Five UT prospects enroll for spring semester

Wide receivers Todd Campbell and Art Evans, defensive tackle Donald Langley and offensive linemen Darris Sawtelle and Cody Pope enrolled and began spring semester classes. By enrolling now, the five will be able to participate in spring practice starting Feb. 22 and take part in UT's offseason training regimen after they sign scholarship papers on Feb. 7.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Campbell from Franklin High School was one of UT's first commitments of the 2007 signing class, picking the Vols last April.

Evans (6-1, 180), from Evangel Christian High in Lakeland, Fla., selected UT in July.

Langley (6-2, 295), from Seneca Valley High in Germantown, Md., fills what might be the most significant position of need for this signing class.

Sawtelle (6-5, 285), from Brother Rice High in Birmingham, Mich., was UT's first big name prospect of this year's class.

Pope (6-5, 275), from Cathedral Catholic in San Diego, is making his second move to Knoxville. He signed with UT last February and practiced with the Vols in August before academic shortcomings forced him to return home.

The Vols could not accept wide receiver/cornerback Stephaun Raines as previously planned.

Raines (6-foot, 170) has enrolled at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College and will be a roommate of former Alcoa linebacker/tailback Dustin Lindsey. The pair signed with UT in 2006 but were academic casualties.

Raines, who attended Dalton (Ga.) High, did not attend any school during the fall semester.

UT is holding out hope that linebacker/defensive end Gerald Williams of Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., could enroll later this week. He signed with UT in 2005 and enrolled that fall. He received rave reviews from coaches before the NCAA Clearinghouse sent him home.

Williams re-signed with UT in February of 2006 but never made it to campus because of academic issues. If Williams does not get into school for the spring semester, UT will try to get him enrolled in time for summer school.

Visiting: UT is expecting 16 official visitors this weekend. Seven are committed to the Vols. With the loss of Raines, UT has 27 commitments. Depending on pending academic issues, the Vols could sign up to three more.

Defensive end Brian Coulter from Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Miss., will take an official visit to UT on Jan. 28.

Fulmer Honored: UT coach Phillip Fulmer was awarded the first recipient of the Grant Teaff Breaking the Silence Award presented jointly by the American Football Coaches Association and the Jason Foundation Inc.

The award recognizes the collegiate coach who has made an impact as an AFCA/JFI Ambassador for youth suicide prevention.

"What I do has been a labor of love," Fulmer said in a statement released by UT. "The fact that we're helping young people -- that's why we are in coaching. We all are trying to prevent tragedies that affect not only the individual lives of our youth, but also the lives of families, friends, schools and communities.

"I am appreciative of the honor but much more appreciative of the exposure we have brought to this 'silent epidemic' that is teenage suicide."

Clark Flatt, President/CEO of the JFI said there never was any doubt who should receive the inaugural award.

"We are where we are with the coaches across the nation and the AFCA just because of Phillip's passion back in 1998 (when he became national spokesman)," Flatt said in a statement. "... It was very meaningful to me that for the first year the award should go to Phillip."

Donations of $1,000 will be made to both the AFCA Foundation and the Volunteer Athletic Scholarship Fund in Fulmer's name.