UT Martin focused on playing Vols

UT Martin coach Jason Simpson hasn't had to spend one preseason practice getting his players to focus in on their season opener.

That work was done for Simpson the moment the 2009 season ended and the returning Skyhawks got a glimpse of their first 2010 opponent.

UT Martin will open its season Sept. 4 at Tennessee.

It's been the talk of northwest Tennessee all summer. For now, Simpson is letting his players enjoy the preseason hype of that game.

"I'm not going to take that away from the kids," Simpson said. "We'll let them enjoy it, the atmosphere, the pageantry of that part of college football. It definitely makes it easy to get their attention and we can focus on getting ready to play."

Simpson is more concerned about what happens after the game, regardless of if the Skyhawks win or lose. What he wants to guard against is Martin's season being defined by one game because the Skyhawks still have 10 more opponents.

That doesn't leave time to bask in a win, or sulk over a loss to the Vols.

"That would be a mistake because we go on the road to Southeast Louisiana the next week, and then we're at home for our first conference game against Eastern Illinois," Simpson said. "We play 11 straight weeks with no bye week, so it's a tough season for us schedule-wise."

The Skyhawks will be doing so with one of the youngest teams Simpson has had in his five seasons at Martin. The Skyhawks have 30 newcomers.

They no longer can rely on all-Ohio Valley Conference quarterback Cade Thompson, who accounted for 2,546 yards passing with 16 touchdowns. Replacing him is redshirt junior Derek Carr, who played in seven games as a backup last year, completing 10 of 21 passes for 127 yards.

Carr gives the Skyhawks more athleticism at the position.

"He's had a great camp," Simpson said. "There's been one practice where I thought he didn't have total command and didn't get to the right places with the ball. We're able to do some things we haven't done before with a mobile quarterback."

One of the biggest surprises during preseason practice has been the play of freshman running back D.J. McNeil from Briarcrest Christian School. The plan was to redshirt the 6-foot-2, 205-pound back, but McNeil showed up at Martin with other plans.

"He's just been too dynamic on all the special teams," Simpson said. "Our other backs are guys that will find the hole and bounce outside. D.J. will run between the tackles, but has enough speed to run away from linebackers and safeties."

Until a young offense comes around, the Skyhawks will rely on a defense that returns seven starters, led by all-conference linebacker Josh Bey, the OVC preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Bey, a senior, ranked 10th nationally last year with 16.5 tackles for loss. He led the Skyhawks in tackles with 107, including 62 solos.

"As he goes on defense, we go," Simpson said. "We've already had about 10 NFL scouts come in here and see him. They all say the same thing. They love his work ethic, his attitude, the motor that he plays with.

"He's probably the best NFL prospect we've had in my five years here. He's just a solid football player."

After finishing 5-6 (4-4 OVC) last season, Martin was picked to finish sixth in the conference this season by the league's coaches.