Tennessee senior kicker James Wilhoit already is noticing a difference in the Vols’ mentality about special teams.

It’s not exactly a glamour topic until it jumps up and bites you.

The Vols found that out the ugly way in 2005.

It’s the reason UT coach Phillip Fulmer realigned his special teams coaching duties this past spring.

Defensive coordinator John Chavis and his assistants oversee kickoff coverage, punt return/block teams, and defensive extra-point and field-goal teams.

Offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe and his aides work with kickoff return, punt coverage and extra point/field-goal units.

"The punt-block and punt-return team that coach Chavis has taken over, I can tell a huge difference in those guys," Wilhoit said. "They seem fired up. They seem like they have coach Chavis’ attitude out there that they’re going to block a kick and they’re going to come after it.

"You have to do that with special teams. Those plays are such big plays in a game."

No doubt.

Tennessee had its share of special-teams setbacks in losses to Florida, Georgia and Notre Dame, among others a year ago.

"It’s funny how hard we work to stop a third-and-5 play," Wilhoit said, "but then when you punt the ball back, you give up 15 yards in field position and cancel it out.

"Field position is the hidden yards and we’re understanding how important that is because it made a difference in a couple of games last year."

There were fumbled punts, botched improvised fake punts, long returns by opponents and virtually none for the Vols.

UT averaged 8.4 yards on punt returns, good for fifth in the SEC, but opponents averaged 14.4.

The Vols were No. 8 in the SEC with a 19.8 average on kickoff returns.

"Coach Fulmer has always put an emphasis on it," Wilhoit said, "but I think the fact each coach has a responsibility for each part of the special teams makes them that much more accountable.

"You can’t say my kickoff team did well, but my kickoff return didn’t. You know if you mess it up, it’s your responsibility."

No one understands that better than Fulmer.

"We had a long meeting (Friday) night on special teams," he said. "What a difference those can make.

"You get a great player in the open field with all those people in front of him blocking and all that space —you just don’t get that on normal plays. It can change momentum."

Speaking Of Returns: The Vols had some mixed results in early punt-return drills Monday. Several balls clanked off shoulder pads or slipped through fingertips.

The result was an extra session of catching punts after practice.

During the same drills, UT assistant coach Trooper Taylor got after some of his punt coverage people with an "S.O.S." reference.

"S.O.S., that’s Stuck On Stupid," Taylor said. "That means you’re doing the same thing over and over again. I refuse to play a player who is stuck on stupid."

Pads Go On Today: After two days in shorts and helmets, and two days in shorts and shoulder pads, it’s time for the full pads to go on tonight during a practice scheduled to begin at 7:30.

"Full contact and at least it’s going to be cool," linebacker Ryan Karl said. "We’ll get our first scrimmage out of the way and we’ll see some pads popping. I’m definitely looking forward to it."

So is Fulmer.

"We get to play some real football," he said Monday. "Right now, there’s just a lot of insertion, a lot of thinking, a lot of young guys trying to get pushed to the front.

"We’ll find out a little more about ourselves (today."

The practice was originally scheduled for 3:30 p.m., but was moved back so coaches could attend the funeral of former Knoxville lawyer Zane Daniel, a close friend of the Fulmer family.

Hoarse Head Coach: Fulmer’s voice was noticeably hoarse after Monday’s practice, a sure sign of early fall camp.

"We have been really into what we’re doing here," he said. "There’s a sense of urgency to get where we want to get to.

"The players feel it and the coaches are certainly into being the best team we can possibly be. When we lined up ones on ones today, even though it’s non-contact, there was a lot of intensity."

MySpace Feedback: After the News Sentinel’s story Monday on some UT players having questionable content on their MySpace Web pages, several players set their sites to private.

"I’m not that concerned about it," Fulmer said. "We’ll handle it internally.

"It’s obviously an immature thing, but that’s where we are. We’re working on a department policy. What all that’s going to be, I’m not 100 percent sure yet."

Iven Out As Team Doctor: Tennessee team physician Dr. Val Gene Iven has been let go after 13 years, Jimmy Hyams of WNML radio reported Monday.

No replacement has been announced, but UT athletic director Mike Hamilton told Hyams the change became necessary because of a "communication problem" between Iven and the Knoxville Orthopedic Clinic.

"It saddens me," Hamilton told Hyams. "But the quality of care of our student athletes on a consistent basis is paramount.

"You’ve got to have folks take a new attitude or change the parties involved. Unfortunately, we had to change the parties involved."

Reveiz Watching: Former UT kicker Fuad Reveiz visited Monday’s practice to watch his freshman walk-on son, Nick.

Also on hand was former Vols defensive end Karlton Neal.