Nashville (WUXP MyTV30). Other TV stations across the state are expected to join the broadcast network.

Participants: Approximately 90 high school seniors from across Tennessee divided into East and West teams.

Team Practice Sites: West- Tusculum College, Greeneville
East- Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City

Practice Dates: Tuesday afternoon, December 9-Friday, December 12

Head Coaches: East- Philip Shadowens (Middle Tennessee Christian), West- Kevin Ward (Camden)

Assistant Coaches: East: Tony Lambert (Oneida), Tim Daniels (Red Bank), Buck Coatney (Fulton), Eddie Courtney (Farragut). West: P.A. Pratt (Crockett Co.), Paul Wade (Davidson Academy), Joe Welch (Bolton), Chris Wiley (Arlington), Carey Craig (Jackson South Side)

Selection Process: Nomination forms were sent to high school coaches in October. The teams will be selected and announced in early December.
Last Year’s Result: East All-Stars defeated West All-Stars 26-6.

Contacts: Bill Marbet, Executive Director, TACA, 1-800-837-8062, bill@mulemix.com

Russell Mayes, TACA Media Relations, 865-256-3197, rmayes@fultonfootball.com

Website: http://www.taca.net/

SEC TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES NOV. 17

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Special teams played a key role in Alabama's 32-7 win against Mississippi State ... Javier Arenas returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown and set up another TD with a 46-yard punt return ... Kareem Jackson blocked a punt for a safety and Alabama downed a punt at the MSU 2-yard line ... WR Julio Jones adds to his Alabama freshman records with 43 catches for 687 receiving yards ... RB Mark Ingram has set a Tide freshman record with nine rushing TDs ... Alabama is 11-0 and 7-0 in the SEC for the first time since 1994 ... Alabama has held nine opponents to less than 100 rushing yards this season ... State had 35 yards on 22 attempts against the Tide.

ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS
Casey Dick's 187 completions this season is now an Arkansas single-season record ... In the Arkansas career record charts, Dick is third in TD passes (45), attempts (821), completions (455), fourth in passing yards (5,659) and fifth in completion percentage (.554) ... Michael Smith has 1,012 rushing yards this season, the 15th time an Arkansas RB has reached the 1,000 yard mark and only the ninth rusher to accomplish the feat ... With just five minutes left in regulation, QB Nathan Dick saw his first snaps as a Razorback, completing 4-of-8 passes for 38 yards.

AUBURN TIGERS
Auburn has not allowed its opponents to score an offensive touchdown in the first quarter this season ... The Tigers hold a 64-13 scoring edge in the first quarter against opposition this season ... The Tigers have scored first in eight of their 11 games this season ... Auburn's defense held Georgia to 17 points, becoming just the third team this season to hold the Bulldogs to fewer than 20 points ... Auburn has had 19 different players catch passes this season ... Mario Fannin is first AU player to score rush and receiving TDs in the same game since 2007 Cotton Bowl.

FLORIDA GATORS
Florida has scored 42-or-more points in five straight games, matching the second-longest streak in school history (1996 & 2001) ... The Gators tallied 346 rushing yards against South Carolina - the first time UF has had more than 300 rushing yards in a game since Sept. 13, 2003 vs. Florida A&M (309) and the first time in an SEC game since Oct. 12, 1996 vs. LSU (308) ... In the last 73 games, the Gators have scored points off turnovers in 52 games ... UF has allowed just two first-half TDs this season and is outscoring opponents, 199-26, before the half ... Brandon James has set school single-season (427) and career (1,044) records for punt return yardage.

GEORGIA BULLDOGS
Georgia has recorded 16 wins when tied or trailing in the fourth quarter under Mark Richt ... The Bulldogs are 30-4 in opponents' stadiums under Richt ... Freshman FL A.J. Green leads the SEC in receiving yards (887) and is second in total catches (51) ... Senior SE Mohamed Massaquoi is fifth in Georgia history with 2,092 career receiving yards ... Soph. TB Knowshon Moreno leads the SEC in rushing, with 1,244 yards on 210 carries ... His 15 rushing TDs this season also leads the SEC ... He has 13 career games over 100 yards (131 yards, 22 carries vs. Auburn).

KENTUCKY WILDCATS
Kentucky leads the SEC, giving up just 10 sacks in 11 games ... It did not give up a sack against Vanderbilt ... The Wildcats are tied for the SEC lead for most sacks (26) with South Carolina and Vanderbilt ... Jr. PK Lones Seiber is now fourth on UK's career list for field goals with 35 ... Jr. CB Trevard Lindley had two pass deflections against Vanderbilt to raise his UK career record to 34 ... David Jones returned a blocked field goal (by Myron Pryor) 57 yards for a score - the ‘Cats first blocked field goal return for a TD since 2005 vs. Vanderbilt.

LSU TIGERS
LSU's 40-31 win against Troy marked the Tigers' largest comeback in school history ... The Tigers trailed the Trojans, 31-3, late in the third quarter ... The Tigers scored 37 unanswered points, including 30 in the fourth quarter ... WR Brandon LaFell set a career high in receptions against Troy with 12 for 126 yards (also career high) ... RB Charles Scott has 14 rushing TDs this season, tied for fourth in LSU record books ... PK Colt David has become the SEC career leader in PATs made with 192 ... His 52-yard field goal was a career long and tied for fourth longest in LSU history.

OLE MISS REBELS
With the 59-0 win over Louisiana-Monroe, the Rebels are bowl eligible for the first time since 2003 ... The margin of victory is the Rebels largest since posting a 69-7 win over Southern Miss in 1969 ... Soph. QB Jevan Snead became the first Rebel to account for five TDs (3 passing, career-high 2 rushing) since Eli Manning (6) against Arkansas in 2001 (7 OT game) ... Snead threw multiple TD passes for the third straight week and sixth time this season ... Snead's 88-yard pass play to Mike Wallace marked the longest in Rebels' history ... ULM was held to 131 total yards, the fewest allowed by Ole Miss since The Citadel gained 81 in 2005.

MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS
True freshmen Bo Walters (WLB) and Kendrick Cook (TE) earned their first career starts against Alabama ... WR Arnil Stallworth 33-yard reception against the Tide was his career longest ... Sr. LB Dominic Douglas had a game-high 11 tackles, his second consecutive double-digit tackle outing (15 vs. Kentucky) ... He is the first Bulldog since Quinton Culberson to post double digit tackles in consecutive weeks ... Douglas leads the Bulldogs with 84 total stops this season ... Sr. Jamayel Smith caught his fist TD pass of the season.

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS
WR Kenny McKinley had six catches against Florida and is now tied for seventh all-time in the SEC with 194 grabs ... His career total of 2,637 receiving yards is a school record ... McKinley also extended his school-record streak of consecutive games with at least one reception to 41 ... LB Eric Norwood had two sacks against Florida, bringing his career total to 22 ... He has had seven sacks in the last three games ... PK Ryan Succop hit both of his field goal attempts against the Gators and is now 19-of-28 this season .... He has hit field goals in eight straight games and 10 of 11 this season.

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
Soph. RB Lennon Creer made his first career start against Wyoming and finished the game with 82 yards on 16 carries ... UT's two leading rushers - Arian Foster and Montario Hardesty - did not play due to injury ... WR Lucas Taylor had three grabs against the Cowboys and is now 10th in UT's career reception list with 113 ... Jr. LB Rico McCoy had 10 tackles against Wyoming to lead the Vols for the third consecutive game ... Jr. DE Wes Brown had a career-high eight tackles ... Sr. DE Robert Ayes now has 11.5 TFLs this season - ninth in Tennessee history.

VANDERBILT COMMODORES
With its 31-24 win over Kentucky, Vanderbilt becomes bowl eligible for the first time since 1982, when it played in the Hall of Fame Bowl ... Vandy has won four SEC games in a season nine times ... The Commodores scored their first win in Lexington since 2000 ... QB Chris Nickson had season highs of 15-of-27 passing for 155 yards and three touchdowns ... He also had 118 yards rushing on 20 carries, a single-game high for Vandy rushers this season ... D.J. Moore had two interceptions against Kentucky and now has 13 in his career (T2nd at Vandy).

www.secsports.com

Fulmer Bleeds Orange Kick Off Blood Drive Underway

The first official blood donation for the 21st annual Battle of the Orange and Blue and blood drive competition between University of Tennessee fans and fans of the University of Kentucky took place last week with Tennessee's own Philip Fulmer leading the way.

The event kicked off, today (November 17) and runs through Friday, November 21.

Please call 865-524-3074 or visit medicblood.org for a full listing of community blood drives . MEDIC also reminds viewers that there are two donation locations for donor convenience-1601 Ailor Avenue near downtown Knoxville and 11000 Kingston Pike in Farragut near Pittsburg Paints.

"We are proud to have Coach Fulmer as the first official donation for Tennessee. And, we hope this inspires donors to come out and prove that the Volunteer spirit is alive and well in East Tennessee," states Christi Fightmaster, Medic spokesperson.

To sweeten the pot, each donor will receive a coupon for a free pint of Baskin Robbins Ice Cream, a pint for a pint promotion. And, donors will receive a Tennessee vs Kentucky t-shirt, cholesterol evaluation, and year's credit towards Medic's Family Blood Coverage Program. This program exempts donors and their IRS dependents from paying blood collection fees at any hospital in the U.S. if a transfusion is needed.

Sunday SEC Notebook

WEEK 13 NOTES

SEC games for Sat., Nov. 22:

Tennessee (3-7) at Vanderbilt (6-4) [11:30 a.m. CT / Raycom Sports]

The Citadel (4-7) at Florida (9-1) [1:30 p.m. ET / PPV - SUN Sports]

Arkansas (4-6) at Mississippi State (3-7) [1:30 p.m. CT]

Ole Miss (6-4) at LSU (7-3) [2:30 p.m. CT / CBS Sports]

The SEC's non-conference winning mark of 34-8 (81.0 percent) remains the highest of any NCAA FBS conference. In the era of 12 regular season games (six seasons), the SEC has won no fewer than 31 regular season non-conference games in a season.

This week, four SEC teams are ranked in the latest Harris, USA Today and AP Polls. Alabama is the top ranked team in each poll while Florida is the third ranked team in each poll. Georgia is ranked 12th in the Harris, 13th in the USA Today and AP polls and LSU is ranked 18th in all three polls. Ole Miss received votes in the AP poll, South Carolina received votes in all three and Vanderbilt received votes in the Harris poll. The BCS poll is set to be released on Sunday around 3-3:30 p.m. CT.

In 73 home games this season, more than 5.6 million fans (5,639,561) have watched SEC football in the 12 league stadiums this season. The average capacity this season is 98.39 percent. 42 of the SEC games this season have been sold out.

Since 2003, LSU has the best record in the SEC at 63-13 (.829) while Georgia has the best record in the SEC since 1998 (106-32, 76.8 percent).

Vanderbilt senior safety Reshard Langford is this week's SEC Community Service Team Player of the Week. The Tanner, Ala. native will be featured during Raycom Sports telecast of the Tennessee at Vanderbilt game this Saturday.

South Carolina WR Kenny McKinley has moved into a tie for 7th in career receptions in the SEC with 194. More movers in the SEC career record books: Florida QB Tim Tebow is now 8th in touchdowns scored (43), LSU PK Colt David is not the all-time leader in PATs made (192) and has moved into 6th in scoring by kicking (336), Alabama RS Javier Arenas is now 7th in punt return yards (1,133), Mississippi State RS Derek Pegues is now 3rd in total kick return yards (kickoff + punt) (3,222) and Florida RS Brandon James has moved into fifth in the same category with 2,736 yards.

Eight SEC teams are now eligible for post-season bowl games, reaching the six-win benchmark. Arkansas needs to defeat Mississippi State and LSU while Auburn needs to win at Alabama to both be bowl eligible in 2008.

The average SEC game times this season are at 3:11 while the national average is 3:13.
SEC defenses are averaging giving up 20.0 points and 305.8 yards per game. The point total is the lowest sine 19.4 in 2006 and the second lowest since 1994. The yardage total is lowest of the 12-team area in the SEC (since 1992). Offensively, the SEC is averaging 25.5 points (9th in FBS) and 343.7 yards per game (10th in FBS).

The trend this past weekend was quick scores. There were 19 offensive scoring drives that lasted two minutes or less while only four that lasted more than five minutes. This season, there have been 154 offensive drives of less than two minutes each and 78 lasting for more than five minutes each.

Florida leads the SEC, averaging 3.44 points per offensive drive. The Gators have scored points (TDs & FGs) on 52.59 percent of their offensive drives, and have scored TDs on 44.83 percent of offensive drives, both tops in the SEC.

Defensively, the two SEC championship game participants this year, are 1-2 in stopping opponents three-downs-and-out. Florida leads the SEC at 44.35 percent (55 of 124 drives) while Alabama is second at 42.22 percent (57 of 135 drives).

This season, the SEC has scored 159 passing TDs compared to 197 rushing TDs. SEC teams have scored 28 defensive touchdowns.

In intra-conference games this season, the home team has a 23-19 (54.76 percent) advantage over the visiting team (includes UF-UGA game for both teams). Alabama and Florida are the only SEC teams to be perfect on the road in intra-conference games.

In 41 intra-conference games this season, the average winning margin in the SEC is 13.68, which is fourth lowest among NCAA FBS conferences. The SEC has had 25 of its intra-conference games decided by 10-points-or-less. That 1.0 percentage is the second highest among NCAA FBS conferences (ACC - 27 of 38 games, 71.1 percent).

www.sec.org

Vols Go Back To Work; Vandy Next

Tennessee ended a quiet weekend by returning to the practice field Sunday night for a 90-minute workout inside the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center.

The Vols were off Saturday for the first time since Sept. 6. Focus now shifts to the 2008 season's remaining games against rivals Vanderbilt and Kentucky.

"These guys know how to practice," head coach Phillip Fulmer said. "They actually make me feel better out here for the hour and 40 minutes we spent -- particularly the defensive side of the ball. They had outstanding energy."

Tennessee is looking to close out Fulmer's UT career with a couple of victories, hoping to add to the coach's win total of 150 against just 52 losses during 17 seasons.

Next weekend's opponent, Vanderbilt, is coming off a 31-24 win Saturday night at Kentucky.

"We're a little bit ahead because of the open date," Fulmer said. "We came out tonight and, not having played, were in shorts and shoulder pads. We got in some good tackling and good fundamental work as well as a lot of work on Vanderbilt."

Saturday's kickoff is at 11:30 a.m. Central time in Nashville, with Raycom Sports and the Vol Network carrying the action.

www.utsports.com

O'Brien Semifinalists Go Head-to-Head In Week 12

Competition intensifies as conference play continues

FORT WORTH, Texas (November 12, 2008) - The 2008 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award® (The O'Brien) Semifinalist Match-up for week 12 highlights the Big 12 battle featuring O'Brien Semifinalists Colt McCoy and Todd Reesing. Fans can show their support for McCoy and Reesing, as well as any of the other 13 Semifinalists, by visiting www.VoteOBrien.org and casting their vote once daily. The Fan Vote will count as 5% in determining the Finalists.

Semifinalist Marquee Match-up:

Texas (Colt McCoy) at Kansas (Todd Reesing)
Saturday, November 15 at 11:30 a.m. (CST) on FSN
Colt McCoy leads the Texas Longhorns to Lawrence, Kan. to take on Todd Reesing and the Jayhawks as these Big 12 opponents go head-to-head. McCoy and the Longhorns hit the road after a 45-21 victory over Baylor on Saturday at home, which elevated Texas to a No. 3 ranking (BCS). McCoy, a junior from Tuscola, Texas, completed more than 70 percent of his passes for 300 yards and five touchdowns. He continues to lead the Longhorns in rushing with 449 yards. Reesing and the Jayhawks turn their sights towards an upset as they try to rebound from their 45-35 loss in Nebraska against the Cornhuskers. The junior quarterback from Austin, Texas threw for 304 yards and accounted for four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing). Reesing ranks fourth in the Big 12 with 2,942 passing yards. Both offenses are directed by O'Brien Semifinalists from the state of Texas whose quarterback skills will be put to the test on Saturday as the quarterback rivalry in the Big 12 continues.

Additional Semifinalist Games (alphabetical by last name):

Daryll Clark: Indiana at Penn State
Saturday, November 15 at 11 a.m. (CST) on the Big Ten Network
Under the leadership of quarterback Clark, the Nittany Lions look to avenge their 24-23 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes. After a game that came down to the final seconds, Clark and his eighth-ranked team will set their sites on the Indiana Hoosiers as they vie for control of the Big Ten.

Chase Daniel: Missouri at Iowa State
Saturday, November 15 at 5:30 p.m. (CST) on FSN
Daniel and the Tigers enter Saturday's match-up looking to extend their three-game winning streak, including their 41-24 victory over Kansas State at home last Saturday. The senior quarterback enters this game with a 76.1 completion percentage for the season and hopes to continue the No. 12 Tigers quest for the top position in the Big 12 North.

Max Hall: BYU at Air Force
Saturday, November 15 at 2:30 p.m. (CST) on CSTV
BYU heads to Colorado Springs, Colo. to battle the Air Force Falcons after a 41-12 rout of San Diego State. Hall led the Cougar offense last week with three touchdowns and no interceptions, completing more than 83 percent of his passes. He has thrown a touchdown in 21-of-23 career games and hopes to add another win to the Cougars' 9-1 record.

David Johnson: Tulsa at Houston
Saturday, November 15 at 7 p.m. (CST) on CSTV
Johnson and the Golden Hurricanes return to conference play to take on the Houston Cougars after their first loss of the season to the SEC's Arkansas Razorbacks on November 1. With an 8-1 record, Johnson has maintained the nation's top quarterback rating (198.25) and will be at the helm of the Tulsa offense in this C-USA match-up.

Zac Robinson: Oklahoma State at Colorado
Saturday, November 15 at 7 p.m. (CST) on ABC
Oklahoma State will trek to Colorado as the Cowboys square off with the Buffaloes. Robinson and his team hope to bounce back from a loss to Big 12 foe, Texas Tech. The junior quarterback has thrown for 2,264 yards this season and earned a 181.01 quarterback rating which ranks No. 3 in the nation.

Mark Sanchez: USC at Stanford
Saturday, November 15 at 6 p.m. (CST) on Versus
After their 17-3 win over state rival, California, Sanchez and the No. 6 Trojans continue to dominate the Pac-10. The junior signal caller leads his conference in quarterback rating (162.18), passing yards (2,122) and touchdowns (24). Saturday Sanchez and the Trojans will focus their attention on the Stanford Cardinals.

Matthew Stafford: Georgia at Auburn
Saturday, November 15 at 11:30 a.m. (CST) on ESPN360.com and ESPN GamePlan
Stafford and the Georgia Bulldogs are preparing for their fourth consecutive game on the road. Stafford takes the No. 10 Bulldogs to Auburn after leading his team to a 42-38 victory over Kentucky last Saturday when he threw for three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Tim Tebow: South Carolina at Florida
Saturday, November 15 at 2:30 p.m. (CST) on CBS
The No. 4 Gators continue to elevate their position in the polls under the leadership of their junior quarterback. Tebow rushed for 88 yards and two touchdowns in addition to passing for three with no interceptions as Florida defeated Vanderbilt 42-14. The Gators return to the Swamp on Saturday to face off with the South Carolina Gamecocks.

John Parker Wilson: Mississippi State at Alabama
Saturday, November 15 at 6:45 p.m. (CST) on ESPN
Wilson led Alabama to their tenth win of the season on Saturday as they defended their No. 1 ranking against LSU. The senior quarterback rushed for two touchdowns, the second of which came in overtime and capped the Crimson Tide's 27-21 victory over the Tigers. Alabama will have the support of their fans at home this weekend as they host Mississippi State in Tuscaloosa.

About The O'Brien Fan Vote
Fans can now register and vote for The O'Brien Fan Vote online at www.VoteOBrien.org to show their support for their favorite Semifinalist. The Fan Vote will count as 5% in determining the Finalists and Winner. The 2008 Winner will be announced during The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show airing December 11 on ESPN. The recipient will be honored February 16, 2009, at the 32nd Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

Fans can download an interactive "widget" featuring a voting link and the ability to post and share on Web sites, social networks and blogs by clicking here.

Fans can also show their support by adding The O'Brien Facebook application to their Facebook Profile. The new application can be found by searching O'Brien Fan Vote and clicking the applications tab or by clicking here.

About The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award®
The O'Brien honors the nation's best college quarterback of the year and inspires student-athletes to triumph both on and off the field. By recognizing and honoring athletes who excel in both sports and academics while exhibiting strong character and leadership, The O'Brien aims to help instill a lifelong moral fiber in each candidate. The O'Brien is overseen by the Davey O'Brien Foundation, which was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The Foundation has given away more than $750,000 in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life. For more information, visit

Coleman To Lead Vols JV's Against Hargraves

The Tennessee Vols returned to the practice field Tuesday for the first of two open week workouts.

In addition to preparations for the Nov. 22 game at Vanderbilt, UT players and coaches also began planning for Thursday's junior varsity contest against Hargrave Military Academy at Neyland Stadium.

"Those guys are really looking forward to that game," head coach Phillip Fulmer said. "It will be a good experience for them."

Fulmer announced redshirt freshman B.J. Coleman as Thursday's starting quarterback, but said some of the other positions were not yet determined.

"We don't have a lot of depth right now at tailback, so Ja'Kouri Williams will get a shot back there. We've got some linemen who haven't had a chance to play much this year because we haven't stayed on the field long enough, so that will be a good group of guys."

The Vols defeated Hargrave 37-20 in an entertaining game last year in Knoxville, but this season's Hargrave squad enters with a perfect 10-0 record. The Tigers of Chatham, Va., carry wins over JV squads from Navy, Averett (twice), Robert Morris, Radford (twice), East Carolina, Marshall and George Mason, in addition to a victory over in-state rival Fork Union Military Academy.

Gates open Thursday at 4 p.m., with kickoff set for 5 p.m. Admission is free and all fans should enter through Gate 21 for seating on the lower west side.

www.utsports.com

THE TENNESSEE TITANS MR. FOOTBALL AWARDS FINALISTS

Nashville, Tennessee --- The Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards will be presented to the top 14 backs and linemen in seven classifications of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association on Monday, December 1, 2008, at the Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center in Murfreesboro.

For the seventh consecutive year, the top kicker in the state will be recognized with a Mr. Football Award. There are three finalists in this category, regardless of their school’s classification. The awards are sponsored by Nancy and Bud Adams through their donation from the Tennessee Titans Foundation."High school football in Tennessee enjoys a great tradition throughout the state and we are pleased to join the TSSAA for the second consecutive year in saluting these fine young men at the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards," said Adams. "The young men that are recognized with these awards are truly the best of the best! They are selected not only for their football skills, but for their strong character and academic achievements and we're honored to join the TSSAA in saluting them!"

A committee of statewide sports writers selected winners based on performance in the 2008 regular season. Academics and character were also taken into consideration. High school head coaches and members of the media nominated the finalists.

"We're very thankful to Mr. and Mrs. Adams and the Tennessee Titans for their continued commitment to high school athletics,” stated Ronnie Carter, Executive Director of the TSSAA. "We are obviously excited and appreciative about being involved with the Tennessee Titans.

"They have helped make the recognition of the 45 student-athletes, their families, and schools possible," added Carter.

This is the twenty-fourth year that the Mr. Football Awards have been presented to Tennessee’s best high school football players. Plaques will be presented to 30 other finalists.

Approximately 700 people, including the honorees, their families, coaches, school administrators and members of the media from all parts of the state, are expected to attend the 2008 luncheon.

Mike Keith, play-by-play voice of the Tennessee Titans, will emcee the awards presentations.

Live audio and videostream of the awards will be provided for free by the Tennessee High School Sports Network (THSSN).

Those interested can watch or listen to the awards by going to http://www.thssn.net/.

2008 Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Finalists

1A LINEMAN

Brent Ford, Trousdale County
Preston Gilbreath, Mt. Pleasant

Tyler Richardson, Grace Christian

2A LINEMAN

Michael Baker, Westmoreland

Tyler Robinson, Alcoa

Mason Sharp, Lewis County

3A LINEMAN

Blaine Boone, White House

Daniel Hood, Knoxville Catholic

Evan Webb, David Lipscomb

4A LINEMAN

Romario Cathey, Maplewood

Kevin Revis, Rhea County

Justin Smith, Maryville

5A LINEMAN

Will Jackson, Farragut

Tim McAdoo, Oakland

Jacques Smith, Ooltewah

DII-A LINEMAN

Blair Arrington, Davidson Academy

Don Gant, First Assembly Christian

Will Rikard, Harding Academy

DII-AA LINEMAN

Wesley Johnson, MBA

Austin Long, Briarcrest

Thad McHaney, Brentwood Academy

1A BACK

David Jones, South Pittsburg

James King, Manassas

Colton Speed, Union City

2A BACK

Kane Crowell, Lewis County

Ben Cunningham, Goodpasture

Jake Overbey, USJ

3A BACK

Demario Carter, Sheffield

Hunter Poteete, Dekalb County

Zach Rogers, David Lipscomb

4A BACK

Will Gilchrist, Hardin County

Eric Gordon, Hillsboro

Marsalis Teague, Henry County

5A BACK

Tausean Holmes, Millington

Graham Nichols, Franklin

Chaz Scales, Centennial

DII-A BACK

Marlon Brown, Harding Academy

Ryan Dubois, SBEC

Justin Williams, Davidson Academy

DII-AA BACK

Barry Brunetti, MUS

Tavarres Jefferson, Ensworth

Spencer Wise, MBA

KICKER OF THE YEAR

Josh Davis, Rhea County

Danny Kim, Camden

Jared White, Trousdale County

Tennessee Vanderbilt Gametime Set

The Southeastern Conference announced Monday that Tennessee's Nov. 22 trip to Vanderbilt is being televised by Raycom Sports and kicks off at 11:30 a.m. Central time. UT's only other appearance this season on Raycom was the 35-3 win over UAB on Sept. 13.

The Vols lead the series against the Commodores 69-27-5, including a 34-17-4 advantage in Nashville. Tennessee has won 24 of the last 25 games in the series since Vanderbilt's most recent home win against the Vols back in 1982. Since then, UT's only loss was a 28-24 decision three years ago in Knoxville. Last season, Tennessee turned in the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in Neyland Stadium history, rallying from a 15-point deficit for a 25-24 victory.

The only other game being televised that weekend involving SEC teams Mississippi at LSU on CBS (3:30 p.m. Eastern). ESPN and ESPN2 are not televising any SEC games on that date.

www.utsports.com

Vols Appear Ready; Eric Berry To Don Inky's No. 29

The Tennessee football team wrapped up an emotional and energy-charged week of practice with a slightly shorter than normal Thursday workout at Haslam Field in preparation for Saturday's Homecoming contest with Wyoming.

Both coordinators and head coach Phillip Fulmer spoke to the media following the workout and were pleased with the team's spirit despite having endured a tough week.

"I have been very pleased with those guys," Fulmer said. "I know there has been a lot of emotion attached to the week, and I think Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday getting back on the practice field was good therapy for everybody. The practices have had good energy and good concentration, and I've like the way they moved around."

Fulmer also had announcements regarding members of his defensive unit.

Sophomore safety Eric Berry is wearing No. 29 for this game in honor of former defensive back Inquoris "Inky" Johnson.

Fellow sophomore defensive end Chris Walker will be held out of the game on doctors' recommendations due to a minor back injury. And junior safety Demetrice Morley is suspended for the game due to a violation of team academic policy.

Kickoff for the 85th homecoming game is slated for 1 p.m. ET. VideoSeat pay-per-view will provide the television broadcast.

SATELLITE CHANNELS SET FOR SATURDAY'S PAY-PER-VIEW
DISH Network and DirecTV have announced the state of Tennessee channels numbers for Saturday's UT-Wyoming game at Neyland Stadium.

Tennessee customers can order the pay-per-view game on DISH Network channel 453 and DirecTV channel 787 respectively. Home dish customers should order the broadcast by going to the designated channel and following the ordering instructions on their TV screen using their remote before kick-off on Saturday.

Cable systems across the state also will carry the telecast from the VideoSeat pay-per-view service. Fans may contact their local cable system to order the game and receive price information.

Fans in Tennessee who do not have access to ordering the game via cable system or a home dish network may order and watch the game over the Internet as a pay-per-view event by going to UTsports.com.

ESPN GamePlan will offer the game to fans living outside the state of Tennessee via the ESPN GamePlan package. The game will be blacked out on ESPN GamePlan in the state of Tennessee and cannot be ordered as part of ESPN's package.

The announcing team for Saturday's pay-per-view telecast will be Randy Smith (play-by-play) and Pat Ryan (color). Smith has been the Sports Director for WRCB-TV in Chattanooga since 1995. A broadcast veteran, he has done play-by-play of more than 450 college football, basketball, baseball and softball games during his career. Smith has worked for ESPN, ESPN2, FOX and CSS. Ryan played quarterback at Tennessee in 1977 and went on to a 13-year career in the NFL with the New York Jets and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Eastern time (noon Central).

www.utsports.com

Vols Remain In Focus For Wyoming

Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer says energy, emotion and passion are always a part of football.
"You really can't play it without those things," Fulmer commented after Wednesday's practice at Haslam Field.

But should the Vols display just a little bit more of all three during Saturday's Homecoming affair against Wyoming -- well, let's just say the head coach wouldn't be surprised.

Wednesday was just 48 hours removed from the announcement that Fulmer is stepping down as UT's head coach after the 2008 season. The Vols are 3-6 overall and must close with victories over Wyoming (3-6), Vanderbilt (5-3) and Kentucky (6-3) to qualify for the 16th bowl appearance of Fulmer's storied career.

That leaves no margin for error, though, and Fulmer hopes the team's focus remains strong.
"I think they are determined -- for a variety of reasons, mostly for our team -- to put a different face on this season," he said. "If we can finish well like we'd like to, that would certainly do that.
"Practices have been good and have had real good energy. Today was as sharp as we've been in an offensive passing attack, so hopefully we can take that right on into the game and execute well."

Saturday's scene at Neyland Stadium likely will continue what has been a very heart-wrenching week for the entire Volunteer Nation.

"Energy, emotion and passion are always a part of football," Fulmer said. "But if there is an extra amount of energy and passion and emotion in this football game, certainly I know the players want to do well, like I said for a variety of reasons, but mainly for the team and the fans."
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Eastern time.

UT AD MIKE HAMILTON IS FRIDAY'S FOOTBALL CHAT GUEST

UTsports.com hosts a live one-hour chat with a member of the Tennessee athletics family every home football Friday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern time. This Friday's guest is UT athletics director Mike Hamilton.

This week has been an emotional one for the Vols since Monday's announcement that Phillip Fulmer is stepping down after 17 years as head coach. Hamilton said UT has begun a national coaching search to find a replacement.

"Coach Fulmer has been, and will continue to be, a great representative of the university and the athletics department," Hamilton said Monday. "He has dedicated a majority of his life to our program and brought home two SEC championships and a national championship. He has secured his place as the second winningest coach in Tennessee history behind Gen. Neyland. I personally appreciate everything he has done for Tennessee."

In honor of Fulmer's contributions to the university, Hamilton announced that Fulmer's last home game versus Kentucky on Nov. 29 will be "Phillip Fulmer Appreciation Day."
Hamilton took on the role of Tennessee men's athletics director in 2003 and has been on the UT staff since 1992. The 45-year-old grew up in Brevard, N.C., graduated from Clemson University with a bachelor's of science in accounting and a master's in business administration, and then served as assistant director of the Deacon Club at Wake Forest University before joining the Vols as assistant AD in development.

Big Orange fans from around the world are encouraged to log on to UTsports.com and submit questions, which may be submitted in advance of Friday's live session or through the duration of the chat. Due to time constraints, it may not be possible to answer all questions. All submissions require the accompaniment of the submitter's name, city and state.

UT FOOTBALL TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR FINAL TWO HOME GAMES
Individual UT game tickets for both remaining Neyland Stadium football dates, including Saturday's homecoming contest against Wyoming, remain available for purchase online at utsports.com, via phone at (800) 332-VOLS and at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Kickoff Saturday is 1 p.m., with VideoSeat carrying the pay-per-view telecast.

These are the final two home games for Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer, who is stepping down after 17 seasons. The athletics department has designated UT's Nov. 29 game against Kentucky as "Phillip Fulmer Appreciation Day."

Tickets for Wyoming are $40 each plus shipping and handling. Tickets for Kentucky are $50 each plus shipping and handling.

www.utsports.com

SEC-TV Profile On Fulmer; Berry's Milestone

Phillip Fulmer has been a part of the University of Tennessee football team for 35 years as a player, student assistant, offensive line coach, offensive coordinator and head coach. SEC-TV takes a look at Fulmer's career with the Volunteers as he prepares to step down after his 17th season as head coach.

And SEC-TV co-hosts Dave Neal and Natalie Taylor count down the top SEC football milestones of the 2008 season, including Tennessee defensive back Eric Berry compiling an SEC-record 422 yards on interception returns.

This week's show airs Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time on Fox Sports South, and Friday at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time on SportSouth.

Berry Named Thorpe Award Finalist

Sophomore safety Eric Berry finds himself one of 13 of the nation's best college football defensive backs after semifinalists were announced Tuesday for the 2008 Jim Thorpe Award.

The award, named after Oklahoma-born Native American sports legend Jim Thorpe, is presented annually to the defensive back who best exhibits performance on the field, athletic ability and character.

The semifinalist list will be narrowed to three finalists Nov. 24, and the winner will be announced on the ESPNU College Football Awards Show, broadcast nationally Dec. 11. Formal presentation will be at a banquet in Oklahoma City on Feb. 11.

2008 Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalists

Asher Allen, Jr., Georgia; Eric Berry, SO., TENNESSEE; Emanuel Cook, Jr., South Carolina; Vontae Davis, Jr., Illinois; Trimane Goddard, Sr., North Carolina; Malcolm Jenkins, Sr., Ohio State; Trevard Lindley, Jr., Kentucky; Taylor Mays, Jr., Southern California; Mike Mickens, Sr., Cincinnati; D.J. Moore, Jr., Vanderbilt; William Moore, Sr., Missouri; Alphonso Smith, Sr., Wake Forest; Otis Wiley, Sr., Michigan State.

Wiley and Goddard were added to the award's preseason 'watch list' midway through the season.

The first Jim Thorpe Award was presented in 1986 to Thomas Everett, Baylor, and last year's trophy went to Antoine Cason of Arizona.

Jim Thorpe is generally considered history's greatest all-around athlete, a man who excelled as a running back, passer and kicker on offense, but also an awesome defensive back. Recognized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame simply as "The Legend," Thorpe also played professional baseball and won gold medals in the 1912 Olympics decathlon and pentathlon.

For more information, contact Lynne Draper of the Jim Thorpe Association at (405) 427-1400.