The mantra remains the same.

Every year, Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer expects one thing in the early going of a Vols' season.

"Teams usually show their biggest improvement between their first game and their second game," Fulmer said.

It's an adage apparently written in coaches' "how to" manuals nationwide.

Proof comes next week for the No. 6-ranked Volunteers (1-0).

Week one was a 17-10 survival-mode victory at home against Alabama Birmingham.

Week two is a trip to No. 10-ranked Florida next Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Swamp.

Fulmer and his family were heading for a two-day retreat in the mountains this weekend hoping the old adage rings true with UT.

"Defensively, we've gotten a good start in that direction," Fulmer said. "Offensively, we had some guys out this week like Rob Smith (center/guard) and Ramon Foster (guard), and Richie Gandy (center) is just getting back out there.

"We're still a work in progress. But there were some good things against UAB. We just missed a few cuts and we dropped six balls."

Anxious moments were the result.

Crucial drops and drive-ending mistakes are something UT receivers hope they got out of their system.

"We left a lot of plays out there on the field," sophomore receiver Robert Meachem said. "Next week, we're going to have to make up for it because if we leave any plays out there on the field Florida's going to beat us real bad."

The message seems to have literally been received.

"I'd rather have a bad game and learn from it, than have a good game and not learn anything," Meachem said.

Meachem, last year's receiving yardage leader with 459, had two catch for 35 yards before leaving with a sprained ankle against UAB. He expects to be back to full speed early next week.

C.J. Fayton led the Vols with five catches for 97 yards and one touchdown. Jayson Swain added four catches for 46 yards.

With first-game jitters now out of the way, the Vols can go about the business of improving when practice resumes Monday.

UT has won its past two meetings with Florida in Gainesville: 24-10 in 2003 and 34-32 in 2001. The Gators last beat UT in the Swamp 23-21 in 1999.

Some of that Gainesville fear factor appears to have evaporated. Florida wants it back.

That may have something to do with the announcement earlier this week that senior Rick Clausen would be the starting quarterback against the Gators.

Players bragged on Clausen's cool "California" attitude in the huddle against UAB.

"You're going to have to be calm when you go into an environment like that," Meachem said. "I've never played in Florida, but I've played in Georgia and South Carolina, and those places go wild.

"So when you go to Florida, where they're right on top of you, you're going to need your quarterback to be calm. If he's anxious and all hyped up, it may mean a bad start."

It's all in the approach as far as Clausen is concerned.

"I think the biggest thing is I just try to go out there and have fun with them," Clausen said. "I kind of mess around with them in the huddle and joke around.

"I try to lighten the mood because there's so much feistiness going on. So many guys are worrying about what they're doing and what the defense is doing. I just try to let everybody enjoy the moment and play."

Ultimately, Clausen said, the more fun you're having has a direct correlation with how well you play.

That's the goal in Gainesville - have fun, get better and win.