HOOVER, Ala. - It's almost time for the talk to end and the real work to begin.

The Tennessee football team reports for duty on Friday, has media day on Saturday, and will hold its first practice in full pads on Aug. 8.

By then, Sept. 2 and a home opener against California will seem like it's just around the corner.

"California is a great team and that game is important to us," senior offensive tackle Arron Sears said. "We have to be on top of our game.

"A loss for the first game would be devastating for us, especially after last year."

That's what makes the next four weeks, and the past six months, so important. The Vols finished 5-6 last season.

UT strength and conditioning coach had the Vols on a rigorous offseason conditioning program.

"We don't want to go out as seniors as being the team that didn't go to a bowl game and didn't have a winning record," senior defensive tackle Justin Harrell said.

"We're just trying to get this Tennessee program back to where it used to be and we're going about it the right way."

Sears, already an all-star caliber player, dropped 10 pounds in hopes of improving his speed and quickness to the outside.

"We learned you can't take anything for granted," he said. "You have to do whatever you can to win. We've grown a lot from last season."

Sears can't see any reason why all the variables shouldn't add up to a much-improved 2006 around Knoxville.

"We've got as much talent as any other team in the SEC," he said. "It's just a matter of coming together and working as one."

Let the work begin.

Road Kill Gators: After losing three of four regular-season road games in 2005, Florida coach Urban Meyer is searching for a tougher mindset coming into 2006.

The Gators lost 31-3 at Alabama, 21-17 at LSU and 30-22 at South Carolina in Meyer's first head-to-head matchup against former Florida coach Steve Spurrier.

In search of some advice, Meyer took trips to visit with New England Patriots coaches and talked with former Notre Dame and South Carolina coach Lou Holtz.

"Toughness is the number one element," Meyer said. "I don't believe we were an extremely tough team a year ago.

"Our plan to win on the road is very similar to planning on winning at home, that is play great defense. At home against our rivals, we gave up 7, 10, and 7. On the road we didn't do that."

Florida hits the road for Tennessee on Sept. 16.

Florida Hunting Speed: Meyer also made it clear that speed is the name of the game in Gainesville.

"I think speed equates to big plays," he said. "I just finished up a study with the help of some NFL friends. Teams that start a drive without a big play, the chance of scoring is 10 percent.

"If you have one, it goes up to 50 percent. If you have two, you score 80 percent of the time. The way my simple mind works is big plays equal scores, so let's recruit speed."