Phillip Fulmer calls it “Stage Four”. You call it “the season.”

Whatever the name, it begins Saturday when Tennessee begins preseason practice.

Following the other stages (winter weight lifting, spring practice and summer workouts), the season is when coaches are judged, yet it’s the other stages that truly lay the foundation.

There was a time not so long ago when UT’s foundation seemed shaky following a run of off-field incidents in January and February.

National Signing Day didn’t bring much relief. Beset by limited scholarships, the Vols signed 18 prospects and, because the class was so small it was ranked in the lower half of the SEC.

Yet all is not lost. Since those uncertain days, Fulmer and staff have received 15 commitments and haven’t had to deal with a public off-field incident in almost five months.

Meanwhile, it’s not hard to pick up a newspaper or check the Internet in the last month or so to read about other SEC schools dealing with numerous off-field incidents.

“I appreciate our team responding after a couple of things in January and February that were distracting to our team,” Fulmer said Thursday on the eve before players report. “I appreciate the players, the coaches, but especially the seniors that took a big step as far as being leaders.

“The way our team has responded has been very positive. Not only have they worked hard but they’ve made sure we didn’t have any distractions for our team.”

Give Fulmer the credit and he’ll pass it on to those aforementioned leaders. He’s long said that internal leadership is far more powerful than any coach’s threats.

“I always feel that way,” Fulmer said. “The best teams have very strong leadership.”

So far, these Vols seem to have that. An empty police blotter says so — and so does Fulmer.

“If I sit down and put a list of offensive guys that could be leaders and defensive guys that could be leaders, I could put eight to 12 guys on each side of the ball,” Fulmer said. “They can be the right kind of guys and have a very positive impact on our team.”

Fulmer admits there are still question marks on his roster, as is the case every year. With the season looming, the questions need answering.

“That leadership needs to show on the field and those young guys need to take a step in that direction to follow that leadership,” Fulmer said.

UT has shown plenty of leadership in recruiting. During the offseason, the Vols replaced four coaches and a recruiting coordinator. Once the newly formed staff was able to focus on the 2009 class, the Vols started reeling in the commitments.

“It’s been a nice jelling process among our staff, offensively and defensively,” Fulmer said. “There’s a real positive energy.”

Optimism always reigns in August, when every team is undefeated. And while prognosticators break down depth charts, Fulmer is as apt to breakdown his leadership when he assesses how successful the Vols will be in 2009.

“Ordinarily,” Fulmer said, “that goes hand-in-hand.”

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.