Maybe the calendar just had to be right.
Tennessee's first attempt at a Thursday practice didn't go quite as well as coach Lane Kiffin would have liked, but with a mulligan indoors on an actual Thursday the Vols got it right.
Now all systems are a go for Saturday's season opener with Western Kentucky.
"Very pleased with the way they came out," Kiffin said. "It worked. We had a Thursday (type of practice on Wednesday) that wasn't what we needed, and now we had one (in which) they were great.
"They were focused. We ran 26 plays in the run-through without one repeat. We ran 28 plays in 22 minutes during service-team and that's the focus that we need. I was extremely pleased with where they're at right now - but we still have a long ways to go."
Time is starting to run out.
That's been a relief for a team tired of hitting each other and eager to open the season, and in some respects it should be for the coaching staff as well. Speculation and anticipation have followed the Vols seemingly endlessly since the new staff took over; and, although Kiffin has tried to downplay any jitters or extra excitement personally, he's obviously aware of the clock.
"As you get closer and take the pads off and get more into exact plays and exact positions and exact hash marks and everything, your clock starts ticking and you know a game is coming," he said. "At the same time, we still have a ton of stuff, a bunch of meetings and some walk-throughs and a bunch of work to do."
But now UT can finally focus on a Friday.
Injury Report: Gerald Williams and Ben Martin have been limited in practice, but UT isn't expecting any problems at left end despite appearing to be short-handed there.
Martin missed another practice with an illness and Williams didn't practice with a helmet to rest a minor foot injury, but both should play this weekend.
"Gerald is questionable for the game, (but) we anticipate him playing," Kiffin said. "He moved around a little bit (Friday). I think he'll play though. Ben has been sick, had a fever, we anticipate him playing."
Kiffin added that the Vols continue to do all they can to avoid the flu and insulate the team with sickness issues around campus and hitting football programs across the country.
"We have a bunch of the bottles in every single meeting room, they have their own stuff for hand-washing and we really do a good job of that," Kiffin said. "Any time a guy has a fever, gets sick, we try to remove him from everybody else."
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 41
DennisVols writes:
It's Football Time in Tennessee (Finally)
Keeping it Real
Go Vols!!!
Fossilfiction writes:
My God it's almost here! Let's get this going!!!!
bluetick writes:
Oh I can't wait to watch THE VOLS while eating ribs and drinking some Samuel Adams. Woohoo!
Hounddog writes:
Let's play football. Hounddog.
GreerVol22 writes:
did anyone catch the vid clip of Monte? He was down right giddy about running thru the T. I so hope we execute better than that bunch on ESPN last night, those teams looked really bad. (USC/NCSU)
DrWitch writes:
DrWitch want football now. DrWitch say Vols ready. Bones never lie.
SEAL_9821 writes:
Totally agree with you. It was almost a rewind of watching us at Auburn last year.
johnlg00 writes:
That schtick is taken, poser. Get another gimmick. Better yet, try to fake being a real person.
Hounddog writes:
Doctor, you are practicing withou a license.
Let's play football. Hounddog
johnlg00 writes:
Boise St. and Oregon weren't much better. That's nearly three hours of my life I'll never get back. Sloppy penalty-and-turnover-fest throughout. Nice sucker punch at the end, though.
It shouldn't be THAT hard to look better than any of the four that were on TV last night. Boise moved the ball between the 20's but wasted a LOT of scoring opportunities. Oregon couldn't get out of its own way all night.
Docrok writes:
Not nearly as bad as that debacle Oregon put on last night!! And that was the number 16 team in the country!! They didnt even manage a first down till the 3rd quarter was nearly over!Since obviously Boise St will be in a BCS game I pray its against the number 2 SEC team! As for Oregon they better not even be ranked after this weekend! That was just ridiculous!! I mean really! And a little sidenote! That Blue field ought to be painted back green! I could not bear to look at it and with the Boise players in all Blue I could hardly notice the lineman. I had to take a double take the first time! The NCAA really should force Boise to remove the blue field or sanction them!
voloffaith writes:
A wannabee.....clones never lie....yes they do.
GO VOLS!!!! Give them Hilltoppers a ROCKY TOP SLOBBERKNOCKIN' !!!
finn writes:
I thought DC's comment was pretty good but yours almost made me choke on my breakfast. I'm still not sure why but that was one of the funniest things I have ever read on this board. Thanks.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
We need to get it right the 1st time.
We haven't done that in a long time.
Docrok writes:
Obviously I missed the best part of the game! I got disgusted and turned it off about midway through the fourth! They hyped up the the "High Powered Offenses" and the scoring was supposed to be nonstop! That was the most disappointing game of the evening! I at least expected SC game to be low scoring!
tdforvols writes:
Off topic but it looks like more trouble ahead for the Tide...(that fishing guy is at it again)
http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/bir...
chargervol writes:
I just saw that gosh darned Indian running across the screen again. W. Kentucky plays a 3-4 defense. They have a sophomore NT and the DE's are red-shirt freshmen. Their linebackers are small but active. The offense should be able to pad the stats. If not, Kiffin will be on the warpath come practice time. Oregon's Blount showed his senior leadership last night. He punched a Boise St. player, threw a jab to the face mask of his own player and was trying to get to the Boise St. fans(did you see them scatter i.e. VolRobE if Peyton was to come after him). That should be more than a 1 or 2 game suspension. It very well could end up in court(aggravated assault). Afterall, it was caught on camera. Do we really want rival teams hand-shaking before the games? Get real. It's football time in Tennessee, Kick the Pigskin already. GO VOLS!!!
Waldorf writes:
Side note -
The Clawfense put up almost 400 yards last night, over 300 in the air. You might discount it was against Troy, but it wasn't able to do it against Wyoming or NIU last year. That said, I wonder where the problem really was?
Good riddance Foolmore.
UCFgradVOLatHEART writes:
I did not sleep well last night at all. Do not think I will sleep tonight either. I have not been this amped about a season since 1996. I hope all my fellow bloggers enjoy your weekend and hope everyone stays safe. Being on here with you guys has def. made this season more enjoyable.
voloffaith writes:
That was a pleasant post with your usual slap at the ex-coach, Some just can't let go and moveon can they?
On topic, happy for the bowlers coach. GO VOLS!!!
Orangeblood13 writes:
dude
can you close the book and get over it. This tired out act is all but stale my friend.
We have a new everything in place, let the past stay there.
TommyJack writes:
Nah, the guy is just a friend. Bwahahahaha
johnlg00 writes:
I hear you, Doc. I watched it all the way through only because I was reading a book and wanted to get to the end of a chapter before turning in. You will hear A LOT about the post-game punch over the next few days. A BSU D-lineman was yapping at OU RB LaGarrette Blount--the one who said OU owed BSU a "[butt]-kicking" after BSU drilled them at home last year--and Blount gave him a pretty solid left to the jaw. Blount was getting it from the BSU fans as he was heading into the tunnel and had to be restrained from going into the stands. Pretty ugly display.
gvegasvol writes:
Yea...I agree...Fulmore really looked terrible throwing all those 1 hoppers and interceptions. Look idiot why don't you and all your feeble minded chronies leave it alone...he is gone and there is change...the fact you blame every bad thing on fulmore just lets everyone know your an idiot - so just shut-up and try to enjoy the season - that is if your not having to work the counter at McDonalds! IDIOT!
Docrok writes:
Did you have trouble seeing the Boise St players? I really did! It was the first time I ever watched a game on the Blue Turf and I really think with Boise St wearing all Blue Uniforms it gives them an advantage as there were players I really did not see till they made a tackle or were tackled!
imw8n4u writes:
any details on the gift? I know he gave them a mil a couple of years ago for the new locker room, is this something new?
Docrok writes:
Yea that is very coincidental considering Bray really wants to meet Peyton. Addditionally the article about Bray stated that he already put on 20 lbs over the summer, so another 20 lbs would be about right! I really think this kid commits and he performed well in the summer camps better than the higher ranked QBs performed so could be a really good thing especially since he will eligible to enroll in the January
Agee_Vols_82 writes:
Hammered in section QQ row 13 seats 53 and 54, tomorrow can't get here fast enough...
IT'S GREAT TO BE A TENNESSEE VOL, I SAID IT'S GREAT TO BE A TENNESSEE VOL!!!!
GO VOLS!!! LET'S MAKE IT 2 WINS AGAINST THE STATE OF KYjelly THIS YEAR!!!!
iowavol writes:
I could have gone the rest of my life without thinking about that game again. Truly an embarrassment for all volunteers.
vol_chaz writes:
Somebody paint that dang rock for Bray tomorrow.
Waldorf writes:
Making fun of that worthless POS that got fired and whose ego still won't let him see how terrible the program had become under his watch will only become old when he publically comes out and admits it. It's even more fun when so many Foolmorons on here get so worked up about it.
As for the game/season -
I think tomorrow will be an ugly win somewhere in the 21-35 point variety. My season prediction is an 8-4 record. The game with Florida will be closer than everyone thinks and somewhere along the line they will lose a game they are supposed to win and win one they are supposed to lose. Peach Bowl/Outback Bowl postseason, and the swagger will be on its way back.
Also - I think Crompton is going to surprise a lot of us and have a solid season.
johnlg00 writes:
I've seen a few games on that field before, but I know what you mean. The game commentators even said something about that camouflage effect during the game. Maybe that's part of the reason why they are something like 70-2 on their home field over the last however many years!
Docrok writes:
I hope its not ugly as it will only be reminiscent of the previous years! If TN comes out and wins ugly and allows WKU to hang around it could be a long season! I think how will play WKU will go a long way in measuring whether the pundits and trolls on this board are right! I say that because teams like OK and USC and Texas and FL ( as much I hate to say that) shut down and overpower their opponents with good execution! I dont think TN has to win 70 to nothing but a first half shut down allowing no first downs would show good execution! So an ugly win is definitely not something I forsee or even want to see at all
Richardutm writes:
If Saturday don't get here soon, I'm gonna make a sound like a bug zapper and spontaneously combust into orange electricity, and disappear.
CoverOrange writes:
"Williams didn't practice with a helmet to rest a minor foot injury"
Can anyone make sense of that? What does the "helmet" have to do with not practicing or a foot injury?
Keep working Austin, don't let John do your edits.
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
Hey Moron! Get over it, hillbilly Gus.
Down_The_Field writes:
you forgot one.
10. kicking flar-duh's teeth in.
Cole423 writes:
Kevin Revis Is My Hero
johnlg00 writes:
Upon further review, Blount's punch was a right hand rather than a left as I originally stated. Guess everybody has heard that Oregon has suspended him for the season. Seems this is not the first time he has behaved like a hoodlum. Too bad; despite his poor performance on the field last night, he is a very good back. He made a very sincere-sounding apology, but he REALLY needs to get a grip on himself if he is ever to amount to anything, on or off the field.
johnlg00 writes:
You left out "concocting the defensive game plan that will throttle the Gators", soon if not this year. It's coming, buddy; make sure you have the Suicide Hotline number handy.
johnlg00 writes:
Probably means he didn't participate in any contact drills. Anybody who is not 100% or risks further injury shouldn't play Saturday; it's a long season and we will need everybody to be as healthy as possible.
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.