Northern Illinois Huskies
Under normal circumstances, Northern Illinois' visit to Neyland Stadium would be categorized as a break.
Sandwiched between a trip to Auburn and a trip to Georgia, this was supposed to be a breather for Tennessee in the middle of a make-or-break stretch of SEC games.
Tonight's 7 p.m. kickoff (TV: Pay-per-view) is anything but a breather. But it is a break, as in a chance to begin curing what has ailed the Vols since an upset loss at UCLA to start the season.
And the elixir is offense.
"With our season, this is not a break," said coordinator Dave Clawson, whose UT offense ranks 81st nationally in yards per game (340.8) and 101st in points scored per game (19.3). "I have not thought one fraction of a second about whoever we play next. This is the game. We need to play well. We need to move the ball on offense. We need to be productive. We need to play well."
That is to say, Tennessee's quarterback needs to play well.
After their worst passing performance in recent memory in last week's 14-12 loss at Auburn - and in a decade, if you look at yardage - the Vols (1-3, 0-2 SEC) opened up the quarterback competition this week in practice.
On Friday, the needle settled on Nick Stephens. Now it's up to the redshirt sophomore to show he can move UT's offense and be more productive than Jonathan Crompton, who started UT's previous four games.
"Nick's got a little swagger about him that you like," UT coach Phillip Fulmer said Friday, shortly after announcing Stephens as the starter. "A little bit of a gunslinger. I don't want him to force balls, but he has the ability to make plays, as Jon does. Jon hasn't done that on a frequent enough occasion."
Stephens, on the other hand, hasn't had much of a chance to show what he can do in a game.
His only action this season - and the only snaps of his career aside from a JV game last fall - came in a 35-3 victory over UAB on Sept. 13. Stephens was 1-for-2 with a 42-yard completion to tight end Brandon Warren and a 5-yard scramble.
Fulmer hopes the change can jump-start UT's struggling offense.
"Nick has made progress and he deserves the chance to see how he does in a football game. That's for our team," Fulmer said. "We need an offensive lift at this point, and the team is first."
What happens at quarterback today goes a long way toward deciding who plays next week, when Tennessee travels to No. 11 Georgia needing a win to cling to relevance in a crowded SEC race.
Juggling quarterbacks for another week certainly won't help matters.
"Anytime your quarterback position is in flux through a season, it's rarely a good thing," Clawson said. "You want it to be settled, but it can't be settled just for the sake of being settled. It's got to be settled because the person performs well and they're consistent week in, week out and they run the team. All those things have to happen on their own. They have to happen naturally. If it's not happening, you can't pretend it's happening."
If it's going to happen soon, it needs to start this week for Tennessee. But Northern Illinois (2-2) is only half the battle for the Vols.
Sure, the Huskies, a member of the MAC, have outscored their last two opponents by a combined 85-3 margin. They took Minnesota to the brink a 31-27 loss to start their season. And there's that bit about defeating No. 21 Alabama on their last trip to SEC country in 2003.
Tailback Me'co Brown (211 yards, two touchdowns), Montell Clanton (111 yards, 1 touchdown) and Justin Anderson (117 yards, two touchdowns) will all carry the ball tonight. The Huskies could also play three different quarterbacks, if need be.
Still Northern Illinois, even with a defense ranked 30th in the nation in total yards allowed and 22nd in the nation in points allowed, remains Public Enemy No. 2.
Tennessee's offense, as players and coaches have said time and again, is its own worst enemy.
Whether it's a quarterback who doesn't consistently make it through his reads or turnovers that give opponents points or take Tennessee points off the board, the Vols have had all measure of self-inflicted woes.
And while it's not exactly by-the-book to begin a quarterback battle four games into the season, it can't be a lot more damaging than an offense that simply hasn't been able to turn yards into points or - like last week - find 10 yards for a chance at three points and a game-winning field goal.
"It's not like we're in a rhythm now," Clawson said. "It's not like you're disrupting something that's going really well. We need a little disruption right now. We need to get a spark, and we need to get things going."
And if the Vols are going to bounce back from a disastarous start and rise out of last place in the SEC East, it's got to start now.
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.
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Comments » 133
volchamp writes:
first and now will watch the game to see what stephens is like
MrBamSeydu writes:
good.
MrBamSeydu writes:
way to go volchamp for being first, you must be extremely proud.....................
volcycle writes:
Go Nick!!! Go Vols!!!
OakyVol09 writes:
"You want it to be settled, but it can't be settled just for the sake of being settled. It's got to be settled because the person performs well and they're consistent week in, week out and they run the team. All those things have to happen on their own. They have to happen naturally. If it's not happening, you can't pretend it's happening."
Amen brother Clawson. You think he may have been pointing this comment at ole Phil, especially the last sentence?! I think Clawson has been ready to make this change.
mdvol writes:
Need to turn him loose. Don't want to see him hand it off 50 times. Play like we are 0-0 and this is the season opener.
Moaninglikeheck writes:
As frustrated as I am with the program, I realize that the QB is the centerpiece of your offense and that starting a new QB is like starting a new season in the sense that we may be getting a glimpse of the future. No matter what happens with Fulmer, this may be a very good thing for the program in the near future.
CoverOrange writes:
Earlier this week Fulmer said both Stephens and Crompton would play. Does he still intend to? Will Crompton come in at some prearranged time or when Stephens makes a mistake?
bluetick writes:
Just hope they aren't MORE conservative since he doesn't have much game experience. You know their mindset. Hope he doesn't get booed if he makes a few mistakes. Really wouldn't do anything to help him. Go Vols!
GGun09 writes:
im anxious to see stephens play
DennisVols writes:
I totally agree. I think Clawson has wanted to make this change probably since sometime during the UF game.
Thye gave Jon the benefit of the doubt following UCLA as maybe 1st game jitters but it was clear bu the end of the 1st 1/2 of the UAB game that something was wrong from a mental standpoint with JC.
If Nick comes on strong and UT begins to win many will question why this decision was not made earlier.
DennisVols writes:
Fulmer said earlier today that the job was Nicks to lose basically.
He said if Nick is performing he will stay in the game Sat.. So it appears we will not have a qb-go-round if Nick performes like he should.
mpm80#1357758 writes:
my 1st thought after hearing stephens will start was the cable company wont go broke because i wasnt gonna pay for the game if comptom started and im sure alot of others wernt either
rootin4volz writes:
THANK GOD!!!! Now GET IN THERE and TEAR 'EM UP NICK!
dvols writes:
run montario, lennon, and taureen......then g gun
wheatbarley writes:
Who in the hell writes the headlines for these articles? Before you can slump, you must be successful. The better headline would read "Rumpleslumpskin names Nick". Or "Fulmer fillibuster results in four losses". Or "Vols veto QB, opt for man named G".
scott92699#212441 writes:
I hope the second part of your dream comes true.Fire the fat man!
waterskier3#226480 writes:
i'm with you awhill... not getting the game... and really all the fans that want fulmer gone do we really want him to win 8 games and be around until he beats neyland's record...
the best case to get the house cleaned is for fat phil to finish 6-6 at best and be gone.... i for one am tired of this phooey for a team. 14-14 against the sec and 7 of those wins are against vandy, kent and sc... what kind of phooey is that..... we are terrible and an average college team that has zero impact on the football world......
we are all homers if we think different.. its time to start a big orange revolution.....................
ok im done.. have a great weekend vol fans...
vol nation this is where we're at...
chattownvol writes:
All in.... Good luck Phil.
mjaichele#464960 writes:
Vote for Pedro........and Hire Mike Riley.
BigOrangeFanatic writes:
Here is a rather different perspective:
Yes, Crompton has played absolutely terrible up to this point. Remember an Erik Ainge in 2005, who flipped a ball out of his own endzone at LSU , resulting in a touchdown? That same Ainge, regrouped and became a good QB for the Vols throughout his career.
It is time for Stephens to get the nod at QB. Great move, but remember, these are not the Tennessee Titans. These are young men, student-athletes. They make mistakes. Fulmer does not need to play Crompton any time soon, but he is still a Vol and deserves to be treated decently. Fans should not throw Cromp under the bus, so to speak. He made every mistake possible to this point and should be benched. But, lets not humiliate him if he does get in the game.
You never know if Cromp will play again as the starter or as a backup. Cromp is one of Fulmer's players and he deserves to be earn his way back, or at least earn any future playing time behind other players. I hope Stephens wins out the job and finishes the season. But, Cromp needs to be ready at all times b/c he is the second best QB. Maybe, he has just choked under pressure. Remember, this is the SEC, a brutal league.
The bottom line is these kids are not pro athletes. They are at UT to get a quality education, followed very closely with playing the game that has given them such an opportunity. If you as a fan want to bash the players, what does that say about you? Would you want your son or daughter to be humiliated just because they made some mistakes on their athletic team?
BigOrangeFanatic writes:
every player chose UT for their tradition, even fan support, but lets not be the New York Yankees and boo our own players....If you want to boo 18-23 year old kids, then fine..you have every right too. You might as well go to little league games and boo those kids too because it is no different....Take your $1,000 that you spent on tickets and go to a pro game, where you can boo all you want...and please coach from the stands...nothing is more comical than men who feel that they know more than a man who has several SEC East Championships, a national championship, and 148 more division I wins in the SEC....so when you think you know more than Fulmer, please think again
oldskewlorange writes:
i like the change in qbs....GOOD LUCK NICK......go vols
oldskewlorange writes:
k say they fire phil who do we get, how much more than phil do we pay him, how long do we give him b 4 he is gone and we as fans pay both of thier buy outs?
soccervol writes:
I'm with you on this...I can't continue to stomach 8-4 seasons and phooey bowl games. And it doesn't look good in sight...Our once caliber program is average at best and not even a competitor in the SEC anymore.
Wish I could be positive in this but the last 10 years haven't been that ideal - we have nothing to account for.
Time for a change!
oldskewlorange writes:
same question soccervol
soccervol writes:
Simmer down...I will say that I bet some of the fans in these chats can definitely coach better than Fulmer.
Have you been watching these games this season??!! It took him 4 games to make a QB change...Did he even complete a pass in the 4th quarter of the Auburn game?? Come on man - you and Hamiliton need to wake up.
Urban_Weiner writes:
Good Luck to Nick! He's just about our last chance for QB's, so hope he can turn things around! It's not like he has big shoes to fill so if he just shows us anything the crowd will be pleased! I'm also expecting Gerald Jones to still get some snaps in the Gun to make sure he's getting the ball! GO VOLS!
oldskewlorange writes:
there is still bj colemen
murrayvol writes:
That was 05'.
murrayvol writes:
Both coaches and players choose the SEC for the opportunity to perform at a high level. If they don't, there are consequences.
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
We always have to lose before any changes are made. Maybe it's wrong, but that's the price for winning, or not losing a whole lot of games by experimentation. Water seeks its own level, so enjoy the ride Ut fans and players, and especially all of you uptight coaches. This one is on you. Sorry guys, but sometimes you coaches get anal retentive, afraid to try new things, it's what the fans boo you about. Hope you read this, just a part of the process. We've lost a lot of games, and won a whole lot too. Lots of good games, with great rhythm. You just can't take your selves for granted, now can we. But as for the booing fans, please boo professional atheletes, not college students, and i mean it!! forget the coaches too, that is an order.
burntorangeVOLffle writes:
For all those that want Fulmer gone you better pull for the opposing team every week. 7 wins keeps him another year. 8 wins gets the extension.
IF by some divine miricle we win out, the chips fall our way again with two more FL losses (very possible the way they are playing), we make it to AND win the SEC CG. I don't want to see any of you regular whiners taking any satisfaction in it.
Until Phil is gone just consider yourselves fans of "the team playing TN this week".
chrisw2967 writes:
heres an article i found , you might have alreadt seen it
The Firing Line: Focus on Phil Fulmer – 10/01/2008
October 1, 2008 by admin
Filed under Coaching Scoop, Featured
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“The Firing Line” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer…
As Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer continues to try and fight his way out of the deepest hole of his coaching career, the calls for his job among fans are mounting. Fulmer, in his 16th full season as Tennessee’s head coach, has proved time and time again that he’s as resilient as they get. I wouldn’t count him out this time, either. That said, I think he has to find a way to finish 7-5 or better to have a chance to come back. If he’s 6-6 or worse, I don’t see many scenarios where he would return. That would be two nonwinning seasons for him in the last four years, and no coach at Tennessee would be able to survive that. The Vols are off to their first 1-3 start since 1994. They rebounded to finish 8-4 that season. One of the biggest questions I’ve gotten from Tennessee fans is what the university would owe Fulmer if he were to be fired following this season. According to details from his latest contract obtained by ESPN.com, his total buyout effective Jan. 1, 2009, would be a whopping $6 million. That money would not be payable in one lump sum. Rather, it would be spread out over 48 months in equal installments. The total buyout for Fulmer’s coaching staff would be an additional $3.55 million, although that figure could be significantly reduced if those coaches obtain other coaching jobs. So, in other words, making a coaching change this year could cost Tennessee, in a worst-case scenario, nearly $10 million. – ESPN
Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh doesn’t need any help recruiting — he might haul in the Pac-10’s No. 2 class behind USC on Feb. 4 — but he got some help from an interesting place according to this story: Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium. Quarterback recruit Josh Nunes was attending the Vols game against Florida. At the time, he was committed to Tennessee. But that wasn’t a good day for the Vols. They got whipped by Florida and their fans rained down boos on them as they left the field. And a few days later, Nunes decided to look elsewhere. And that elsewhere is Stanford (Note: Nunes insists in the story that he didn’t change his mind because of the boos). Something to think about for fans eager to boo 18- to 23-year-old college students. – ESPN
chrisw2967 writes:
heres another one about Lane Kiffin
Kiffin Could Be In Orange - But SU or Tennessee?
Now that Lane Kiffin has been removed from the Raiders, there’s rampant speculation on where the former Oakland coach & USC coordinator might find employment.
We mentioned earlier that Kiffin could end up sitting in the saddle at Syracuse, since Greg Robinson’s tenure is more or less at an end. (Getting no support from the school AD certainly doesn’t help, either. But would you support a team that gets zipped 42-28 by Akron at home?)
Now, new rumors are popping up that Kiffin could be donning an Orange shirt, but not in upstate New York. How does Knoxville sound instead?
ESPN.com’s Bruce Feldman chimes in on where Lane should be lugging his luggage to next:
I have a hunch that if Kiffin is coaching a team in orange next year, it might be more likely to be Tennessee. The Volunteers could do a lot worse. Kiffin would bring some much-needed new energy and ideas to Knoxville.
What, Smokey isn’t satisfied with Phillip Fulmer leading this season’s Vols squad to a 1-3 record, including a 30-6 home blowout at the hands of Florida, and a Labor Day loss to UCLA - the same UCLA who followed up with a 59-0 beatdown at the hands of BYU?
Well, if UT can’t manage a win against Northern Illinois this weekend at Neyland Stadium, then it’s time to knock Phil off Rocky Top.
chatteastbrainerd writes:
Does anyone know the status of B.J. Coleman? We have been told in Chattanooga that he is in Fulmer's doghouse. He came to the university as favorite of Cutcliff's. Anyone with the inside word on his status?
chbradshaw writes:
Let me get this straight BigOrangeFanatic...
these are young men who came to UT for an education and decided to play football on the side.
Which way does the sun come up in the world you live in?
I should have known something was missing when you seemed to imply that Erik Ainge was a good quarterback. We could always count on him to blow two games a year with a panic fit.
bloodrunsorange writes:
VERY WELL SAID!
Alabaster_Jones writes:
I think this is more a marketing stunt than Fulmer making changes. With Stephens starting, more fans will show up to see how he does. If Fulmer had announced Crompton then people would have thought it was the same ol' Phil
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Another headline you can sink your teeth in, - tennessean.com - sports - Some UT fans hold door open for coach.
(computer won't post entire link)
Ouch!
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
BigOrangeFanatic,
Always nice to hear a reasonably thought out perspective from a fan that doesn't revert to 2nd grade name calling.
You're right.
volunteer_cowboy writes:
http://tennessee.scout.com/a.z?s=7&am...
xvolx writes:
fulmer didnt make this move for the team. He did it to try and save his job. the people on this site helped make this move. way to go guys and gals.
Vol_n_Bama writes:
I'd buy the game if they were playing Droughn's business Collage. Its surely a day late but I hope to goodness that it isn't a dollar short. In a slump any change can be positive, its up to the coaches to capitalize on the change. I think this game will say more about the coaching staff than a red-shirt freshman. GO MY BELOVED VOLS!!!
CrankE writes:
You can always dream, can't you?
There's a part of me that wonders though, if Stephens is the answer at QB, if the Vols season turns around with Crompton safely on the bench and Stephens leading the way, then does Fulmer get a pass for one more year? Sigh.
This is the most frustrating thing to me, UT keeps yo-yo-ing up and down. SEC East champs one year and everything is great, we're back on track, etc. The next it's 5-6, 8-5, etc. Fulmer gives us just enough ammo to his doubters to prove that a change is needed, then gives just enough ammo to his supporters to prove that he's got it together. But no consistency in either direction. I wish he were hot or cold, but being lukewarm he just makes me want to hurl.
chbradshaw writes:
I am not going to get too excited about Stephens but simply hope for the best.
If Stephens turns out to be a signficant improvement, I think it makes Fulmer look even worse. In that case the guy should have been starting from Day 1 while the overall season was salvageable.
My guess is he will be an improvement over Crompton but several notches below the Clausen/Ainge level and way below the Kelly/Shuler level. Of course, the Manning/Martin level is not worth thinking about nor do we have anything resembling the overall talent levels they had on those teams now.
We need to keep our eye on the long-term. A simple quarterback change makes tonight interesting and provides a slither of hope but it is in the middle of a terrible season in which we are clearly non-competitive in our conference.
turner_c writes:
Why did Fulmer name Crompton the starter without Clawson ever seeing him take a practice snap, and before spring camp began? Cut didn't develop JC last year for a reason and Fulmer had to know all about it. Anybody doubt how big of a project JC has been and how much time Clawson had to divert from Nick and BJ to Crompton? Both Nick & BJ development has been retarded by Fulmer's "Project Crompton". The only reason Stephens has progressed so much "in the last 3 or 4 weeks" is because Clawson has been trying to get JC benched since UCLA. Anyone recall the first practice after UCLA where NS got all the first team reps and Clawson sent JC to the training room for "preventive therapy" on his ankle? Fulmer has fought giving Nick a chance since UCLA and we've lost 2 more games, largely on JC's miscues.
Why would Fulmer take the QB decision away from Clawson before he had the opportunity to see any take a snap in his offense, especially knowing full well Cut thought more of BJC and NS and Clawson was implementing a brand new offense? Arrogance is the only explanation I have as Fulmer has never coached the QB position, unless you count 2005. And Coach, thanks for taking us a third through the season with a single win and NS and BJC underdeveloped at QB!
TommyJack writes:
I'm guessing you would vote "NO" on tort reform.
GerryOP writes:
Will we see the infamous "face-in-the-hat-muttering" image of the big guy today? Our Hero!
TommyJack writes:
I agree, Squire.
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