'You've got to keep fighting'

He was a Tennessee assistant coach in 1988 when the Vols started the season 0-6.

In his second full season as head coach, UT got off to a 1-3 start before finishing 8-4 in 1994.

"Guys, I've been here when we were 0-6," Fulmer said at his weekly press conference on Tuesday. "We fought, fought and fought back. The next year we won the (SEC) championship.

"Sometimes things just don't go the way you want them to go. You've got to keep fighting."

Keep fighting is becoming a familiar theme for Tennessee (3-3, 2-3 SEC). If there's a better .500 team in the nation, Fulmer can't think of one.

"They're the best 3-3 team in the country," he said of his Vols. "I don't know who else is 3-3 (North Carolina and Louisiana Tech), but that's my opinion.

"They have fought their rears off and had some very tough things happen to them."

The toughest things have been a brutal schedule, an anemic, mistake-prone offense and lackluster outings by special teams.

According to the NCAA, the Vols have played the third toughest schedule in the nation, behind only Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Past Arkansas opponents have a combined record of 26-8. Oklahoma opponents are 32-10. Tennessee's six opponents to date are 25-8.

"I told the team yesterday, tough times are kind of like a grindstone, it either polishes you or wears you down," Fulmer said.

A polished version of the Vols is what Fulmer's hoping for with Steve Spurrier and South Carolina coming to Knoxville on Saturday night (TV: ESPN2, 7:45).

UT's offense came into this season with golden credentials.

Midway through the season, the results have been anything but polished.

Fulmer was asked Tuesday to look at his team's offense through the eyes of an opposing defensive coordinator.

What would he see? What would he think?

"I would look at it and say, 'Man, what is wrong with those guys?' " Fulmer said. "Why aren't they making more things happen?"

Tennessee players are thinking the same thing.

"With as much ability, and the quality number of older guys we have, how does that happen?" junior guard Rob Smith asked. "I totally understand it (the disappointment of the fans).

"At the same time, I hope people realize we haven't given up on this season. We can still go out and win and put on a good show."

Tennessee linebacker Jason Mitchell doesn't get much consolation from the idea UT is the best 3-3 team in the country.

"You go from athletic ability, to players, to the coaching staff, and we are the best 3-3 team hands down," Mitchell said. "We just don't have the wins to show for it and it doesn't make us feel any better.

"In December, what bowl are we going to be in, if we even make it to a bowl. You never know what can happen the way this season has gone."

The Vols have lost a defensive leader in cornerback Jason Allen to a hip injury. They've lost an offensive leader in running back Gerald Riggs to a broken fibula and ligament damage to his ankle.

South Carolina (4-3, 2-3) is coached by nemesis Steve Spurrier and then there's another tough road trip to Notre Dame.

Options become clear. Keep fighting. Keep searching for answers, or drown in self-pity. Take your pick.

"Obviously we've played a tough schedule, but we've always played tough schedules," Fulmer said. "I'm not happy, the coaches aren't happy, obviously the players aren't happy with where we are."

Defensively, ranked No. 10 in the country in scoring defense, Fulmer couldn't be more pleased.

Offensively, ranked 105th in the nation in scoring, the Vols obviously have work to do.

"We've been our own worst enemy," Fulmer said. "I told our guys, the bad thing is we haven't reached our potential. The good thing is there's potential there for us to reach.

"When you play very good teams and you have turnovers, dropped passes and penalties, it's usually very tough to win those games. Everybody's accountable for that, starting with me."