Rivals' fight songs used for motivation

Slogging through its third practice in a little more than 24 hours, Tennessee's football team needed a boost Wednesday morning.

And they found one - more than one, actually - blaring from the loudspeakers on Haslam Field.

Sensing his team's fatigue and needing to give his defense a chance to practice the hand signals used for pre-snap adjustments in a loud stadium, coach Phillip Fulmer cued up Georgia and Florida's respective fight songs near the end of UT's 2 1/2-hour, full-contact practice.

"I turned that music on at the end there just to create some excitement on the practice field and saw everybody kind of pick it back up," Fulmer said.

The choice of schools wasn't an accident, either.

Georgia is ranked No. 1 in the preseason coaches' poll, while the media picked Florida to win the SEC championship last month at SEC media days.

"I want them thinking about this," Fulmer said. "That's who we've got to play and beat to win this conference. That's a challenge."

The musical motivation worked for senior defensive end Robert Ayers, who said it recalled UT's 59-20 thrashing at the hands of Florida last season in Gainesville.

"It gives you a little pep in your step," Ayers said. "You hear that song and you get the feeling that it's game time. For me, it makes me want to play a little harder. It's motivation, too. Considering what happened last year (at Florida), it's motivation to want to work harder in practice."

The Vols, who usually blast crowd noise during practice before road games, will give the offense a similar treatment later in camp, Fulmer said.

McNeil, Parker Limited: Center Josh McNeil and guard Anthony Parker, both starters, took about half their normal snaps during the morning practice.

Both McNeil and Parker had offseason knee surgery, and Fulmer said a light day Wednesday was an effort to provide them a little rest with five practices scheduled in a three-day period.

"They were limited some," Fulmer said. "Both of them coming off knee surgeries, had two practices (Tuesday). It's expected to be sore."

Paige Slowed: Redshirt freshman wide receiver Ahmad Paige hasn't progressed as quickly as Fulmer would like, and Fulmer said that Paige needs to "get over that mental hurdle."

"All a coach wants is the best a guy's got everyday," Fulmer said. "If he's a very talented guy like Ahmad then you've got a chance to be a special player. … I think Ahmad can be special, but he just hasn't crossed that threshold yet from a mental standpoint. Some physical, but he's bigger and stronger than he was. He's got great feet, great hands. He's just mentally got to grow up."

Waiting Game: UT has not heard back from the NCAA Clearinghouse on signees Montori Hughes or Marlon Walls, Fulmer said.

"Hopefully we'll know something here soon," Fulmer said of Hughes and Walls, the only members of UT's 2008 signing class not on campus.

Linebacker Gerald Williams is in "good shape" academically, Fulmer said. Williams, who enrolled at UT in July three years after initially signing with the Vols, needs an acceptable grade in one summer class to become eligible.

UT still has not received a ruling on tight end Brandon Warren's appeals to the NCAA and SEC.

Foster Practices Again: Tailback Arian Foster (bruised knee) practiced again after missing Saturday's scrimmage and practice Monday and Tuesday morning.

Foster returned to practice Tuesday afternoon, and said that rest is the only way to heal the bone bruise in his right knee.

"I feel good," he said. "I've got to rest. It's one of those injuries only time will heal it. There's not treatment. You've got to stay off it as much as possible."

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

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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