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Tennessee was forced to play DeAngelo Willingham. So the cornerback forced a couple of plays of his own.
Willingham forced two key South Carolina fumbles as the Vols beat the Gamecocks 27-24 in overtime Saturday.
Willingham was playing in place of sophomore Marsalous Johnson, who was sidelined because of an unreported torn meniscus in his knee.
"I wasn't interested in giving South Carolina any other advantage on personnel," UT coach Phillip Fulmer said following the game.
Surgery is the likely option, Fulmer said, meaning Johnson would be out for the season.
Coaches hoped Johnson could still play against the Gamecocks as late as Friday night. But the pain was too much for Johnson to endure.
"He showed up," defensive backs coach Larry Slade said of Willingham, a junior college transfer. "He worked hard and played."
Willingham turned in his first big play of the game when he forced a fumble by receiver Freddie Brown, which freshman safety Eric Berry returned to the South Carolina 4, resulting in a touchdown on the ensuing drive.
"He was big-time today," senior free safety Jonathan Hefney said of Willingham. "He had an opportunity to play and he stepped up and made big time plays.
"He wasn't worried about what was going to happen. He just went out there and made his plays and did what he needed to do."
Willingham forced an even more significant fumble late in regulation, stripping tailback Mike Davis at the UT 17 as it appeared Carolina was driving for the potential winning score. Willingham then fell on the ball to give UT's offense yet another second-half chance.
Johnson had started every game at right cornerback this season. Willingham, who also had 10 tackles and a quarterback hurry on Saturday, has played significant snaps in nickel and dime packages this season and started one game, against Arkansas State on Sept. 22.
Johnson is the second starting cornerback UT has lost to injury this season. Senior Antonio Gaines suffered a torn knee ligament against Southern Miss.
The Vols lost two defensive backs before the season even began. Cornerback Roshaun Fellows was dismissed for a violation of team rules and safety Demetrice Morley was dismissed by the university for academic shortcomings.
Morley, who attended the game, is attempting a return to UT by improving his academic standing in junior college.
UT lost what would have likely been another starter this season when Inky Johnson, then a junior, suffered a career ending shoulder injury against Air Force in 2006.
“We’re not going to come at anyone with any excuses,” Slade said.
Welcome Back: Montario Hardesty returned to the field for the first time since the Mississippi State game on Oct. 13. The sophomore tailback entered Saturday's game in the second quarter.
After a week of questions following his absence last Saturday against Alabama and his ensuing absence for UT's practice the next day, Hardesty had two carries for 18 yards, scoring a three-yard touchdown.
On the next UT drive, Hardesty galloped for 15 yards, then limped off the field with an ankle sprain.
Injury Report: Senior offensive tackle Eric Young is thought to be lost for the season with a knee injury, Fulmer said. In his absence, starting right guard Chris Scott moved to left tackle while fellow sophomore Jacques McClendon stepped in at right guard.
Receiver Lucas Taylor said he is 95 percent recovered from a turf toe injury.
"It's feeling a lot better," the junior said.
Taylor said UT's medical staff isn't sure when he'll be completely recovered. Taylor confirmed that the injury has limited his speed and cutting ability.
Media Men: Several Vols had strong retorts for media criticism. Fulmer said his team talked about a cartoon by Dan Proctor in Saturday's News Sentinel in which the Grim Reaper was knocking on Fulmer's front door.
"We had a nice laugh about the Grim Reaper being at our house," Fulmer said.
Fulmer said his team also discussed ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit, who implied that UT's players were more concerned about the NFL than playing college football.
Slade also had some choice words for the media.
"It's good to see them (UT's defensive backs) put it together despite all the crap," he said. "They don't look at the stuff that's in the media and get down about it."
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Comments » 18
TommyJack writes:
soooooooo, SLOVOG: Who made you the all seeing, all knowing?
ballou1024 writes:
Willingham should have been in the starting lineup. Vinson needs to be replaced by someone he is not ready to be a starter. Chavis needs to make a change at linebacker they are always out of position.Play the two freshman Chris Walker and Donaldson!
utvols1 writes:
I agree TJ-I read some of slovog posts-what an idiot. I'll tell you who listens to game day-a bunch of high school kids-many of whom are considering UT. Get a grip UT is and has been a program in decline for 5 yrs. Wake up.
B_A_VOL writes:
"It's good to see them (UT's defensive backs) put it together despite all the phooey," he *Slade) said. "They don't look at the stuff that's in the media and get down about it."
Just making that statement has me wondering if Slade has any clue. Vinson was out of position all night. Receivers ran free all night. Wrap up when you tackle, especially a defensive back.
Why are we all idiots because we do not agree with each other? REMEMBER: Opinions are like A@# holes, everyone has one and they ALL stink a little.
Vandylaw07 writes:
How out many times can your secondary be clueless and out of position in one game? I've never seen a secondary play as badly as ours has this season. It seems everyone we play gets WIDE OPEN. The talent is there, and I know we're young, but so are a lot of other teams. We are always in "busted coverages," we can't tackle, we don't look for the ball, and we don't cover well because of poor scheme and even poorer technique. For goodness sake, hire an NFL secondary coach that knows how to coach the position. Enough is enough! I'm sick of making the John Parker Wilsons and Blake Mitchells of the world look like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Vandy's defense is in the top 20 nationally and they have nowhere close to the talent we have. When you recruit top 5 talent yet your pass defense is ranked #94 (that was before giving up 350+ to USC), something doesn't add up.
Oh, and Jon Hefney, shut your mouth and play football. You're a four year starter, yet you still can't tackle, and you still can't field punts. Ridiculous.
jweaver3#395614 writes:
We have the same record as Fla. should Meyer be fired? How bout Carroll, he has an NFL team and can't win? I hattttttttteeeeeeeeee being 5-3 especially the way the 3 came about in blow outs but that said, This has been a strange football season!!! I just sill think that negative comments should be emailed to Mike Hamilton. We can't do anything about the negative, but Mike can. I just hate to think about some 17-18 year old reading all this negative phooey and thinking, man do I want to go to a place that the fans hate their coach and want him fired??? That is my only point. I'm a lifelong fan and booster of the big Orange and will be till I die, no matter who is coaching.
GO VOLS!!!
TXVOLSFAN
jhmclain#224991 writes:
Been thinking for the last couple of years or so that Slade needed to go. Now you can add Chavis and the rest of the D staff.
asleep#212036 writes:
I agree our linebackers are also clueless. They never cover anyone out of the backfield and get caught up in traffic way too many times. They drop out in zone coverage on runs, and hit the run gaps on passes. When they do feel a pass, they don't drop back far enough so the middle of the field is always open at about 10-15 yards. It seems that the problems in our secondary, which include youth and talent level, are being magnified by our ineffective D line and clueless linebackers. Can next year's defense really be that much better with these coaches? Go Vols!!!
DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu writes:
Wow. Costly game in terms of injuries. Work hard, guys, and come back to fight another day.
Eric Young, you've been an outstanding Volunteer. We all wish you the best in everything you do.
littletheyknow writes:
Thank you all who have dout about the VOLS, that means me and all the real VOL fans will get great ticets when we all get to ATLANTA. You guys can stay home and whine about it. A win is a win and I'll take like all the other wins that put us on top.
BigManVolFan writes:
It sucks that Eric Young went down with a what might be season ending injury...Lets hope it turns out to be something minor....Man our defense as a whole is just plain pitiful...Why do we give receivers that much of a cushion?
It's not hard to throw for 7 yards when there is that much seperation.....This is two weeks in a row now that the oppossing team has had a receiver break there schools record for catches in a game.....D.J. Hall last week and Kenny McKinley this week....Whats next?
thevol writes:
Wow, did anybody read in the article about 5 starting d-backs lost since last year? Anyone think this might have something to do with secondary play? No, has to be the coaches fault. The greats- Spurrier, Meyer, Carrol, etc.. would never let that happen. Oh wait...
AF_CE_VOL writes:
Why does UT ALWAYS throw it 2 yards, or run a draw, when it's 3rd and 18 or something similar? Like John Madden always says....if you need 9 yards, throw it 9! Since screens are about 75% of Ainge's plays he looks good on paper--but this past week he couldn't even throw those. Maybe the guy had a bad night, we can give him that, I guess. But the play calling, all the very-much advertised screens--that's pitiful. It's either the coaches or Ainge calling the play at the line--and if it's Ainge, he needs to stick to throwing the ball and quit changing every play. A less talented QB would get better results executing simpler plays.
1974Vol writes:
The reasons the Vols give up so many passing yards is they have no lock down corners, like Inky Johnson, and they have no consistent pass rushers on the front four. This means the corners need to play soft and get help over the top from the safties. Which means with the safeties and LB's in coverage ( not pass rushing) they must get pressure with their front four. Which they can't do consistently. So the options they have are they can blitz and leave their conrners in man coverage and give up big plays ala Florida, or they can sit in zone coverage and give up alot of short passes and long drives ala Bama and the Cocks. If this group had one for real pressure guy up front and one lock down corner to take on DJ Hall, McKinnley, etc. it would be a dramatically improved defense. I don't see any on the depth chart, so really its more about the offense stepping up and hanging 40's on everyone left on the schedule. We need 14 play 8 minute drives that get TD's in each and every quarter. You feeling me Cut & Eric? We all can rag the coaching and players all we want, but this teams only chance to get to Atlanta is consistent offensive execution that generates points. They can do that against the rest of their schedule - the question is will they.
DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu writes:
Roland James, where are you?
pdhuff#552644 writes:
If we don't hang at least 40 in each of these last 4 games, we can hang a left turn South in our pick-ups headed for the Poulan Weed-eater extravaganzer (sic) in beautiful downtown Shreveport. I'd make that trip in my 180,000 mile truck for the opportunity to witness another Foster (Phil's man) game changing fumble. Wouldn't that be a nice 550 mle ride back! Ainge, Berry , Coker, Hardesty and the o-line are gamers. Rest should be paying full price for a ticket. And whoever called Slade a coach stretched the king's english! Go Vols!
AF_CE_VOL writes:
Ainge is no "gamer." He will be selling insurance or running for office somewhere in 2 years. How many QBs has UT sent to the pros (that played more than 1 year) in the last 20 years? 1.
bigbluevol writes:
Slade doesn't call coverages. Chavis does. Our zone coverage has been a problem since before Slade was there. I have long thought that third and long was the worst position our defense could find itself in. We seem to zone it up on 3rd and 18 only to give up 19. That's been going on for a while. There are obvious communication issues, as Hefney alluded to, in the secondary. SC's last td which was a pass to McKinley, you could see Vinson pass him off because he was expecting help (which he didn't get). After the catch, Vinson was looking around trying to find out where his help was. Our zone coverage leaves a lot to be desired. We need to probably play more man free with Hef or Berry playing centerfield and jamming the receivers. The cushioning has got to stop, and please let's cover the tight end.
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