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Vanderbilt Commodores
To say Tennessee’s backfield is in flux would be a huge understatement.
First, there’s the tailback position.
Coach Phillip Fulmer said junior Montario Hardesty will start against Vanderbilt on Saturday but senior Arian Foster will also see playing time.
Foster returned to practice Thursday. He missed the Wyoming game on Nov. 15 and hasn’t practiced since.
“Looks like Arian is well enough to anticipate (him) playing,” Fulmer said. “It was good to get him out here to see his presence.
“He’s been a tough guy since his time at Tennessee and this has been one of the slower things to getting him to return from.”
Fulmer complimented Foster’s return.
“He did good, actually very good,” Fulmer said. “Still a little bit sore but that swelling has gone out. It went from his thigh to his knee and most of that’s out. With another day, I think he’ll be ready to go.”
Then, there’s the quarterback position, where junior Jonathan Crompton will replace sophomore Nick Stephens, who started UT’s last six games.
That’s not the end of the changes.
Fulmer said earlier this week that he expects redshirt freshman B.J. Coleman to play on Saturday.
“He’s done a good job,” offensive coordinator Dave Clawson said. “We’ll see what happens but we’d love to have a chance to get him in the game.”
Clawson said UT’s coaches are still finalizing the plan on handling the quarterback rotation.
“If I knew,” Clawson quipped, “I wouldn’t tell you anyway.”
Practice Report: Fulmer called UT’s offensive practices leading up to Saturday’s game some of the sharpest the Vols have had all year.
That, however, is nothing new. UT’s coaches have been complimentary of their players’ practices through the 2008 season.
“Dang, I hope it carries over into the ball game,” Fulmer said.
Especially with Crompton’s play.
“Jonathan has always done the things in practice that I like to see,” Clawson said. “That’s never been an issue. He practices great. He really does. Hopefully we get it carried over.”
Clawson said UT’s strong practices are likely a byproduct of the week off and a realization that the season is winding down.
“I think there’s a definition to the season,” Clawson said. “We know this group is only going to be together for two more games. You kind of enjoy it while you have it.
“I even think as coaches, we’re probably coaching two more games here. Coach Fulmer has two more. You enjoy being here and enjoy being with the players.”
Nearly Nostradamus: Defensive coordinator John Chavis hasn’t wavered in his praise of safeties Eric Berry and Demetrice Morley.
“In preseason I thought that we may have the two best safeties — as a pair — in the country,” Chavis said. “I still think that.
“I think Eric Berry is probably the best defensive back in the country right now. I think you’d be hard pressed to find anyone that’s playing at a higher level than him right now.”
The Spread: The Vols have remained a 3-point underdog to the Commodores all week.
“I don’t know whether that will be motivation,” Chavis said. “You don’t know what will motivate a football team.”
Chief Chat: Chavis was hesitant to share more of his thoughts of Fulmer’s forced resignation, but eventually relented when queried by an out-of-town reporter.
“I really don’t want to revisit that but to say that things haven’t changed would not be the truth,” Chavis said. “It’s changed dramatically.
“You look at what our young people went through trying to prepare for a game two weeks ago and what they’re still going through, that’s just part of it.”
Gerald’s Game: Defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell has been impressed with Gerald Williams’ improvement as of late.
“He’s not busting the defenses like he was doing earlier,” Caldwell said.
Tennessee 69, South Carolina 57 men's…
Vanderbilt 93, Tennessee 79, Feb. 9…
Vanderbilt 65, Tennessee 47, Jan. 24…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 103
indianacurly writes:
dang, i hope it carries over too
blitzshoot writes:
Shame they don't have an offensive line. Dang.
indianacurly writes:
our downfall began when phil started closing practice (except for the opening 10 mins) to the media ... no theories why, or if there's a correlation, just saying
mempuss writes:
Hardesty starting is the best decision ive heard in awhile!
ncvol17 writes:
BFD.. with the O line Hardesty - 46 yds Foster - 28 yds We will score 1 TD and maybe a FG or 2 if lucky.. write these games off..blood in the water for Vandy & UK.....
tnbigg writes:
I hope we exceed our lowest rushing total this year...1 yard...
hotrodvol writes:
This team always practices well...
tnbigg writes:
Good point...undefeated in practice this year...
JMP_Vols writes:
“You don’t know what will motivate a football team.”
Seems a coach would need to know that?? Maybe not.
shipperman#280095 writes:
Crompton also needs to realize that these will be the last 2 games he will ever play as a starting QB for Tennessee
shipperman#280095 writes:
VANDY- 27 TN-10
blitzshoot writes:
Take it easy on the expectations. They are going through a difficult time.
LOL
shipperman#280095 writes:
My name is Fred Delucky and I sign my posts
mattlock writes:
your sarcasm is almost undetectible. . .
Just because us fans have an opinion about who should start doesn't mean anyone should listen to us, we're not the ones getting paid $2M per year to make those kinds of decisions. (Nor are any of us getting paid $6M this year just to leave so we can all move on)
ORANGEAVENGER88 writes:
Foster's candy@$$ should not even get to play anymore. We got no time for QUITTERS you CANDY-@$$!!!
thsvolfan15 writes:
THANK YOU LORD!!!
BillsBrother writes:
Does any one have tickets to this week's practice that you want to sell?
VolsAllTheWay writes:
Oh no, I think Foster just fumbled....
gohawks1 writes:
I thought his bruised drumstick was still hurtin'.
ncvol17 writes:
Isn't it more realistic that those would be totals for both games and not just the Vandy game? Over 100 yds in 1 game this year?
tnbigg writes:
WAIT! Foster wants input...
"VEEEK...VEEEK...VEEEK!!!"
Thank you for this Foster pterodactyl moment...
BillsBrother writes:
I'm OK with Foster getting the record.
Ol' Travis Henry has got himself in a different record book now and is ready for replacement in the Volunteer annals.
thevoice writes:
“I don’t know whether that will be motivation,” Chavis said. “You don’t know what will motivate a football team.”
After all these years of coaching and still not knowing what motivates a team is probably a key issue in the coaching inability on this team.
BillsBrother writes:
So True.
I was stunned at the number of "Look Out" blocks that our O-line was throwing against Wyoming.
You know the "Look Out" block. That's where the o-lineman let's a defender through and then turns to the QB and yells LOOK OUT!
silvertr6 writes:
Will this season ever end?
BillsBrother writes:
no. and we have a new theme song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZAuf8...
tnbigg writes:
Good one Bro'! I was kinda' thinkin...well...something like this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok5rOO...
tnbigg writes:
Classic pterodactyl interpretive misunderstanding...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1V-4b...
BillsBrother writes:
Classic Misunderstanding
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fuDDq...
Ironcity writes:
If Vandy will agree to play touch football I think JC could be in for a big game.
tnbigg writes:
Good one Bro'...try this for misunderstanding...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v325wd...
tnbigg writes:
Or this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXXyms...
tnbigg writes:
Or maybe this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH7rea...
BillsBrother writes:
That's how our offensive line used to play!
They could tell you where they were going to run it, and there wasn't anything the D could do about it.
frank6x#212809 writes:
Random thoughts
1) last year the O line allowed four sacks. It's back almost intact....what happened?
2) Clawson was supposed to open up the offense...what happened?
3) Going into the Wyoming game we had a) a lame duck coach that the players wanted to vindicate b) homecoming c) a chance to avoid being the worst UT team ever d) a chance to win out and still go to some rinky dink bowl game e) an opponent that was the worst offensive team in Division One. the team came out flatter than a pancake...what happened?
WE ARE TENNESSEE...what happened?
Go4Two writes:
I'm sorry but didn't that lazy team play in the SEC championship game last year. Oh yea I know It was luck the moon was in the right position Ya da Ya da!
FWBVol writes:
I doubt if any of us who post on these message boards has any say at all on how the football program is being run. There might be one or two of the big dollar guys that post here, but Joe Fan, or the fan base as you put it, probably doesn't carry that much weight.
I don't have Mike Hamilton's cell phone number to call him when things were going south against Auburn, Wyoming or South Carolina.
I believe this year has been a "Perfect Storm" kind of year. We had a new offensive coordinator coming in with a new system that has taken longer to learn than anyone has anticipated. As former Vol and NFL lineman said after Fulmer's firing was announced, players always struggle with Clawson's offense the first year, but the second year it flourishes.
That's a moot point now and water under the bridge.
Fans talk about how long it's been since UT was in a BCS bowl, but we had a chance to get invited to a BCS game in 2003 or 2004, but were passed up because bowl officials didn't think UT would sell enough tickets.
Fans complain that Phillip Fulmer got lazy and complacent, well so did a lot of us.
The problem this year has been with the offense. Our defense has played well enough to win most games as John Adams points out in his column tonight.
I wish I could be in Nashville on Saturday and Knoxville next weekend to support MY team.
No matter how you feel about Phillip Fulmer, the man has given his life to the University of Tennessee and has taken the football program to heights only known before under the General.
No, I'm not happy with this season. Nor was I happy with the 2005 campaign. But as look back on Phillip Fulmer's tenure as head coach I'll celebrate UT's accomplishments under his direction and always be a grateful fan for bringing in all the great players and taking us to the top in 1998.
newtonrail writes:
I would like to call you names for your uninformed name calling of Foster, but then I would also be violating the Comments Policy:"No defamatory, abusive, or threatening posts". I'll sic Naffy on you.
TommyJack writes:
Hell hath frozen over. I'm agreeing with Naffy on this one.
newtonrail writes:
Do you want a drug addict, and father of at least 9 children by 9 different women; none of whom he's married to, to keep the record???
bluetick writes:
I'll second that score. 5 large on the Vols and take the 3 pts. :) For some reason I really believe they are going to play a full game this weekend. I really don't care about the over under but at least win by 4!
bluetick writes:
I honestly believe he is making sure to not get hurt before the NFL combine. He will get drafted.
bluetick writes:
I thought I saw you catching some on tape before.. oh wait! This is a football forum.
newtonrail writes:
I wasn't a big Fulmer fan until 2004 and 2005. I agree with your post 100%. That's what made it sickening that the negative posters, who didn't know everything they posted, sent me to the Dark side. I agree so much with your post. Everyone quotes wins and losses since '98. They forget the The wonderful '01 season. Except for Bowl letdowns after they didn't go where they should have '02 and '03 were OK. Then Sanders did a masterful job with two freshmen and transfer to win 10 games in 2004. At this point Fulmer needs to go, and he's gone. I do feel sorry for Clawson, because the guy had to be pretty good to achieve what he had. Had QB competition been opened up like he wanted to, they would have won at least 3 more games to this point. But it is what is, and move on.
givehim6 writes:
You hit the nail on the head. If we had a O line that could make running lanes and a full back that could clear the way. Hardesty has a bit more speed then Foster, but Foster will be in the game till he breaks the record. 1 TD and a FG or 2 is all our o will be able to do. but go vols.
txsvol#372416 writes:
Nice post. You seem like my kind of fan. CPF is one of us, and now that he's being relieved, we need to show him our respect and love, and have him succeed Hamilton when/if he messes up the hiring of his replacement. Hamilton is NOT one of us! SAVol
yabadabadoo1026 writes:
you've long wore out the Rodgers bit---you need some new material
QB_10 (Inactive) writes:
IJDM = It Just Doesn;t Matter
MustangPackage101 writes:
Foster won't do anything in the NFL ( if he even gets drafted). He's slow, plays soft, and is unreliable.
nbt44 writes:
VANDY-28 UT-6
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