Tennessee’s defensive front got plenty of credit for putting pressure on Mississippi State’s quarterbacks on Saturday.
On Sunday, UT coach Phillip Fulmer gave a little bit more to sophomore end Chris Walker.
After leaving the Georgia game with a lower back injury, Walker had little practice work leading up to Saturday’s game. Despite the lack of snaps, Walker tied his career high with three tackles, including a sack and another tackle for loss.
“You don’t know if a sophomore can do that, but all the practice reps and the game reps that he had last year really paid dividends for us,” Fulmer said. “He was having a good time out there, flying around and making plays. It’s good to see he, Ben (Martin) and Gerald (Williams) continue to come on as they have.”
Walker has 10 tackles this season, ranking third among defensive ends behind starters Robert Ayers (24) and Wes Brown (22).
“He’s pretty smart,” Fulmer said of Walker. “A lot of times guys can’t make that transition from not practicing to going in and playing well in the game unless they’re a veteran. He’s a very smart young man and a guy that you know takes practice very seriously.”
SEC Honoree: Safety Eric Berry was named the SEC’s defensive player of the week after setting the conference’s career record for interception return yardage on Saturday.
Berry’s 72-yard interception return for a touchdown gives him 397 yards on interception returns, breaking the mark of 379 yards set by Ole Miss’s Bobby Wilson in 1949.
Berry, who is tied for first in the nation with five interceptions, also finished with a season-high 10 tackles and a sack.
Gunslinger To Scrambler? Quarterback Nick Stephens’ 18-yard run against Mississippi State was UT’s longest rush by a true quarterback since Brent Schaeffer’s 22-yard run against Florida in 2004.
Stephens scrambled one other time against State for two yards and finished with 17 yards rushing after a 3-yard loss on a sack.
“I think it’s great that he can put that pressure on a defensive football team and make some positive yards running the football,” Fulmer said. “He was a step away from having a really, really nice run on the second scramble he had. I don’t mind him pulling it down and making a play at all.”
Texas Connection: A pair of players from the Lone Star State have become Tennessee’s biggest threat on offense.
Sophomore receiver Denarius Moore is Stephens’ favorite downfield target, and Moore says that connection blossomed on the practice field.
“We always did it in practice,” Moore said. “Every time we rep it in practice, there’s always a connection. We came out into the game and just started doing it.”
‘It’s Bama’: Center Josh McNeil said he expects UT to continue with its physical practices this week, as coaches have said they plan to do.
“It’s Alabama week,” McNeil said, smiling. “I’m sure we’ll be knocking a little bit this week getting ready for them, too.”
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.
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Comments » 21
VOLMAN40 writes:
first
threehundredbowler writes:
Now be the first to go find your teddy bear and go to bed little boy.Good night and don't forget to brush your teeth and say your prayers.
tenuscvol writes:
Just watched the replay and I was very impressed that the Vols played a very, very good game. No Fumbles/Interceptions...1 penalty and it was suspect...
Effot all around and everyone flying to the plays..
If they continue to improve they will be very fun to watch.
Bama better bring there best. There not deep in all positions and the can be had.
UT 24 (2 TD's 1 FG and 1 TD on D).
UA 20 (2 TD's 2 FG)
GoVols!
VOLMAN40 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
vtvol#210290 writes:
I witnessed the game in person and came away impressed at how disciplined the entire team was. There were no false starts or holding that I could remember. The o-line even had a push in short yardage situations. The offense was a little shaky in the first half. When they got their second first-down mid-way into the second quarter, everybody on the team was caught so "off-guard" that they had to burn a time out. It was refreshing to see the Vols open up the offense a bit by going to a five-wide set a couple of times. If Gerald Jones could've hung on to the pass he dropped, UTK would've gone 2-2 on 1st downs out of that alignment. Even though Arian Foster failed to complete the half-back pass, it was nice to see the Vols straying from their conservative bent. The crowd at Neyland voiced their "approval" at the play even though it was an incompletion. I have come to the conclusion that Jon Crompton hurt this team's win-loss record as well as its psyche more than we know. We, as fans, are fortunate to have Dave Clawson as our OC.
The attendance was never announced inside the stadium although I read on UTSports.com that the paid attendance was a little over 98,000. I asked the season tix holders around me if they had gone to the Northern Illinois game and if that crowd was larger, smaller, or about the same as Saturday night's. I was told that the actual attendance for Miss State might have been larger but not by much. A few went on to tell me that the scalpers had told them that they had their best game of the season during N. Illinois because many season tix holders who stayed away did not sell or give away their tix and "sat" on them instead.
It was a good game to take my 12 yr. old to. It was his first SEC AND night game and we had a blast. I think Saturday's intoxicating orangefest may have hooked him as a lifelong Tennessee addict.
govols22231 writes:
I watched him too but i got to MUS, but he is one of the best defensive lineman i have seen
vtvol#210290 writes:
FYI. There are individual Bama tix now on sale at UTSports.com. I can't believe that this game is not sold out.
Irwin_Linker writes:
Marlon Brown will not be a TN Volunteer. A good friend of mine, former teammate of Marlon and current UT student, recently asked him if he would be going to UT. Marlon laughed and said not to count on it. Sounds like Georgia is the likely bet...also said Marlon lacks confidence, and doesnt personally believe he's quality enough to play in the SEC. I'm not going to say I wouldn't love to have him on our team, but when it is all said in done I believe he is going to be a bust for whichever school is lucky enough to acquire his services.
burntorangeVOLffle writes:
vtvol, I went to both NIU & MSU. I would say the NIU game had upwards to 5k more people in the stands. I really hope everyone shows up this week and cheers as loud as possible. This team needs all the help/encouragement we fans can provide.
Only the worst kind of fan will let their hatred of Fulmer get in the way of cheering the team on to a win over Bama.
GO VOLS!!!
newtonrail writes:
It always amazes me how so many people on here know someone, who knows someone, etc. I have to ask you where you come off saying this young man is going be a "bust" wherever he goes? You obviously don't know him, and recruits do read these posts.
beavbullvol writes:
“You don’t know if a sophomore can do that, but all the practice reps and the game reps that he had last year really paid dividends for us,” Fulmer said.
Is that not an admission of guilt to anyone else? How many freshmen are starting at #2 Alabama? How many are playing key roles at UGA? How many at Florida? I guess Saban, Meyer, and Richt aren't surprised that a highly rated recruit might actually be able to handle college football.
What an antiquity we have clapping up and down the sidelines. Newsflash, Phil, NCAA rules permit freshmen and sophomores to participate. You see how well Berry has turned out? I wonder about Paige, Creer, Donald, Martin, Warren, etc. et al. Don't feed us the bull about the systems being too complex. We've been offered that snake oil before!
Hunter writes:
This Bama game is just the kind "Houdini Phil" usually wins to save his bacon. Here's hoping.....I think?
beef4davols writes:
Mickey Dearstone (this morning): “I’m sick of hearing about Mt. Cody. If he was any good at all he would have played in his Freshman year!”
Jeff Jacoby: “He is a Ju-Co transfer.”
MD: “That’s what I mean, if he was any good he wouldn’t have had to go to a Junior College.”
I had a mild stroke after listening to this.
Later…
Heather 'Dur' Harrington: “We are not bad enough off offensively to need Eric Berry on offense.”
Again, stroke.
Worst show on the radio!!
mattucket#231689 writes:
Guys Bama is going to beat us like a red headed step-child. Those guys are going to be ready to play, just as I expect that we will too. The difference is that Alabama is better than us at most of the skill positions, and their Offensive line actually knows how to block and do it with a chip on their shoulder. Ours can't bust a grape (unless its one of those pinot noir grapes that are very small). This game will be won in the trenches and our OL is overrated and awful (2 bad combinations). Bottom line, which team is better coached... will have a better gameplan... and will make better adjustments? I hope I'm wrong, but it was 13-3 against State with State driving against us before Superman had a Pick for Touch, followed by another pick for touch.
pax_americana writes:
No question. These three merry marauders collectively don't know jack. However, Dearstone is so bad that about every other word out of his mouth makes you go, Huh?
finn writes:
Beavbullvol, that was the first thing that jumped out at me. 'Golly gee, a lowly sophomore actually did something right!' Nice coaching, Phil!!! Meanwhile, Hightower is tearing it up at Bama his freshman year. While I'm sorry we didn't get him, he wouldn't have stepped foot on the field until 2010 with Fulmer at the helm. Just ask Warren. What a waste of talent and, more importantly, opportunities for these young men.
beavbullvol writes:
I read a piece in the Commercial Appeal that broke down the state of Tennessee by population. If you take in to account of the 6 million state residents, roughly 2.5 million are UT fans. That means all we have to do is each write a check for $2.40 to Hamilton to buy Phil out. $2.40 x 2.5 million = Adios Crispy Creme!!!
beavbullvol writes:
I completely agree. It's as if every morning we are subjected to the portion of Happy Gilmore where the judge says:
"What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
Stick to women's basketball Mic, that way only those who want to listen have to!!
AlWilson writes:
I went to the website and the wording is "Student returns, IF ANY, for ALABAMA will go on sale ONLINE Wednesday, October 22, 7 pm EDT".
Inquisitor writes:
Me, too. I couldn't believe Fulmer said that. His best players often are only able to get on the field by accident of circumstance. I have wondered if Dave Clawson would have kept Crompton at quarterback for 4 games if he was truly in charge of the offense, or if Crompton would have been the starter at all if Clawson wasn't told that was the way it was going to be.
If Phil was coaching Bama, they'd probably be 3-4 right now, but the outlook for 2 years down the road would be rosy because they will be loaded with juniors and seniors then.
txsvol#372416 writes:
If freshmen can play well for Florida and Alabama, why can't sophomores play well for Tennessee? Could it possibly have anything to do with coaching? Or, is it recruiting the wrong players? Go Vols! SAVol
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