Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said Tuesday that former Fulton High School star Dennis Rogan will return punts in place of senior safety Jonathan Hefney.
Hefney has struggled returning punts this season after excelling there in 2006.
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Comments » 71
TnVolFaninSmyrna writes:
AT LAST! Fulmer has seen the light! At worst, Rogan is equally as good as Hefney has been this year. Give'em hell kid!
jimed1#220140 writes:
YES!! Finally I don't have to worry about what Hefney is going to do! Now if he could just get replaced by someone that can tackle.
mtnvol writes:
Can't hurt!
MOOREVOLS writes:
This is great. I agree, Rogan is no worse for sure. I've been waiting for this all season. Rogan has a nose for the endzone and seems to play with fire. Hopefully we'll see a big improvement in the punt return game now.
DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu writes:
YEEEHAAHHH!
GreerVol22 writes:
Call Willie Gault and ask him how to get to the state capital. Didn't need a chart to see that one coming. Nice job Dennis, you earned it, now keep it.
cnalumni writes:
I am glad to see a local talent on the field Finally.
tnfab5#213749 writes:
Finally!!!!!!!
finn writes:
Adams said it in a previous article but Berry ran with great vision and speed after the fumble pick-up against USC. I'd love to see him return a couple punts but the further chance of injury is terrifying for an already weak 2ndary.
gvsvol#209090 writes:
I like the switch too, but would love to see Eric Berry take a shot at returns (he's looked pretty darn good the two times he's touched the ball in open field). But regardless change is good.
slsmithsr#269458 writes:
Watching high school film of Rogan, he and Gerald Jones were the most impressive runners to me.
Anybody hear about Vince Faison quitting pro baseball....(not aka "The Future") and playing for the Vols next year?
Seems as though he want to play for Coach Atkins.
volntx writes:
Would like to see Berry also, he is a great talent,but his returns have been against offensive players not defensive ones trying to take his head off. Could make a difference.
marc_ash#231781 writes:
FINALLY! wow, it took this long for him to figure this one out eh? One of the smarter decisions Fulmer has made this season.
fjenk1302#219360 writes:
Well, actually it could hurt a lot. Hefney hasn't been good back there, but he hasn't fumbled any punts to the other team either. If Rogan does, it will look like a terrible move.
gvsvol#209090 writes:
good point, slsmithsr. I am asking myself why Gerald Jones isn't more involved (unless he's still not 100% and they're easing him in).
agentorange writes:
Wouldn't mind seeing Eric Berry doing it.
volntx writes:
Berry breaks a couple of long punt returns you look like a genius, Berry breaks a couple of bones you look like an idiot.....well a bigger idiot anyway.
MOOREVOLS writes:
Hefney has muffed a few punts already. We've just been fortunate that a Tennessee player has recovered them. I could be wrong, but I believe Rogan will do a good job, if not great. We'll never know unless he gets the opportunity and now he's getting that opportunity. It was time for a shake up in that position.
libertytn writes:
He had a very good kick-off return on Saturday. So, I'm hopeful, that is a good sign of things to come.
juicetke#226846 writes:
FINALLY! After 3 years and 3 good returns Fulmer has seen the light. I guess it took Spurrier saying that Rogan was the better kick returner of he and Coker to see the light. It's amazing the influence a better coach can have on another.
BigManVolFan writes:
Its about time...I have watch Rogan play for the last 3 years in HS, and man the moves the kid has in the open field...I know this is college now, but Rogan is a heckuva athlete...No one will be dissappointed with this kid!
bigbluevol writes:
McKenzie is playing linebacker, not db. That change was made about a month ago, if not longer. He's too slow to play safety.
MOOREVOLS writes:
I think Willingham is the new starting DB in place of Johnson.
GoVol writes:
Giv'em hell Rogan!!! You should have been there many weeks ago. Make us proud!
VOLnATL writes:
best news I have heard all day!
RunRunPassPunt writes:
THANK GOD. LETS GO DENNIS!!!!
Volunatic writes:
Go Dennis Rogan!
GO VOLS!!! Beat Louisiana Lafayette!
juicetke#226846 writes:
Now i'm in trouble with the boss for looking at this site during work because I cheered when I read the headline.
TnVolFaninSmyrna writes:
Yeah, Willingham is at corner and McKenzie is at backer.
tnfab5#213749 writes:
Does anyone know what's up with Tyler Maples? Is he redshirt? Dressing out? Offense or Defense? He's another great returner - no fear.
B_A_VOL writes:
OK, he may be a step slow. When he gets there, he will tackle someone. Some may be faster but when they get there, whoosh another missed tackle. Its about puttin em on the ground and we are not doing that.
MOOREVOLS writes:
Maples is redshirting. They moved him to receiver back in August.
bigbluevol writes:
Fulmer moved him. He was quoted earlier saying, "'I asked him if he wanted to be a slow safety or a fast linebacker.'" It's great to tackle, but if you can't catch them, it doesn't really matter. This is why Parrish was replaced. McKenzie and Landry aren't really comparable. I'd rather have McKenzie lined up on a tight end than a wide receiver. That's the reason for the change. And, as great as Pelini has been, his d's not really living up to expectations this year.
mparker writes:
??
mparker writes:
sorry, just a test...
you guys can ease off Hefney a bit. He's been a good player for us.
Who's the last stud punt returner we've had???
bowerst#242774 writes:
What about kick-offs? And what about Kenny O'Neal? I understand if he hasn't learned the offense well enough to play receiver, but surely he can catch a football? If not, could someone catch it hand it to him a la Forrest Gump?
MOOREVOLS writes:
Good punt returners: Mark Jones, Eric Parker (when healthy), Terry Fair?
orangebloodgmc writes:
Terry Fair, yep, and Roland James that they were discussing a couple days ago and one of the toughest of all, Eddie Brown.
Yeah, I aint bashing Hefney, but its time to give Rogan a chance vs. opponent like ULL, and play a bunch of other young'uns too.
callen825#321558 writes:
Good move..La Laf will be a good test for him. This could also serve to motivate Mr. Hefney, who can ratchet up a notch if he wants to do so.
callen825#321558 writes:
P.S. I was glad to fing out that Coach Fulmer was in PA last Thursday night for Mr. Pryor's (QB)game, along with all his other competitors (Joe Pa, Tressel, etc.)...the VOL nation needs to keep their fingers crossed that we are still high on his list.
BigManVolFan writes:
I am all for Kenny O'Neal getting on the field...I have said it atleast a hundred times...Get about 10 designed plays for him like bubbles screens, inside screens or just a plain old fly route...Heck, someone can line him up right...At the very least let him return kick-offs....A kid like him with world class speed has got to be on the field somewhere.....
Just imagine what Urban Myer could have done with O'Neal with his offense...He might not be able to line up right but by god with him and Harvin taking hand-offs and end arounds or reverses, a game could turn into a track meet fast!
inquiry writes:
Here's the deal too.. it's hard to get a good punt return on when you've been on the field with the defensive series, then expect to make a hard run on a return.. I'd rather have someone off the bench do that anyway, as long as he can catch the thing.
Plasticman writes:
Great news! I think Rogan will do an excellent job. I saw him play here in Knoxville (Fulton HS) and he is electric. He is tough as nails too. Good luck Dennis !
Voldemort writes:
Good.
BigManVolFan writes:
sjt18...you are forgeting that we had a QB by the name of Tee Martin who played here...Yeah he won a national title, but he had no clue how to run our offense...I am very good friends and work with a guy who played on the 98 title team...He tells us some pretty good stories about the program...So far the best one is how dumb Tee Martin was....Just to name one story..Do you ever wonder why Ainge comes to the line and acts like he is going to snap the ball and at the last second pulls away???
He is reading how many down lineman and how many backers are in the box EX: 4 lineman and 3 backers would equal a call of white 43....Tee could not read that...If he would have seen that he would have call white 34 or white 33, which meaning the o-line would have to leave someone unblocked or try to find that extra man and just hope he was out of position not to affect the play....
But what I am saying is that if they can teach someone as dumb as Tee to run our complex offense then why can they not teach O'Neal?
BigManVolFan writes:
But....Yes Martin did function as a QB, but look at his supporting cast....Travis Henry and Stephens, Jamal Lweis, Peerless Price, Cedrick Wilson and a Defense that could was probably the best this school has ever had....He might have the record for consec. completions but he did it against a S. Carolina secondary that was worse than ours is now.
All I am saying is Why cant our OC come up with a scheme to get the ball in his hands...It's not hard to tell him to line up wide left on the line and heres the play...O'Neal may have got to campus late but our offense is not that difficult to learn....Look back at the past....Recently going back to Manning our offense is exactly the same it was in 94 as it is now....If incoming freshman QB's can learn it then it must not be that hard.
I just dont think O'Neal was given the fair shake he deserved. All that was heard in the preseason scrimmages is that O'Neal hauls in a long 60-yard td bomb here and there...Why not line him up wide and send him on a fly....
Remember Willie Gault and the famous saying Smokey Go Long?
McIntireIMP writes:
throw some cheese on it!
yeavols#228407 writes:
I reserve comment. My only fear is a fumble on the first hit when returning the ball by a freshman. But what the heck..it might help.
asleep#212036 writes:
Congratulations to Fulmer for trying to shake things up. That has been my biggest gripe over the years. It isn't trying something and having it not work out. It's being scared to try something because it might not work out. Give it a shot. Shake up your team. Shake up your staff if necessary. As CEO, when things are getting dicey, pick a different path and just go with it. I'll bet your coaches and your team, and ultimately, the fans will go right along with you. Back when he was OC, it was b***s to the wall. What happened? I say great idea coach. Let's see some more of that, and maybe we can see UT in Atlanta! Go Vols!!!
vol4jesus writes:
I believe the comments on Tee Martin's intelligence or lack there of is not necessary even to prove the point. He played hard with a strong supporting cast ,but still gotter done! So if Mr. O'neal can't get it thats a shame. Lets leave the sad commentary out of the blog. Thanks. GO VOLS!!!
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