A love tap? Stephens takes hit in practice

Overblown or blown up? That depends on who’s describing the most noteworthy play in Tennessee’s recently amped up practices.

The play in question took place Tuesday as sophomore quarterback Nick Stephens rolled out, only to find starting defensive tackle Demonte Bolden bearing down on him, then through him.

“Bam,” Stephens said describing the play. “My feet were in the air. It was funny.

“That’s intensity. It comes along with practice like that.”

When asked of the play, Bolden just smiled and said, “That was alright.”

Those are the sort of practices (not plays) the Vols are hoping can correct a season gone awry with a 2-4 record and three losses in three SEC games.

UT’s coaches have added more contact and tried to increase practice tempo this week in an effort to increase carryover from practice to games.

Defensive end Robert Ayers said he thought the play was a bit overblown, but admitted that it was a mismatch.

“Demonte is 300 (pounds) and Nick Stephens is like 200,” Ayers said. “He didn’t have too much of a chance.

“Demonte knows that we need him (Stephens) to win. I don’t think he was intentionally trying to hurt him.”

To clarify, UT’s coaching staff isn’t holding mid-season scrimmages. However, the Vols are holding more physical practices where defenders are expected to “thud” offensive players yet not knock them to the ground.

The risks are easy to identify. If good fortune isn’t on your side, injuries can make a bad season worse.

So is this a sign of desperation?

“I wouldn’t say it was desperation but at this point,” Ayers said. “You’re looking for playmakers. Full speed practice is the only way to find those playmakers other than the game.”

Ayers didn’t flinch when told that the Vols would be ratcheting up the intensity.

“I look at myself as a physical type player so it doesn’t bother me,” Ayers said.

Ayers’ mindset isn’t universal, especially among a team that has the expected bumps and bruises that are associated with playing five games in row without a bye week, namely UT’s offensive line.

“That is not fun for them,” Stephens said flatly. “They do not like it.”

As for other players that are less than enthused, don’t expect any names to be called.

“You probably have some guys that complained about it,” Ayers said, “but I can’t comment on that.”

The shock factor took some players awhile to get used to.

“When young guys are not wanting to go 100-percent on a physical day like yesterday, that’s when older guys are going to have to step up and pull everybody along,” Ayers said. “Some guys are doing a good job. Some guys are not.”

Fulmer said Wednesday this week’s practice has been among the best of the year.

“We’ve probably had our best week — at least two days — of practice,” Fulmer said. “Tomorrow is another day. We’ve got to make that go to the game field, so we’ve had more game-like stuff this week, a considerable amount of full-speed inside run and full-speed blitz pickup. You’re really nervous about those kinds of things because you can get somebody hurt, but we’ve made it through. Hopefully it will translate to the field.”

Center Josh McNeil said players realize the motive is to get better.

“It’s not a punishment,” McNeil said. “We have to go out there on the practice field and get better. Obviously, we’re not where we want to be.

“In times like these, you’ve got to have the right attitude and you have to step up and own up. We’re not having a great season right now. Coach Fulmer isn’t just trying to crush us just because we’re losing. A physical practice is what he thinks we needed. I feel like we got a lot better yesterday from that.”

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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