TAMPA, Fla. -- Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer was surprised to learn that defensive tackle Justin Harrell signed with an agent earlier this fall.

Harrell, who returned to Tennessee for his senior season, played in just three games. He suffered a ruptured biceps tendon in UT's second game against Air Force, then played with the injury against Florida in the third game.

"I was surprised and I was disappointed," Fulmer said. "You lead a young man for four or five years of his life and all of a sudden somebody's a lot smarter than you. I don't understand that."

Harrell is expected to be at Raymond James Stadium for this morning's Outback Bowl game against Penn State (TV: ESPN), but the defensive tackle could not travel with the team per NCAA rules.

By signing with an agent, Harrell loses his amateur status, but UT will not be affected because Harrell did not play or practice after signing with an agent.

Fulmer said he found out that Harrell had signed with the agent, whose name was not available Sunday, after the Vols voted Harrell one of their five permanent captains.

Fulmer said any knowledge of Harrell's situation would not have changed his status as a captain.

Harrell did not personally inform Fulmer of his decision, and Fulmer said he has not yet talked with Harrell about it.

"I wish him well, obviously," Fulmer said. "He's been a great player for us. But I don't know what he's been told, but he'll be fine. He helped himself by staying, even though it was a short period of time."

Fulmer said the Tennessee attorney general is looking into whether or not Harrell's agent is registered with the state, as required by law.

"The person, the agent may have a problem, because he's not registered in the state of Tennessee," Fulmer said. "The state attorney general is looking into that. And I hope he does."

Fifth Year For Smith? Fulmer said Sunday that the university's compliance department is in the processes of applying for a fifth year of eligibility for Bret Smith.

UT is seeking a redshirt for his freshman season in 2003, in which Smith played in seven games, although Smith's chance of being granted a fifth year is likely slim.

That season he caught five passes for 133 yards and a touchdown before having surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb.

Smith was ruled academically ineligible for the Outback Bowl by the university on Saturday and sent home to Warren, Ark.

"It was hard, very difficult," Fulmer said. "The circumstances around it made it difficult, or more difficult. I thought it was cleared up, and it turned out that it wasn't quite. It's like an injury. You step and go from there."

Josh Briscoe, not Lucas Taylor as previously thought, will play in Smith's place in three- and four-receiver sets, Fulmer said.

No 'Bama For Joe Pa: At the end of Penn State's press conference Sunday morning, a reporter jokingly asked Nittany Lions coach Joe Paterno if he'd been contacted about the vacant coaching job at Alabama.

The 80-year-old Paterno's response?

"I don't think they'd put up with my Brooklyn accent," he quipped.

Paterno, who coached against legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant, went on about the situation facing Alabama, which fired Mike Shula following a 6-6 regular season.

"Alabama's just a great place. As a college football coach who loves college football, you hate to see a university who's done as much for college football as Alabama has done horsing around like they've been," said Paterno, who is friends with Don Shula. "I think Mal's (Alabama athletic director Mal Moore) a good man and was a good coach and is a good administrator. I just think they haven't hit the right combination.

"I do know one thing. They're not looking at Joe Paterno."

Inky in Tampa: Injured cornerback Inky Johnson is expected to be here for today's game.

Johnson was supposed to arrive in Tampa by Sunday and will watch the game from the sideline if his doctors allow.

Johnson underwent surgery on Dec. 24 at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota to repair nerve damage in his right arm suffered during the Air Force game.

Redshirt for Hancock: Freshman wide receiver Quintin Hancock will redshirt, Fulmer said.

"He's got a pretty significant hernia," Fulmer said. "He's not been full speed in a long time."

The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder played in five games, catching two passes for 29 yards.