Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer says he'd like to put the Vols' disciplinary issues behind him.

If only he could.

Tennessee will have four players suspended for its opener against Alabama-Birmingham on Saturday.

The Vols aren't alone.

South Carolina and Georgia also will miss four players in their opening games because of offseason disciplinary issues.

Even Vanderbilt, the Ivy-like academic beacon in the SEC, will be without three players, two because of disciplinary-related suspensions.

"Every program is prone to it, even though everyone is out there trying to recruit the right kids,'' said Gerry Dickey, the Vols assistant athletic director in charge of football operations. "There have always been disciplinary issues with collegiate football players just like students, but with more exposure in the media and on the Internet, we're hearing more about it.''

The cases involving the four UT players suspended -- Tony McDaniel, Robert Ayers, Daniel Brooks and Corey Campbell -- made headlines throughout the spring and summer as their court cases dragged forward.

The Vols received numerous black eyes from a perception standpoint through national media coverage provided by such outlets as ESPN and the USA Today.

Now, it's a matter of Tennessee potentially suffering on the football field, Vols' coach Phillip Fulmer said.

"When a player has to miss a game or games it affects the whole team,'' Fulmer said. "It's unfortunate it's that way and it leaves us thin in a couple of spots. Those guys will be missed. It could lead to someone playing who might not otherwise play and losing a year of eligibility.''

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier walked into a troubled situation when he accepted his new job. Not only have the Gamecocks been found to have committed NCAA violations under Lou Holtz's watch, but also four players are suspended for Thursday night's game against Central Florida because of their role in a brawl with Clemson last season.

Georgia is in position to pay the heaviest price for its disciplinary issues Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs will be without key defensive linemen Kedric Golston and Darius Swain when they take to the field against upset-minded Boise State.

Georgia coach Mark Richt said at SEC media days that he had no option but to suspend the players.

"To think your players or your children or your students as a whole across this country are not going to misbehave ever, then I think we're really thinking wrong,'' Richt said. "I think what's important is how are you going to handle those situations.''

Richt said the scrutiny collegiate football programs face in disciplinary issues is unprecedented.

"Our players might be the highest profile human beings in the state of Georgia,'' Richt said. "Everybody wants to know what they're doing every second of the day, and when things happen, everyone knows about it.''

UT athletic director Mike Hamilton said he likes the fact that Fulmer has been up front about issues and has handled things appropriately.

"We don't have an atmosphere of cover-up here -- we're dealing with our guys straight-up,'' Hamilton said. "We go through the legal system and the university judicial system. We're not brushing things under the rug.

"I am comfortable with the way Phillip has handled things; I have the latitude to change it if I'm not comfortable.''

Fulmer said the suspensions he has doled out, ranging from one game to four games, should not be taken lightly.

"Short of dismissal, suspension is the harshest punishment they can have, along with taking scholarships, which we did with two of our players for the second term of summer school,'' Fulmer said, referring to Brooks and Campbell, both of whom had to work summer jobs. "We've had our trouble, and we've dealt with it. Hopefully, our guys will learn a lesson.''

Richt said ultimately, that's what coaching is all about.

"I coach because I love these players and I want them to succeed in life, and I hope that I can make a positive impact on their lives to where they can become a very good father, a very good employee (and) a very good citizen,'' he said. "But it's a learning process ... they don't show up perfect, and they don't leave perfect, but I hope they're better men when they leave our program than when they come.''