Tennessee has a quarterback battle on its hands.
UT coach Phillip Fulmer said Sunday evening that Jonathan Crompton and Nick Stephens will split practice reps with the first-team offense this week, and the player who is most consistent will start Saturday against Northern Illinois (TV: Pay-per-view, 7 p.m.).
Following Saturday's loss to Auburn, Crompton is 1-4 as UT's starting quarterback, including a 2006 start at Arkansas. On Saturday, Crompton was 8-for-23 for 67 yards, and the junior was 0-for-6 passing in the fourth quarter.
Stephens is 1-of-2 passing for 42 yards in his career. Both attempts came in the Vols' only win this season, a 35-3 victory in Neyland Stadium against UAB on Sept. 13.
More information to come online and in Monday's News Sentinel.
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Comments » 191
kdaff51 writes:
Cant hurt at all. Bet it will be an improvement if not a motivator.
kdaff51 writes:
And by the way.......FIRST
imnotwithphil writes:
Come on Phil - bench Crompton and name Stephens our new QB. How much additional data do you need? Time to step up and earn that $2M you steal from the University each year.
tnbanker_govols writes:
If Crompton plays, Fulmer needs to be gone....PERIOD. Crompton's already proved to everyone how sorry of a QB he is. He's had his chance, it's time to develop a QB for the future now.
OakyVol09 writes:
This is the way Fulmer will try to appease critics and still start JC. Find your set big Phil and pull the trigger. Give Stephens a game to get adjusted at home against N. Illinois and then lets get ready for the Bulldogs and Bama. Go Vols!!
TommyJack writes:
Bizarro.
WYLOVER writes:
should read: Coleman and Stephens split reps
CalPoly_Vol_Fan writes:
This is wrong!!! Coleman and Stephens deserve 1st team reps. They should be given an equal chance for the starting job. As far as I am concerned, Crompton deserves to has his scholarship taken away.
Even Joey Matthews and A.J. Suggs are better quarterbacks!
JMP_Vols writes:
Exactly right. Its not garaunteed that Stephens is better, but this spot desperately needs to opened up for competition.
ravensearay writes:
I was always of the opinion that you constantly and continuously have competition for playing time.
I was raised that the person who practiced the hardest and was the most consistent in practice started the games.
I guess things are different today............
WYLOVER writes:
what is guaranteed is that stephens isn't worse than Crapton.
TommyJack writes:
A swift, bold injection of leadership. lol I
Like JC deserves a chance at another start? I'm telling you, Phil ain't right.
chucker6 writes:
This is proof positive that something is seriously wrong with Fulmer's mind! No one who has an ounce of sense would let Crompton split time in practice, he has had too many chances. How many times do you have to cause your time to lose? Unfortunately, this is all too believeable at what UT has become.
volwalk writes:
Sign of a bad coach---my wife (no offense ladies) said that we should open up the qb competition two weeks ago. Hey Phil, send her 100,000 year and she might help you save your job.
I hate to say it but we are paying 2.5 mil for a coach that is two to three steps behind the competition. Name another coach in the league/country that would have waited this long to open up the qb position. THIS IS VERY SAD!
WYLOVER writes:
guess that film was even better than the live version.......
mdvol writes:
Hell has frozen over.
CT_VOL writes:
Both Phil and Crompton appear to have severe learning disablities.
Frank
PS Still sick from game.
armyvol544 writes:
Do you think Crompton would make a good tightend?
Has good hands, runs hard, and can block.
mdvol writes:
Who is the first team tailback? Hardesty or Creer? Foster and Crompton need to find the pine.
invisiblekid writes:
Shouldn't this have been done at a different point in time, like Spring practice?
lewhs93#205993 writes:
I feel JC got caught up in a new system,just as the Auburn QB'S. YOU CAN'T change systems and expect an immediate winner.We were so happy when coach Fulmer went outside the "family" and got a OC with a new system.Well folks, its going to get darker before it get brighter.
WYLOVER writes:
the system is not the problem....the reads are. even CBS has it right.
cltvol writes:
Boo update # 4. Home crowd boo'd Cowboys in lst half against skins. This innovative, new, unique fan expression of displeasure is spreading.
invisiblekid writes:
And exactly how will it benefit Crompton or Stephens to SPLIT time with the first team guys?
It's obvious Crompton isn't on the same page with his receivers, so cutting his practice time with them makes perfect sense in a world of magic dust and perfect storms I guess.
Also doesn't seem to be a fair shake with Stephens. Essentially telling him to get better than Crompton in half the practice time that Crompton has gotten.
mdvol writes:
What new system? All I've seen is the same old offense. No deep balls, lots of bubble screens, QB stands in the pocket, short dump passes for 5 yards when you need six for a first down.
invisiblekid writes:
I'm sure Owens left the stadium after that given his delicate psyche and all.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Did Cooter finally graduate?
If so, book it, Crompton will start.
Guess ol' Colquitt gets at star at Ga, huh.
iowavol writes:
I remember last year many of the same posters here calling for Ainge to be benched and start Crompton, including me a couple of times. We were so frustrusted with the dink and dunk passing game and lack of down field throws. I also remember some rif between Cutcliffe and Crompton about Crompton not getting it. Well, it's a year later and we now know a couple of things a) Ainge was hurt more than we knew and b) Cutcliffe knew what he was doing. The problem we have now is whether or not Stephens or Coleman are any better than the product on the field. Regardless, it's a pretty sad state at QB position in Knoxville if these two backups can't play any better than Crompton. Oh I how a long for the dink and dunk offense that moved the ball and scored points. When is the last time Tennessee scored 18 points in 2 games? Clawson has to go.
TommyJack writes:
Stay the course. Pound the rock. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Selah
invisiblekid writes:
My last post regarding Owens was in response to the Cowboy fans boooing, clicked the wrong link and was reading two screens at once.
mdvol writes:
How bad is it going to be when Bama comes to Knoxville ranked number one in the country?
miamiVOL writes:
the system is not the problem....the reads are. even CBS has it right.
Chumpton is in competition as not only the biggest bust of the 05 rivals class (P.Turner lead competition) but maybe the biggest bust in Rivals.com history
gobigorange1 writes:
Okay, I need some info here from someone more in-the-know than I. What do we know about Nick Stephens? What is he, junior, senior? Primarily a pocket passer or does he have the feet for play action and rollouts? Sorry, maybe this is me being a bad, uninformed fan but when the only two names you've heard for the last three seasons are Ainge and Crompton, you miss the finer details...
joebomb writes:
Yes I do. Had the same thought already.
CRFVols writes:
I'll make a bet that Crompton starts. And don't successfull coaches like Urban Meyer tell their players that you're in constant competition to stay on the field?
mdvol writes:
All we need to know is he clearly knows how to get the ball to Brandon Warren.
invisiblekid writes:
I've had that same thought on my mind all day mdvol.
The ONLY light at the end of the tunnel I could see for this season would be for the Vols to pull an upset and knock them out. Not saying there is a chance of it happening, but a man can still dream can't he?
joebomb writes:
http://rivals100.rivals.com/video.asp...
vol52 writes:
It would make sense to start Stephens to get more game time experience. Some players don't look so well in practice by play better on game day. Give him a chance. It CAN'T get worse, PERIOD.
BigVolinCarolina writes:
Here's what I'm wondering: Will Mike Hamilton consider "lagging concession sales" as one of the factors for keeping Coach Fulmer?
When Hamilton fired Buzz Peterson, he cited those "lagging concession sales" as one of the reasons for axing him. If that's one of the criteria for keeping a coach, then Coach Fulmer might want to use his paycheck to purchase a few rounds of Coke for everyone in the stands.
I'd be real suprised if there's even 75,000 people there. I'm sure "paid" attendance will be what's publicized.
I'm also curious as to what kind of marketing ploys UT will use to fill the empty seats the rest of this season.
kdaff51 writes:
Nothing like competition to get ones A** in gear...Have at it boys!
invisiblekid writes:
Posted the same thing earlier today. Only thing I had to add was that we wouldn't have to worry about any more fumbles from him as the TE never touches the ball.
mdvol writes:
Could be the only thing left to play for at that point in the season. Spoiler. Look out Bama. Look out Vandy.
VolNBham writes:
Check out this website: www.muschampforut.wordpress.com
Thoughts?
kdaff51 writes:
Also curious to see what PPV does.....bet it is off by a bunch!
kdaff51 writes:
Prototypical pro style....drop back and let her fly....Bet he can at least get it over the LOS!
pammyvol1000 writes:
Crompton will start and then when he is 3 n out, then Stephens will come in.
I would like to be a fly on the wall at practices this week.
JC has confidence issue and the pressure is working on his mental game..
volcop writes:
can he hand off without fumbling is all the improvement I need
volinjapan writes:
What new offense? Same result. Spread the defense and pound the ROCK!!! Open things up, make it fun for the players!
volsnmtown writes:
Two words...
Lane Kiffin
Great recruiter, great OC at SC (mainly because of the players he recruited), fresh face, probably still has ties in Cali, and he is going to be looking for a job real soon.
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