Vols heard potent messages

Tennessee linebackers coach Lance Thompson has been a part of two national championship-winning teams, two SEC champions and two Atlantic Coast Conference champions. Yet he has rarely witnessed what he saw during an emotional team meeting last Friday.

"It was a great meeting," Thompson said Monday on the News Sentinel's radio show, The Sports Page. "It was one of the best meetings I've been in in 24 years of coaching."

The meeting seemed to have an effect. The Vols destroyed Georgia 45-19 a day later.

Thompson's fallen leader was one of the keynote speakers. Middle linebacker Nick Reveiz, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last month, refused to let his leadership be sidelined.

Thompson called Reveiz' speech fiery and inspirational.

"Nick tells his story of being a walk-on and people telling him that he's not good enough and people telling him he's too short. He doesn't buy into that. He doesn't believe in that," Thompson said. "He believes in what he believes in and he works his butt off and then he's having great success . . . playing at all-conference capacity.

"Me and (defensive coordinator) Monte (Kiffin), it was like tearing our guts out when the kid got hurt."

Defensive end Chris Walker also was impressed.

"It was really intense when Nick got up and talked," the junior said. "Nick is one of my best friends and he almost brought tears to my eyes because of the passion that he spoke with - he really wants to be out there but he can't.

"He just wants us to go out and play like it's our last snap, and that was something that was really powerful for me."

The emotion didn't stop with Reveiz. Graduate assistant coach Inky Johnson, who suffered a career-ending shoulder injury in 2006 as a UT cornerback, also addressed his team. Johnson still has little use of his right arm.

"Inky's story was powerful in that he lived it," Thompson said. "He just mentioned to them that you've got to play it like it's your last play because it might be. You can't ask for a better young man than Inky Johnson and we're proud to have him on our staff."

That's not the first time Johnson has delivered such a speech, but it may be one of the most important for a UT team that was 2-3 and 0-2 in the SEC heading into the Georgia game.

The record wasn't the only issue. Coach Lane Kiffin blasted his team after a practice before the Auburn game when he thought some players weren't giving their all. Moreover, receiver Brandon Warren was dismissed following a string of issues, the most recent of which was a public showing of frustration on the sidelines during the Auburn game.

"Anytime you have transition it's tough," Thompson said. "Certain guys buy in at a faster pace than others. When you're dealing with 85 young 18-to-22-year-old males, heck you've got a lot of issues that you've got to deal with.

"We've explained to them that the quicker you all buy in and get on the same page and we're all pulling in the same direction, the better we're going to be."

That, Thompson believes, is beginning to happen, thanks to the emotion displayed by Reveiz and Johnson.

"I think it really hit home with a lot of guys," Thompson said. "I think we're in a state where this team is really buying into what the new philosophy is under Coach Kiffin. You're starting to see some positive things but it's a week-to-week deal."

The source of the message was key.

"I think guys can take that and say 'Hey, that can be me.' " Thompson said. "I think that's powerful when it's coming from your peers."

Some of UT's coaches also addressed the team. The same coaches who have driven the Vols so hard since January shared things about themselves they never had before.

"It was much needed, just because our coaches were really transparent with us and they really opened up to us," Walker said. "That was something that we needed, and that was something that just brought our team closer together.

"Just to see our coaches open up to us and share their lives that we really haven't heard (meant a lot). Getting Inky to talk is always going to get us fired up, and we just wanted to come out with that emotion."

L.B. Report: Thompson said junior Savion Frazier did a much better job of managing Saturday's game, which was his second start in place of Reveiz. Frazier is responsible for calling the defensive plays and getting defenders properly aligned. UT's defense allowed only a 52-yard field goal on Saturday.

UT's starting linebackers had 18 tackles. Weakside linebacker Rico McCoy had nine tackles, a pass break up and a quarterback hurry. Frazier had seven tackles, one for a loss. Strongside linebacker LaMarcus Thompson had two tackles, one for a loss.

"I'm really proud of those guys," Thompson said. "We've got a system that's a linebacker system. The success of the defense depends on them so to speak.

"Rico has been playing at a really high level all year. LaMarcus Thompson continues to play solid for us."

Recruiting Ripple: The Vols won't just benefit while recruiting the state of Georgia after a dominating win over the Bulldogs. Offensive lineman Jacques McClendon said UT also will benefit in his hometown of Chattanooga, a border town that has plenty of Georgia fans.

"Hopefully it sends a message to these recruits that Coach Kiffin is over here trying to get something done," the senior said. "He's doing a great job, bring in some great players."

Vote For Crompton: Fans can text message "VOTE" to "345345" on their wireless phone for a chance to vote for UT quarterback Jonathan Crompton for the AT&T All-American Player of the Week. Text messages must be sent by midnight on Wednesday.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!