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.”
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Comments » 111
dfreeman writes:
1st
dfreeman writes:
dang you gator4!! LOL
gohawks1 writes:
Congrats to the coaches and players for staying focused and for staying out of trouble. Good job, and LET'S GET READY TO RUMMMMMMBBBBBLLLLLLLLE!
Jamey1210 writes:
Love my vols. Leadership is everything. You have to lead by example and if your natural leaders don't care they still lead and it is not the right path. If you are lucky enough to have great leaders that do the right thing you can have great things happen. Go vols..
rockitwithrespect writes:
good job vols! nice article hooker
dfreeman writes:
IP - Can't wait for the PA at Neyland to scream "it's football time in TENNESSEE"!!!!!
Jamey1210 writes:
It gives me chills just hearing "Its Football time in TENNESSEE"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MrBamSeydu writes:
why, o, why do gator fans subscribe to our websites?? I guess that's more of a compliment than anything, but I wouldn't be caught dead on a Florida or Bama website.
Jamey1210 writes:
I am curious! Lets do a vote. Lets advertise it in ever article until GVX does a vote on it. DO YOU REALY HAVE TO BE A VOL to subcribe to GVX. Come on you all you know you would want to see the talley. Are you all with me?
AllVol2008#1353998 writes:
Hey, where's McDim98? What an idiot . . . .
Unkindest Regards, moron.
HotlantaVol writes:
Nice job, Vols. I guess those police car ride-alongs did the trick. Now our guys remember to check their license plate lights before tokin' and rollin'.
VOLS85 writes:
I wonder if Adams was told to write an article about this and said "Hooker, I'm full of phooey, so if I write this article it will make me look more dumb than before, you want to bail me out?"
DennisVols writes:
Maxwell says "It is not lonely at the top. Leaders bring leaders up with them"
If this holes true UT could have a great year due to the senior leadership training future leaders on this team by their example.
Go Vols just one more month till we all scream "It's Football Time In Tennessee" Just just thought that quake was strong in LA until the Big Orange comes to town.
FWBVol writes:
This is more like it both from the Vols and the KNS.
People complain that Fulmer passes blame when the team fails, which is a matter of opinion. There's no doubt here that he is deflecting the credit to the players staying out of trouble to the leaders on the team.
This week we've read about players from Georgia, Arkansas, South Carolina, Kentucky, Mississippi State, and, drum roll please....Alabama getting in trouble and being suspended.
It seems as if our kids are focused on football and I believe that will translate into a great season on the field.
GO BIG ORANGE!!!!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Congrats, Phil on keeping then straight.
Although, I thought I needed to get my eyes checked when he said "a couple of things in Jan and Feb".
Well, kudoes to Bama for winning the Fulmer Cup and to Arkie for the late rush.
Think I'll have a fritter.
givehim6 writes:
Good article Dave, JH shoule have wrote it but didn't have the b---s. GO VOLS!
gavol2572 writes:
I'm getting a good feeling about this season. I just hope its not the leftover spaghettie that I'm feeling :)
VOLS85 writes:
It's weird iam4ua, you're winning it right now! At least you guys are capable of taking home one title this year...
OrangeRush writes:
John Adams thinks this is all the result of his tireless work.
Couchdummy writes:
good article.
volunteer_cowboy writes:
Hey im the 1 who came up with the McDIM nickname for that LOSER!!!!!!!!
BigVolinCarolina writes:
I am encouraged by the fact that our players have stayed out of trouble this off-season. More than that, I hope it translates into a solid football season.
I just hope now that Coach Fulmer can stay out of trouble.
dfreeman writes:
Hey 02chump I mean champ, I am a Tennessee fan!!
THANKYOU4GETTINGRIDOFTHENOTSOSLIMONE writes:
I am sorry guys but I do not give congrats for something that should be a given. Fulmer is acting like the players are doing something out of the norm for a Tennessee football player to stay out of trouble. Hold on, that isn't normal. My bad.
dfreeman writes:
pleasegetridof - where have you been? Also, due to the high number of other SEC schools with legal issues due to their players extra activities, I think it is news! It tells us how much better the team is doing. I like that this is news! All we heard about before this one was how out of control the program was! It also sheds a positive light on the University for recruits and their parents!
T0MMYJACK writes:
Have you ever noticed that when the positive articles are written, the usual suspects don't post much . No YouTube url's. Nary a KrispyKreme. Just a mere fritter or two.
It must suck for those guys when things are good for the Vols.
TommyJack writes:
Posers are chickenchits.
TommyJack writes:
Marc, 11:11: Sounds about right.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
How come Foolmore never wore the Orange Blazer before Pearl got here (I realize that Pearl did it to pay tribute to Ray Mears but Pearl brought it back)????
LargeOrange writes:
Oh no, the moronlikeheck is back, silentfulmer can't be far behind. Finally a positive and true article about the VOLS and the morons get motivated to post. Amazing. Good article Dave. Sorry to the rest of you for feeding the troll.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
It was just a question LargeMoron, don't get your panties in a wad.
volfan73120#211815 writes:
Working and pleaseget are nothing but two terminally whiny, guilt ridden, and delusional non entity jerks.
THANKYOU4GETTINGRIDOFTHENOTSOSLIMONE writes:
It is a good article but to say that you are proud of kids staying out of trouble is to say that you expected them to get in trouble. It is a given that they should stay out of trouble. I hope they coninue to stay out of the news but I would rather have a National Championship with a bunch of trouble makers over a 9-3 season with little news makers. Don't all of you saints (Fulmer Lovers) out there say you wouldn't.
LargeOrange writes:
JerkinlikeHeck - Keep Jerkin, you are still a moron and prove it every time you post. No more from me, climb back under the bridge troll.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
LOL at LargeMoron and Volfan....a simple question gets them all riled up. Poor little souls.
LongtimeVol writes:
It has been great to have a quiet summer and the coaches and players deserve the props. Maybe this should be the norm in college athletics as someone mentioned earlier, but it isn't. It is tough to keep the players out of trouble and when it happens for UT Fulmer gets the credit.
gnm53108 writes:
Good article.
marc_ash on July 31, 2008 at 11:11 p.m
Agree.
Good job.Coaches and players.
Now where are them bruins?
khelton657 writes:
Ridiculous..leadership is a necessity but being "proud" of them because they stayed out of jail for 5 months is setting some pretty low standards
GerryOP writes:
After everything that has gone on this off-season, Coach Fulmer is surely happy to be back on the practice field. It's time! The talking stops and the work begins.
DadwasaVol writes:
Yes, we get to celebrate good citizenship. Nothing corny about that. Even my kids have stayed out of trouble this year.
dvols writes:
kevin oneil wore the orange blazer also. sorry, pearl didn't bring it back.....
he did bring a new sport to tennessee called basketball!
dvols writes:
wish i could stay out of trouble
KennesawVol writes:
Agree with PLEASEGETRID @ 11:21pm and khelton657. To not have any off-field incidents for 5 months and crow about it isn't saying much for disipline.
b_neas writes:
Nice job CPF/staff and team leaders. Next step in showing leadership is being disciplined enough to carry out your assignments on the field. Do this and we could be looking at a 11-12 win season!
volnbig11land writes:
agree knoxsingle, I'm quick to bash kns (and especially johnnie), but kudos to kns and Hooker for this article.
I'm also quick to critize CPF, but kudos to him as well. While it's not his responsibility to guard these ADULTS, the last few months of better conduct on the teams part says something for his obviously increased involvement since all the post season mishaps.
now speaking of johnnie.....
volingreensboro writes:
kennesaw, and other unrealistic whiners, etc....
Were you never a kid who got in trouble? And i would venture to say that none of you were D-1 athletes who were probably given everything you ever wanted, and more than likely made to be a superhero in your home town.... Thats what the majority of these kids are. Most of them have never had any kind of punishment for anything, so when you move them away from home(to Knox)turn them loose, while making them celebrity like for playing football at UT(it's true, like it or not) it is an accomplishment to keep them out of trouble. Anyone who has a teenager knows how hard it is to keep a kid out of trouble, let alone a UT football player alone in a party town for probably the first time in their lives.
THE COACHES AND TEAM LEADERS ARE TO BE COMMENDED AND THIS SHOULD BE PRINTED AS OFTEN AS THE POLICE REPORTS AREE!!!!!!!
99gator writes:
i am not very superstitious, but i am on this sort of thing......and not too long ago i violated my own superstition. you don't talk about having a lack of off the field incidents.
tennessee was having a lot of incidents this winter and pdhuff asked if florida had any problems. i told him florida was ride along free other than a sandwich throwing incident for several months at that point......
the very next day, the jamar hornsby situation came to light (the dead girl's credit card situation....classy).
don't mention a lack of off the field problems......one will pop up in less than a week.
KennesawVol writes:
Not unrealistic, Greensboro, just realistic. These are SUPPOSED to be young adults, and, just for yuor info, they are CONSTANTLY warned about "living in a fishbowl" at this level, so, no, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect better of young men than to be good citizens and APPRECIATE the chance they've been given and RESPECT the law and their school. Maybe YOU were a brat, and maybe still are.
chrslyp writes:
hey 99's back.
a little reason has been brought back to the board.
chrslyp writes:
i got a buddy..
third year law student, extremely smart, was cited when we were undergrads for underage consumption, after he and a buddy were pulled over, neither were legally drunk, but they had a case of brew in the back of the car.
my point is, he's a good guy, never broke the law, but got this BS citation. if he were a football player, it would have been all over the news.
even the best and smartest slip up. i think some of these rules and laws are just unrealistic. college kids are going to drink, and party, even if they do it responsibly, they could still "get in trouble" just as my friend did, when really, he was doing nothing wrong.
these kinds of "problems" with our football program, IMO aren't really "problems", not cheating scandals, drug dealing and the like, those are real problems.
other than colquit's drunk driving incident, all of the other problems have been small, and barely illegal.
at least no one has been selling coke, a la jimmy johns.
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