Post-game audio slide show
Dave Hooker Audio
- Defensive coordinator John Chavis
- Offensive coordinator Dave Clawson
- TB Arian Foster on his ascension up UT’s all-time rushing and all-purpose yard lists and finally getting a win
- TE Brandon Warren on his improvement and play against UAB
- AD Mike Hamilton on the crowd for UT’s home season opener
- LB Rico McCoy on UT’s potential on defense
- S Eric Berry and LB Ellix Wilson talk to the media
- QB Jonathan Crompton and TB Lennon Creer talk to the media
Tennessee Stat Book
Life is a journey. So is a football season. From opening day to bowl day, a team hopes to keep getting better.
Tennessee's opening day being a bust, the Vols came home to Neyland Stadium on Saturday anxious to move on down the road.
While a 35-3 victory over outmanned UAB on a sweltering afternoon wasn't an unqualified success, it at least fell into the general category of progress.
"I do think we made improvement on some areas that we really worked hard on,'' said UT coach Phillip Fulmer.
Moments later, though, Fulmer added an afterthought to set the mood for upcoming SEC battles with Florida and Auburn in the next two weeks:
"We can, we must, we will play better as we go along.''
That pretty well summed up Saturday's script.
The Vols (1-1) led the 30-point underdog Blazers only 14-0 at halftime, thanks to a pair of Jonathan Crompton touchdown passes to Gerald Jones.
Although UAB (0-3) got a 47-yard field goal from Swayze Waters to start the second half, it was all Tennessee from that point on.
As a crowd announced - and overstated - at 98,205, gradually dissipated to escape an unrelenting sun, the Vols poured on more heat.
Turning to the running game, Tennessee ground out three consecutive scoring drives to put the game away.
Montario Hardesty's 6-yard run made it 21-3 with 7:08 left in the third quarter.
Lennon Creer raced 45 yards for a 28-3 lead with 1:41 left in the period. Creer's 3-yard run with 10:50 to play closed the scoring.
The shift to the ground game was hardly serendipity. The marching orders came down the pipeline.
"Yeah,'' said Fulmer. "Our guys looked like they'd forgotten what an intimidating drive was supposed to look like.''
The timing was interesting, too.
Crompton had just thrown his second interception of the game, this one on the opening possession of the second half and two plays after taking a 9-yard sack.
And that, against a defense ranked 117th out of 118 in the nation.
Crompton finished 19 of 31 for 240 yards passing. That registered improvement from his numbers at UCLA, but improvement was to be expected considering the opponent.
Not all the incompletions were his fault. Sophomore tight end Luke Stocker had a nightmare day, dropping three passes.
"Luke is an outstanding tight end with outstanding hands,'' Fulmer said. "He had one of those days and I'm glad it was this week and not next.''
The strong second half propelled the Vols to 548 yards of total offense, of which 266 came on the ground.
After rushing for only 56 yards in the first half, they pounded out 210 in the second.
"Our offensive line got great push,'' said Creer. "We made up our minds we were going to run the football.''
When they didn't, Lucas Taylor was the favorite target, catching nine passes for 132 yards.
Most of UT's first-half offensive success was compressed into a five-minute window late in the first quarter.
A 28-yard screen pass to Taylor set up a 20-yard touchdown pass to Jones with 4:35 left in the quarter.
When the Vols got the ball back after a Blazer punt, another screen to Taylor went for 48 yards. That preceded a 14-yard TD pass to Jones in the same back corner of the same end zone.
"The first touchdown, I was the decoy,'' Jones said. "I was supposed to take the corner away for an underneath throw but the corner just let me go.
"The second one was just a great play call by Coach (Dave) Clawson (UT's offensive coordinator). He put me one-on-one with the corner.''
As for the Tennessee defense, there were several steps forward, offset by a few in the other direction.
The Vols held the Blazers to 275 yards of total offense. UAB's only two scoring threats were negated by interceptions.
Most encouraging from UT's perspective, the unit that wilted in the fourth quarter at UCLA, closed the deal this time.
UAB had three fourth-quarter possessions. Ellix Wilson and DeAngelo Willingham ended two of them with interceptions and Brent Vinson broke up a third-down pass on UAB's final try.
Adding Eric Berry's second-quarter interception at the goal line, that's seven interceptions in two games.
"Early last year we couldn't buy a turnover,'' said UT defensive coordinator John Chavis. "We're getting our hands on a lot of balls and we should have had more today.''
Saturday was the first time UT had held an opponent without a touchdown since a 6-3 loss at Alabama in 2005.
"Giving up three points, that's a good day's work,'' Chavis said.
"I don't like to bring up the negatives but we didn't tackle very well today.
"I don't mean to take anything away from UAB, but half of what they got today was off missed tackles.''
As the journey continues - and it turns uphill from here - mark down tackling as something to work on.
But it's better to work on it after a win than a loss.
"We had a bad taste in our mouth from UCLA,'' said defensive tackle Demonte Bolden.
"Even though it was UAB, we got that taste out of our mouth and got us a victory.''
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Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 231
99gator writes:
need to get a whole lot better......very quickly.
TommyJack writes:
99: Just go away.
ncvol17 writes:
I thoght Crompton looked bad. Telegraphed many throws, missed others.
Anyone see the BYU vs UCLA score?
Scary with UF and Auburn on the horizon isn't it?
IslandVol writes:
I love the Vols and I did see some improvement in some areas but not enough to make me feel comfortable. I'm worried that they are going to be lambs led to a slaughter next week.
99gator writes:
tj
sorry.
TampaVol81 writes:
BYU 59
UCLA 0
OrangeAppeal writes:
You guys need to keep that "bad taste in your mouth" through January '09.
imjustafan writes:
I think Stephens should get a chance to play. Crompton does not know how to look off a defender. He picks one receiver and throws to him. He missed Warren on back to back plays wide open down the middle of the field...the second of which was thrown into double coverage and picked...Crompton can't be the best we have
VolFan1012 writes:
We have heard WORDS for far too long. I am ready to see ACTION. I could care less that Phil is certain they will play better next week. As for me, I will believe it when I see it!!!
xvolx writes:
what else could you say, we promise to play worse. you couldnt play any worse. you may pull the wool over the eyes of fans that bleed orange, but there are fans that understand the game. this team was a lot worse than ucla and you blundered your way through it. everything fulmer said was fixable is still broken.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
ncvol17- UCLA smelled up the joint.
SFOrange writes:
how will Fulmer feel about this team when he hears BYU 59, UCLA 0?
VolFan1012 writes:
Does anyone else think that the little WR screen we ran to Lucas Taylor (12 times) would have been a pick six against most any team from the SEC???
VolFan1012 writes:
I hope all you like Brazilian style, because if we play next week like we have these past two games, it is going to be a COMPLETE and TOTAL WAX JOB!!!
vol98champ writes:
Something tells me the gator qb may be better than the UAB qb. If that doesn't get our attention nothing will. The offense is still kinda offensive.
RJ_Vol writes:
I said this on another thread and I'm going to say it ALL week. For 358 days we have had to hear the score, tolerate jeers, and hear the comments. Their time is over. Let's show up at the stadium that Neyland built. Let's remind our "visitors" that this place has long been home to legends clad in orange and white. Let them hear the echo of Majors, Wilson, Manning, Martin, Gault, White, Hancock, and all of the fans to preceed us. Those mentioned did not go quietly into the night and nor will we. Rocky Top, you'll always be home sweet home to me! Good ol' Rocky Top, Rocky Top TENNESSEE, Rocky Top TENNESSEE! Our time is now.
tulelakevol writes:
TALK IS CHEAP
tennisvol writes:
Time to earn your money, Clawson. Time to prove you can be a successful OC in the SEC. The honeymoon is over!
ncvol17 writes:
Send the Pilot jet to pick up Al Wilson and Peerless Price. Bring them to practice to speak to the players b4 and after a hard work out.
Have Al make a pre game speech to put some old time alumni fire in the belly to these kids. Remind them of the VOL legacy and of the success of the 90's.
gillblog writes:
Stephens did look confident and prepared. The way he plays in practice must be very much worse than Crompton. Otherwise, we may have seen the breakout of a new qb by midseason.
The way Fulmer and Chavis were energetically involved today makes you think they were disappointed in what they saw? I haven't seen them coach like that in ... well, I can't remember when.
Skip Holtz fans. Keep watching Skip Holtz.
Reflections writes:
Gators by 40 if Meyer wants to--this is the worst Tennessee offense in years.
volthrunthru#658770 writes:
Finally, Phillip Fulmer has stopped putting up with horsecrap and horrible football and underperforming players and coaches and coordinators. Hopefully, he is taking names and kicking butt.) Hope he stays pixxed and don't let up on 'em. With this bunch, it works best.
Perhaps if he keeps breathing fire, he can get his OC's and OL coach's and OL's attention.
Thank goodness Stephens got into the game---and looked better than Crompton, even if a receiver busted a play and made it look like a QB screwup. Stephens needs more chances; if Crompton continues throwing interceptions or screwing up the reads, Stephens will get them. Betcha he does well. Stocker looked worse than he was; one of the passes he looked to have dropped from Crompton looked to be Crompton's fault, one appeared it could been either and the other was obviously Stocker's.
The RB's looked deep. Creer delivered the goods. He and Hardesty looked great.
The WR's were clearly above the heads of 3 of 4 DB's from UAB. Jones and Taylor made made two aerobatic catches on marginal passes from Crompton---actually making plays on throws that were not good.
Our startomg DB's looked okay most of the time, but the reserves were in over their heads. If they were in over their heads vs. UAB; Florida or Auburn are liking their chops.
The DT's and DE's played well; the LB's were on-again/off-again. Wilson had a better game than his mates; but all made plays---yet missed opportunities, too.
CalPoly_Vol_Fan writes:
START NICK STEPHENS!!!!!!!
HE IS A MAJOR APPLEWHITE!!!!
Cherokee writes:
"Yeah,'' said Fulmer. "Our guys looked like they'd forgotten what an intimidating drive was supposed to look like.''
That tends to happen when you don't call running plays.
DennisVols writes:
Watching the Auburn game tonight it seems that both Auburn and GA are highly over-rated on offense. USC lost, it wasn't a win for GA. Auburn struggling to score 2 on MSU in the first half.
A win against UF next week and this team can run the table the rest of the season.
Our new offensive system id a lot futher along than Auburn from what I am seeing.
You so-called profits on here go out and buy your lottery ticket and come back and tell us how you did ok.
UF struggled against Miami and UM had no offense at all. So don't be so quick to bury the Vols just yet.
vol4good#206163 writes:
I didnt see the domination I expected in the first half. But, I did in the 2nd, once the coaching staff decided to stop throwing the ball and start handing it off to the real talent of this team (the TB's). UAB's Qb must have had 70 yrds in QB draws, what will TeeBow get? LB's dont look as good as advertised. O formations were at least different. Would still love to see some passion from the players, and coaches. I can only hope this team grows a big pair before next week. GO VOLS
jobrando#216494 writes:
This has been just an average qb in his third year. I suppose he was not given more playing time in his first two years for what we now see this year. Dirt Balls....
utkjoe29 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
DarthVol writes:
Eventus stultorum magister.
gObama writes:
Oh Oh, it's going to be bad for Tennessee next week. Call an ambulance. No, wait...call 2 ambulances.
utkjoe29 writes:
oh btw volndothan.. etsu decided to not reinstate football.. So you may be on to something w/ stoney stocker! I paid my 50 grand to attend this fantistic university, so i also bought the priveledge to complain.. Go Vols!
thevoice writes:
Fact: we will have a new starting QB by the Auburn game.
utkjoe29 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
gohawks1 writes:
Al Wilson retired - get him a position somewhere on the staff NOW.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
"You gotta ride it like you find it, get your ticket at the station, its the Rock Island Line"..
Next week leading to this epic battle will be fun.
I guess....
rootin4volz writes:
Crompton throws pick #2...No more passing from Johnny Cromp.
A few plays later, in comes Lennon Creer, who on his first 4 runs has 70 yards and one touchdown, only to add another TD on the next series.
Hmmmm...maybe we should even FURTHER reduce the number of times Crompton puts the ball in the air.
I'm pretty sure one might call the run game OUR BREAD AND FRICKIN'BUTTER!!!!
gObama writes:
My prediction is:
UF 63
UT 14
gillblog writes:
pdhuff; "Rock Island Line" huh?
wow! a fan of old-time, deep-south music... who woulda guessed.
cobbwebb writes:
ok guys 59-0 thats all i have to say about the labor day debacle, and im through with that, moved on! now for today i was in a wedding today , so i didnt see anything past g. jones 2nd td, on that play crompton was staring down jones before he even faked the handoff on the play action , he wasnt even looking at foster! next week or against quality competition thats a pick .i hope im wrong , but it is not going to be pretty next week! im big orange all the way, however i have faced reality.correct me if im wrong but it was 14 to 3 midway through the 3rd qtr. this is a team that gave up 40 some odd pts to fau for crying out loud!this team was driving to make it 14 to 7 early, if not for a berry pick we might be looking at ucla all over again(letting a sorry azz team hang around and get confidence, and momentum)the thing is this team spent all off season learning a new offense, instead of being coached on how to play the game, and it is showing offensively!
Jshoop writes:
I see why your name is stonercomedy. You either a joke or you are stoned or both. UT may get beat but it will be close.
I see where UTKJOE says he is watching big time football with USC vs. Ohio State. Is that the same over ranked Ohio State team that the SEC beat up on two years in a row?
GO VOLS-
cobbwebb writes:
rootin4volz- i said after ucla , " maybe we should seriously consider running the option with g. jones and just rotate our four rbs every 4th posession, and maybe mix in a short slant or screen to l taylor from time to time"
mjohnsonvols writes:
If you listen to Will Overstreet on the post game we don't need you idiots anymore so go stay at home you morons find a hobby and never put the orange on again. TN fans suck when you boo a player that does not get paid.
cobbwebb writes:
mjohnson i would never boo my vols , but i am pretty upset about the prospects of next weekend!
Alumni_06 writes:
For some reason it just seems like our athletes are being limited in what they are capable of doing. Take G. Jones, Creer, Taylor and put them on another team in the SEC and they would without have the best stats in the conference at their position. Something is just not right, Trooper Taylor was the best at getting the most out of the players
socalvol writes:
BYU 59
UCLA 0
What does this say about the Vols?
cobbwebb writes:
like i said i was in a wedding today , i saw nothing past g. jones 2nd td, i did sneak off and catch about 3 minutes on the radio it was 14 - 3 midway through the 3rd qtr, so please feel free to enlighten me on todays game , i would like to know how the game was ? who looked good, who didnt, what we improved on , what we need to work on for next weekend, and also someone please tell me about fulmer chewing butts on the sideline!
TheFuj writes:
The UCLA score against BYU, and the open seats of a Tennessee opener lets you know where we are right now. Top 5 in college stadiums, football budgets, players in the NFL, and not even a top 20 team for the most part the last 5 years. I will be there Saturday screaming my head off, but you can definitely see we need a change of direction.
chucker6 writes:
Claiming this game as a victory when you are the once great University of Tennessee football program makes as much as sense as calling Russia versus Georgia a battle. Supporting this coaching staff is tantamount to treason, hell it is treason of the worst kind. Mediocrity, thy name is Fulmer (Chavis, Slade, etc). Hamilton should be shot at dawn.
cobbwebb writes:
volfan- i will be there next saturday screaming and cheering as loud as you for our vols! but i can voice my opinion on how i see this team, and this season unfolding!please vols prove me wrong , but im not going into next weekend very optimistic because that way i wont be disappointed sat. night! please dont question my loyalty, you can question my enthusiasm but not my loyalty!
DarthVol writes:
Bama, I'm reminded of what Steve Carrell (the office) described when he said "I killed a deer once. I shot him the leg. I ran out of bullets so I had to use a shovel. It took me about 45 min, but..."
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