Subpoenas, lawsuits, conspiracies: fodder for fans and media.

Schemes, assignments, personnel: all that really matters to players and coaches.

Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer is headed into a hornets' nest Saturday when the Vols visit Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

Since UT and the Crimson Tide met in Knoxville last October, nearly all the off-the-field issues that positioned Fulmer as Public Enemy No. 1 to Alabama fans have been resolved.

Tide booster Logan Young of Memphis was convicted and sentenced for paying to deliver a recruit to the Tide, vindicating charges Fulmer made to the NCAA.

A former Alabama assistant coach, Ronnie Cottrell, won a jackpot of a lawsuit for defamation against a former recruiting analyst without Fulmer being called to the witness stand.

Nobody ever produced a magic bullet, much less a smoking gun, to suggest a conspiracy between the NCAA, the SEC and Tennessee (i.e. Fulmer) to bring down the Tide.

"That's in the past,'' Fulmer said Tuesday. "It was kind of resolved in Memphis in the U.S. District Court (the Young case).

"Now I'm sure there will be some lingering energy about that, but there's nothing I can do about that or care to concern myself with.''

His players never did concern themselves with it.

Any of it.

"I know a bunch of drama was added to the game,'' said guard Rob Smith, "but specifics, I have no clue.''

Gerald Riggs admitted he'd flunk a current-events quiz on the various Fulmer-Alabama intrigues.

"I could honestly care less,'' Riggs said. "I think they (the fans) put way too much into that.

"If anything, we sit back and laugh about it, to be honest with you.''

Kevin Simon, a fifth-year senior linebacker, has been around since before Alabama was put on two years of NCAA probation in 2002.

Time studying Alabama quarterback Brodie Croyle? Considerable.

Time studying his coach's real and alleged entanglement with Alabama? Zero.

"That has nothing to do with what I'm doing on the field,'' said Simon. "I couldn't change anything or make a difference in that whole situation either way.''

Fulmer is no doubt correct in predicting "lingering energy" for his and his team's appearance in Tuscaloosa.

He was accompanied by two plainclothes policemen at SEC Media Days in Birmingham in July, a visit that went without incident.

No extraordinary security is planned for Saturday, UT spokesman Bud Ford said Tuesday. The team routinely travels with three police officers (one state, one city and one campus).

"I'm not going to take a single snap Saturday,'' Fulmer said. "The guys on the field on both sides are the ones who are going to play the game.

"Those are the important people in that stadium.''

If his players have sensed any special gleam in Fulmer's eye this week, it's because of the classic history of the rivalry, not the recent ugliness.

"Being a true Volunteer in this program for a number of years,'' Riggs said, "he's going to get up for any SEC game, but particularly for Alabama. Because in the past, it used to come down to Tennessee and Alabama for championships.''

This year, however, only 6-0, fifth-ranked Alabama is still playing for championships. The gloom of the investigation and probation saga has finally dissipated.

From Simon's perspective, that's what Alabama fans ought to be focused on, not any perceived agenda by Fulmer.

"I think those guys are starting to get back on their feet down there,'' Simon said. "They haven't lost a ballgame yet, so I think they'll be all right.''