Vols' defense played through injuries

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The injury report should have said it all.

Sore knees, ankles and the like were all supposed to prevent Tennessee's defense from containing South Carolina. However, there was no questioning the Vols' heart on a makeshift, banged up defensive line.

The Vols held the Gamecocks to 255 yards on Saturday in Williams-Brice Stadium, eventually losing 27-6.

The score didn't tell the story for UT's defense. Mistakes on offense and special teams essentially handed South Carolina 17 points.

"I'm proud of the effort we got," defensive coordinator John Chavis said. "We do have some guys that are beat up pretty good, but that's football and that's what happens in the SEC.

"Our guys sucked it up and played and played hard."

Chavis said four or five players were at questionable or worse before the game.

Defensive tackles Dan Williams (ankle), Andre Mathis (elbow), Walter Fisher (toe) and defensive end Wes Brown (knee) were some of the notables. All played.

Williams registered four tackles, 1/2 for a loss, and batted a ball at the line of scrimmage. Mathis and Fisher recorded a tackle. Brown turned in a 6-yard sack.

"That tells you a lot about this football team," Chavis said. "That tells you this team hasn't thrown the towel in. Our guys showed up when really and truly they didn't have to (because of injuries)."

That, Chavis said, wasn't a surprise.

"These guys have been good character guys all along," he said. "That's what you expect."

More Laundry: UT was whistled for three penalties Saturday night, well below the seven it committed last week against Alabama.

Those penalties still hurt, though.

An offside penalty against Demetrice Morley on a South Carolina field-goal attempt allowed the Gamecocks a fourth-and-1 they converted.

And an illegal-formation penalty, caused by offensive lineman Ramone Johnson, negated a first down play in the fourth quarter by Lucas Taylor.

All told, the Vols were hit for 15 yards on three penalties.

South Carolina committed three for 35 yards, however Tennessee declined a handful of other penalties.

At It Again: Eric Berry recorded his 11th career interception in the third quarter, and his 45-yard return moved him to 442 career interception return yards.

Before the ball was snapped, both Brown and South Carolina offensive lineman Justin Sorensen appeared to move. However officials did not throw a flag, which allowed Berry's return to stand.

Berry already set the SEC's career record in a victory over Mississippi State.

Career Kick: Punter Britton Colquitt boomed a 71-yard kick in the fourth quarter that pinned Carolina at its 3-yard line.

The kick was a career long, replacing his previous record of 64 yards as a freshman against Notre Dame.

Mocky Top: Late in the fourth quarter, a pocket of South Carolina fans in the upper deck began singing "Rocky Top" after the Gamecocks recovered a fumble at the Tennessee 14-yard line.

Cold Cook: South Carolina tight end Jared Cook did not catch a pass through the first three quarters.

Cook entered the game as Carolina's leading receiver with 460 yards on 31 receptions.

Saturday marked the first time Cook hasn't had at least two receptions in a game all season.

Shutout Streak Avoided: By virtue of its third-quarter touchdown, Tennessee avoided its first shutout since a 31-0 loss to Florida in 1994.

Career Long For Rogers: Receiver Austin Rogers' 49-yard reception on the first play of the second half was a career long.

Rogers finished with a season-high 72 yards on three catches.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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