It's all about timing for Vols : govolsxtra.com

Forget position battles and starting spots. With five more practices before Tennessee's first scrimmage this fall, it's still too early to start whittling down the depth chart.

"We don't have to do that right now," UT coach Phillip Fulmer said following a three-hour practice Sunday afternoon on Haslam Field. "There's a lot of water under the bridge before we have to make those kinds of decisions. We're trying to get as many people ready to play as we possibly can."

So far, the Vols are on the right track.

"I like the attitude of our team and the progress of our team after two days," Fulmer said.

Two more days of the NCAA's acclimation period remain until the Vols can put on full pads and begin full-contact work.

Once Wednesday's practice comes around, coaches and players can begin learning a lot more about who will start and who can contribute.

Still, there's work to be done and progress to be made early.

For quarterback Jonathan Crompton, a lot of that work is done above the shoulders.

UT will spend most of the acclimation period reinstalling schemes on both sides of the ball and on special teams.

It's a review session for the older players and a crash course for many of the newcomers.

But it's still important, Crompton says.

"You've got to understand it," he said. "The more I understand it, the more my teammates understand that I know it, and they'll know that I'm going to get into the right play."

Just as important, though, is getting into the right frame of mind from the outset.

"The older guys setting the example from day one," says Rico McCoy, a preseason All-SEC selection at linebacker. "Stay upbeat, do things the right way. The more the young guys see you do that, the more likely they are to follow suit."

And pick up where they left off.

UT ended spring practice on a high note in April, and senior defensive end Robert Ayers doesn't want to see that momentum wasted by a few bad days in August.

"We just don't want to lose a step," Ayers said. "We had a good spring practice. We don't want to take five steps forward in the spring and then take two steps back. We want to take those five steps and keep building on that."

Tailback Arian Foster just wants that building process to be a quiet, focused one.

As one of UT's leaders on offense, he'd rather see players focused and working than yelling and screaming.

"As an older guy, I don't want to see all this hollering and yelling," he said. "A lot of the time, it's insincere. I want to see the older guys put their heads down and go to work. I think it'll set the tone for the younger guys."

Setting the right pace early should pay dividends throughout fall camp.

"After the first week, you're back in the groove and ready to go every day because you know that it's time," Crompton said. "It's an every day thing. You're anxious to get out there and play ball, because that's what we came here to do."

For now, though, it's more about who can play - and who can play where - than anything else.

"We've made some significant changes before," Fulmer said. "(Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl tight end) Jason Witten didn't speak to me for a week after I moved him (from defensive end). But he's not mad at me anymore.

"You're finding those spots where they're going to help your team and what's best for them as well."

Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.

It's all about timing for Vols

Review session for veterans, crash course for rookies