Tennessee Stat Book
Event Details
- What: Tennessee vs. Georgia
- When: Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007, 3:30 p.m.
- Where: Neyland Stadium
- Cost: Not available
- Age limit: All ages
For potential recruiting rewards, Tennessee is willing to take a junior-varsity risk.
The Vols will play in the their first junior-varsity football game in 15 years, hoping to avoid injuries when they host Hargrave Military Academy at 7 tonight at Neyland Stadium.
Football fans should know Hargrave well. It’s the prep school used by many programs, including UT, to help prospects achieve academic eligibility after high school.
UT freshman cornerback Brent Vinson, senior safety Jonathan Hefney, senior defensive end Antonio Reynolds, junior defensive tackle Demonte Bolden and freshman offensive lineman Darius Myers are some of the many Vols who detoured through Hargrave, which is in Chatham, Va.
Hosting Hargrave can only help the relationship between the two schools. When major programs send players to Hargrave, they expect to get those players back, meaning contact from other schools during the prep-school stopover is frowned upon.
Prospects are only tied to their signed letter of intent for one year. If they stay in prep school for one year they’re free to sign with another school once they leave.
Three high-profile prospects will play tonight: receiver DeAngelo Benton (committed to LSU), running back Enrique Davis (Auburn) and linebacker Quillie Odom (Virginia Tech).
“It’s a recruiting opportunity for us,” UT head coach Phillip Fulmer said, “but also it’s a chance to see some of our players that haven’t played very much.”
NCAA regulations limit which players UT can use. Players whom UT plans to redshirt will not play because participating in the game would burn their redshirt year.
Also, players can participate in only 12 regular-season games per year.
That means UT’s pool will consist of non-redshirt candidates who haven’t played in all four of UT’s game this season.
“We’ve got a number of guys that haven’t played in the first four ball games,” Fulmer said. “It’s enough. We’re going to be alright.”
The Vols listed 11 scholarship players on their junior-varsity roster: quarterback Nick Stephens, defensive backs Dennis Rogan and Sinclair Cannon, linebacker Savion Frazier, defensive tackle Victor Thomas, offensive linemen Darius Myers, Ramon Johnson and Jarrod Shaw and defensive linemen Ben Martin and Chase Nelson.
Jonathan Crompton was also listed on the roster, but Fulmer said the sophomore backup quarterback would not play. Crompton, who did not play in the season-opener at Cal, said he was willing if called upon.
“You always want to play,” he said. “You want to play every time you can get a chance.”
Stephens figures to get most, if not all, of the snaps. He hasn’t played in a competitive game since he left Flower Mound (Texas) High School.
“It’s just a chance to go out there and get loose again and get used to playing against a live defense and get back in the rhythm of things,” Stephens said. “A lot of people, I guess, have been talking, ‘Can he play? Can he play?’
“I just want to go out there and show that not only can I throw, but I can maybe make some things happen on the ground.”
Drew Edwards contributed to this report.
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Comments » 12
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
Mother of mercy. If we lose this game... what will the posts look like? Pleasssssssssssseeeeeeeee win!!
VolsorCat writes:
If this helps in recruiting and the JV doesn't get killed, I support it. A chance to recruit players and stroke a supplier of talent should be taken. Plus, we can see if some of the players who haven't played might be able to contribute later this year. Hope they don't just pound it up the middle all night.
Colliervol writes:
How will we tell the difference between the varsity and junior varsity? (Sorry, I just couldn't resist that one. Forgive me.)
UTFAN1993 writes:
I've never read one article that had "ALL" positive comments.I thought this one would be a first.
missrvrvol writes:
What time is the Vol Walk tonight?
GreerVol22 writes:
Boy , how embarrasing, I'm really sorry Tennessee fans but we made a mistake and sent the JV team to Gainesville a couple weeks back.
Sorry for that.
Your friend and best buddy,
Phil
BigOrange1 writes:
Do they get to run thru the "T"?
invisiblekid writes:
Way to go Collier, screw up the all-positive thread we had going here. Guess you aren't a true Vol fan LOL. As someone said last week, bring on the Washington Generals next.
orangebloodgmc writes:
UT JV games! Dad used to take us to those back in the 60's (I guess they cost less, tickets easy to get and not too much traffic). I remember seeing us play Notre Dame and Army. It was UT football at Neyland Stadium but less hassle and stress, just good fun football. You didn't reallly expect to see great things, but when you did see impressive plays made, it was all the more special.
fchildress#209172 writes:
Have all the young receivers played in all 4 games? If not, why are they not on the roster finally getting a chance to prove themselves....
We have GOT to move a young receiver along soon with Austin Rogers dropping 3rd passes time after time
orangebloodgmc writes:
Good question, fchildress, seems like we would have had a sense of urgency to get people like O'Neill more reps in game situations, including this jv game. But maybe he did appear in all 4 games on special teams or somethin.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
I miss the old 'freshman football'. I know, with freshmean eligible, it's impractical. Still, it was great, both in basketball and football. For some players, it was the only real time they got on the field/court.
I'd really like to see a lot more jv games and so forth. Realizing it's a business, it still goes to address the importance of getting young men/women into competitive play, rather than being bystanders.
At some point, I believe this will happne more and mroe across America's hs's and colleges.
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