It's Vols' first day of real football: pads, collisions

Despite the heat and humidity Anthony Parker and his teammates have endured the last four days on the practice field at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, Tennessee’s junior offensive guard can’t wait to put on full pads for the first time.

“I play O-line,” Parker said. “There’s nothing for us to do running around in helmet and shorts. I don’t play wide receiver. I don’t like running around. I want to hit somebody.”

Parker and the rest of the Vols will get their first taste of full contact today. UT completed the NCAA’s mandatory acclimation period on Monday, its final day in only helmets and shoulder pads.

With full contact comes a clearer picture of exactly who is ready to compete and who has farther to go.

“When you’re not in full pads, you don’t really have 11-on-11,” UT coach Phillip Fulmer said. “You always find one or two other guys you can work with. Or the other side of the coin, you find somebody that’s not giving you all they’ve got that you know they should be. So 11-on-11 is real football, and we use those scrimmage opportunities to make our real evaluations.”

Full contact helps those evaluations at every position, but it’s of particular help on the lines of scrimmage.

On the offensive line, at least four players will battle for starting jobs at right guard and right tackle.

Fulmer said the left side is mostly set, with Eric Young at tackle and Parker at guard. Sophomore Josh McNeil is the starter at center, after being named first team freshman All-SEC last season.

On the right side, though, Jacques McClendon is battling Ramon Foster for the starting spot at guard, while Steven Jones remains behind Chris Scott at tackle.

Vladimir Richard and Ramone Johnson could also compete for playing time up front.

“I think every day we come out here to compete and get better,” offensive line coach Greg Adkins said. “It’s (today’s) the day we put the full pads on, make sure our pads are down competing and make sure the low man wins.

“(Today) you’ll learn a lot more about them.”

That goes for the defensive line, too.

Tackle Demonte’ Bolden, who Fulmer has praised for his work early in camp, can’t wait for the pads, either.

“You can get around the big guys,” Bolden said. “You can hold them up a lot easier, get low. Before, they can’t do cuts and you can’t stay low. When we put the pads on (today), it’s 100 percent.”

Welcome to the NFL: Former Vol Robert Meachem got leveled in his NFL debut with the New Orleans Saints in Sunday night’s preseason Hall of Fame game in Ohio.

Meachem, the Saints’ first-round draft pick, dropped a pair of fourth-quarter passes and had the wind knocked out of him by Pittsburgh’s William Gay.

“I talked to him last night, and his pride was hurt more than anything,” UT receivers coach Trooper Taylor said. “He was disappointed he had a bust on one route and then he had another drop. I told him that’s why you get preseason. I think he’s going to be just fine.”

Flip Flop: Fulmer said three or four newcomers could get repetitions on the opposite side of the ball.

“Without the freshman orientation period that we used to have, the three days, it’s very difficult to get the freshmen in the mix as much as you’d like to,” Fulmer said. “So I’ll continue to make evaluations. There’s as many as three or four guys we’ll look on the other side.”

Fulmer declined to name which players he’s considering moving.

Tennessee has held “opportunity periods” immediately following practice for freshmen and other players to get extra work, as well as extra work times available for freshmen only following evening meetings.

Hot, Hot Heat: With temperatures in the mid 90’s, Tennessee has taken precautions to avoid any heat-related injuries.

Receiver Kenny O’Neal was taken out of practice early with cramps, but only one player has needed IV treatments in the first four days of work, Fulmer said.

“It’s stifling humid, really,” Fulmer said. “We’ve taken long breaks, and we’re very conscious of it.”

Injury Update: Jones has been limited since the start of fall camp with a cut on his foot. Reserve center Michael Frogg attended practice but did not work out after missing practice Saturday and Sunday with a stomach virus. Starting outside linebacker Ryan Karl remains limited with a mild compression fracture in his back.

Drew Edwards covers Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.