Jonathan Crompton entered spring practice as the favorite to become Tennessee's starting quarterback.

After two days of practice, that status hasn't changed.

Following UT's second of 15 spring practices Thursday on Haslam Field, UT coach Phillip Fulmer continued to praise Crompton.

"I think Jon Crompton has prepared himself really well," Fulmer said. "Not that the other two haven't, but Jon is well ahead of them from a mental standpoint right now and a physical standpoint.

"You can tell he's worked hard since Coach (Dave) Clawson was hired to learn the offense and the cadence and the shifts, motions that we're using. Fundamentally they all have a lot to learn. Jon's still probably ahead in that category, because he's played more and taken more practice snaps."

At least early, most of those snaps have focused on fundamentals like handing the ball off and, well, taking snaps.

With the NCAA mandated acclimation period, Crompton likes that approach during the first two days.

"That's one of the most important parts of the game," Crompton said. "You've got to be polished in everything. If you can't hand the ball off, you can't win. And if you can't take a proper drop, you can't win or take a snap or things like that. I think it's been good to take that approach and get all that out of the way in the beginning."

Clawson, UT's first-year offensive coordinator, likes what he's seen from Crompton and fellow quarterbacks Nick Stephens and B.J. Coleman in the first two days.

"There's things we need to clean up, but you expect that with a new system," Clawson said. "They're doing a nice job with it. They're eager to learn and they're putting the work into it, and that's all you can ask of them."

Faster Foster: Tailback Arian Foster said he wants to be lighter than his 225-pound playing weight from last fall.

To that end, Foster said he's lost about 8 pounds since the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1.

"I wasn't at the weight I wanted to be last season, but things happen," Foster said. "I've already dropped some weight. I feel a little bit quicker already. Coach (Stan) Drayton's been working with me. I feel like I've added a step to my game already and some quickness and some acceleration that I didn't have before."

As for exactly what the scale reads, Foster isn't ready to reveal that just yet.

"I can't let you know that, man," Foster joked. "It's a secret. I'll tell you after spring."

More Morley: Despite spending 2007 away from football, safety Demetrice Morley doesn't feel like he's missed a day.

"It feels good to be back out here with coaches and with the team," he said. "I'm back, and I'm just happy.

"I feel like nothing's changed. I feel like I've been here all this while. I'm just going to keep working hard to get better."

Fulmer said he's pleased with Morley's on-field performance, but stressed that Morley, who missed last season because of academics, needs to remain vigilant in the classroom.

"Demetrice has never had a problem on the field," Fulmer said. "His issues come with his own personal discipline and academics and those kind of things. I think he's doing fine.

"Demetrice has gotten himself in a position, as I told him, he can't be average. He needs to excel. He's capable of doing that."

Padding Up: Tennessee won't practice again until March 25, its first day in full pads, because of UT's spring break.

Players are due back in Knoxville at 9 p.m. on March 23. The next day they have a scheduled team conditioning workout before hitting the field for full-contact work on the 25th.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.