Look for Bolden, Mapu to prove their worth

Just ask Jerod Mayo.

"We felt like sometimes he would quit on us," said Mayo, UT's junior linebacker. "But...this offseason he's been showing the coaches that he has heart and he can work hard."

Fans say it's about time. Bolden, who will be a junior this fall, hasn't lived up to the billing he garnered in 2004 as one of the most highly touted defensive tackle prospects in the nation and the top prospect in Tennessee.

Through two seasons as a Vol, the former Chattanooga Tyner star has only made 22 tackles (four for a loss) and one sack.

"He's an excellent dude," Mayo said. "He came out of high school a five-star recruit so everybody's been on him about that, not living up to the hype. I think this year's he's taking that on his shoulders.

"He's been in the weight room working out harder. I think he'll be a breakout player."

Bolden, who wasn't available for interviews during Thursday's media session, is a key player at a key position for the Vols. UT has to replace three of its top defensive tackles from last season -- Justin Harrell, Turk McBride and Matt McGlothlin. Mayo said sophomore Dan Williams and senior J.T. Mapu are two to watch.

"If you watch the first series he was in the game, he was very explosive," Mayo said of the 2006 version of Mapu, who spent the previous 18 months on a Mormon mission. "He got tired. Now that he's going through a full year of conditioning, I feel like he'll be a breakout player this year."

Mayo said he also expected sophomore Ricardo Kemp to be a breakout player that could secure a starting position.

Shouldering The Load: Center Josh McNeil said he doesn't expect to be limited in spring practice by the minor surgery performed on his left knee in early January.

"I feel good," the rising sophomore said. "My leg's not as strong as it normally was because I just got off crutches (in mid-January)."

McNeil, who started nine games for UT last season, admitted he's a bit behind in terms of conditioning. While his leg was on the mend, however, McNeil said he focused on strengthening his upper body, which had been lacking because of previous shoulder ailments.

McNeil said his right shoulder hasn't been 100-percent since undergoing surgery, forcing him to miss his true freshman year in 2005. McNeil admitted his left shoulder still causes some discomfort.

Injury Report: Tennessee lost the left side of its offensive line to graduation -- and the right side will have limited roles in spring practice.

Right tackle Eric Young (shoulder) and right guard Anthony Parker (knee) will be limited to some degree.

Young and Parker likely won't see action before UT's spring break in mid-March.

Other Vols who will be limited in spring practice include: tailback Montario Hardesty (knee), defensive lineman Chase Nelson, defensive tackle Walter Fisher (shoulder) and linebacker Jerod Mayo (knee).

Offensive lineman Cody Pope (foot) and defensive end Robert Ayers (shoulder) are out.

Ainge's Assessment: Rising senior quarterback Erik Ainge said the NFL Draft Advisory Board predicted he would have been a late second to third-round draft pick had he opted to forgo his final year of eligibility at UT.

"I'd have to get a first-round projection to even think about it," Ainge said. "There's too much to be done here."

Medical For Johnson: UT has applied for a medical scholarship for injured cornerback Inky Johnson, effectively signaling the end of his football career.

Johnson has had multiple surgeries since suffering a severe injury to his right shoulder and extremities against Air Force last September.

His medical scholarship would not count against UT's limit of 85 football scholarships.

"He'll be well taken care of from that standpoint, within the rules," Fulmer said.

Changes For Orange And White: This year's Orange and White game, which will be held at 2 p.m. March 31 at Neyland Stadium, is a little more fan friendly.

The game will be free for fans (as opposed to $5 for adults and $3 for children in past years), and fans will have a voice in what happens on the field.

By logging onto UTsports.com, fans can select starting lineups, vote for the first play of the game and submit a play to be run during the game.

The last two will happen, but Fulmer said he'll retain control over the lineups.

"We'll run the play," he said. "I can tell you all it will be a deep halfback pass or something like that. But yeah, we'll do what we said we're going to do. Everybody gets to choose their own starting lineup. It might have some differences."

Gates open for Fan Day at 11:45 a.m. with autographs on the field from noon until 1 p.m.

Green Gone: Like last spring, Fulmer said he won't put his quarterbacks in green, no-contact jerseys during scrimmages.

With Young and Parker out, and McNeil possibly limited, that means five new players will be guarding Ainge. Still, that doesn't mean it's open season for defensive lineman.

"I'm going to have a quick whistle," Fulmer said. "I'm not going let him just clobber the quarterback, but we're going to play football."

Student Coach: After joining the tennis team this spring, backup quarterback Bo Hardegree won't participate in spring workouts and will serve as a "student coach" this fall, Fulmer said.

Hardegree's future plans include coaching.

McAlister at UTC: Former Austin-East standout and 2004 PrepXtra defensive player of the year Anthony McAlister has enrolled at UT Chattanooga, after spending the last two seasons as a walk-on with the Vols.

Austin-East coach Kwayu Graham said that McAlister plans to play football for the Mocs, but is not on scholarship.

Even without McAlister, the Vols have eight Knoxville walk-ons on the spring roster: Brett Barnes (Farragut), Court Courtney (Farragut), Geoff Courtney (Farragut), Dylan Dickey (Farragut), Nick Guess (Farragut), Justin Jackson (Maryville College transfer), Nick Reveiz (Farragut) and John Vandergriff (Halls).