Abrams-Ward's fire caught Fulmer's attention

Receiver liked closeness of UT's players, coaches

By Josh Ward

Originally published 12:51 a.m., February 7, 2008
Updated 12:51 a.m., February 7, 2008

It took a basketball game to show Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer just how good E.J. Abrams-Ward can be.

The 2008 UT signee showcased his skills and attitude when Fulmer attended one of Abrams-Ward's basketball games for Thomasville (N.C) High School last month.

"I knew he was a good athlete from the tape," Fulmer said Wednesday. "But I had no idea until I watched him play basketball just how good of an athlete he really was. He was playing over the rim."

Fulmer said he was most impressed by the 6-foot-5, 209-pound receiver when he was undercut with about five minutes left in the game.

"The next five minutes, when he got the basketball, he was playing with that kind of intensity," Fulmer said. "He was playing like you want him to play. I liked that five-minute stretch."

Abrams-Ward, who signed with the Vols on Wednesday after also considering North Carolina, plans to play football and basketball at UT. Fulmer said Bruce Pearl has given the OK for Abrams-Ward to play basketball as long as it doesn't interfere with his academic work or football.

UT midterm enrollee Austin Johnson had already seen the athleticism of Abrams-Ward when the two were teammates in the East-West Shrine Bowl in December.

Johnson said he put a lot of pressure on Abrams-Ward, as well as Columbia, S.C,, offensive lineman Kenneth Page, to sign with UT. Page listed the Vols as a finalist but signed with Clemson.

Still, Johnson's efforts weren't a complete failure.

"It worked with E.J. so I was happy with that," said Johnson, a linebacker from Hickory (N.C.) High.

Johnson said he and Abrams-Ward struck up a friendship during their week preparing for the Shrine Bowl.

Did that relationship have a positive influence on Abrams-Ward's final decision?

"I think so," Johnson said.

It was that kind of relationship that helped Abrams-Ward decide UT was the school for him.

Abrams-Ward said he saw that same atmosphere when he took an official visit to Knoxville on Jan. 18.

"It was a big deal," said Abrams-Ward. "I'm coming from a small town where the only thing basically you have is your family. I don't want to be out there by myself just playing football and that's that."

Abrams-Ward said he was caught off guard by the closeness of the players and coaching staff at UT, but he was happy to see it.

"An SEC team, you think it's just live, eat, breathe football and that's it," he said. "But when I came out there, guys are closer than I thought."

Now Abrams-Ward will focus on fitting in with the players on and off the field.

He said he wants to make an impact with UT's deep receiving corps, but he doesn't expect it to happen immediately.

"I know I'm not going to come straight in and just take over," he said. "They've got great wideouts there."

But that doesn't mean Abrams-Ward is short on confidence. He's already comparing himself to former UT receiver Robert Meachem.

"A tall guy out there going to make plays and win games for Tennessee," Abrams-Ward said.