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Coaches optimistic about Vols' chances heading into fall practice
By RON BLISS
Tricitiessports.com
KNOXVILLE -- Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer was upbeat Tuesday while talking about his football team as it readies to begin fall drills.
"We have a chance to be a very good football team,'' said Fulmer at his annual golf outing at Gettysvue Country Club in West Knoxville. "The squad has worked hard in the off-season. Not everything went the way we would have liked it, but I think we'll be ready when fall practice comes and we'll find out then just what we have.''
Fulmer said the team will report on Aug. 4, will take part in Media Day on Aug. 6 and practice in pads for the first time on Tuesday, Aug. 9. The opener is set for Saturday, Sept. 3 at 12:30 p.m., against Alabama-Birmingham -- a team that played in the Hawaii Bowl last Christmas Eve and has one of the nation's most dangerous quarterbacks returning.
Fulmer said he hoped the starting quarterback will be determined early.
"Both Rick Clausen and Erik Ainge have both worked hard in the off-season,'' said Fulmer. "We'll see how they do in two-a-days.''
Offensive coordinator Randy Sanders said there's no question which one is the most talented.
"I think even Rick Clausen would tell you that Erik has the most talent,'' said Sanders. "But it's going to come down to which one moves the team the best. The most-talented guy isn't always the best guy to start. What you'd like is to have a combination of a guy with Rick's mindset and Erik's ability.''
The fact that newcomer Jonathan Crompton is battling tendinitis in his shoulder should assure that it's a two-man battle.
Sanders said there's a very real possibility that both quarterbacks could play often -- though it wouldn't necessarily be a rotation.
"It would be good to get them both in so if one of them gets hurt, the other guy doesn't have to come in cold,'' said Sanders.
Fulmer talked in glowing terms about his offensive linemen.
"We may have the best offensive line depth that we've had since I've been here,'' said Fulmer.
Sanders said all the injured, with the exception of center Richie Gandy, should be ready by the start of fall drills.
"David Ligon has come on strong,'' said Fulmer, "and it will be close when Richie does get back. Ligon had a great off-season.''
Sanders said injuries to the others are healed. Cody Douglas has overcome a plethora of bumps and bruises and is 100 percent. So is Arron Sears.
Other offensive line starters should be Rob Smith at guard opposite Douglas and Albert Toeaina at tackle opposite Sears.
Sanders said Tennessee could have as many as seven or eight offensive linemen ready for the first game and nine or 10 ready as the year goes on.
"That's good,'' said Sanders, "because there have been some years when we didn't even have 10 offensive linemen that we felt we could take on a road trip.''
In addition to those already mentioned, Eric Young, Ramon Foster, Anthony Parker and Ell Ash are expected to contribute.
"Ell was slow coming around when he was moved over from defense,'' said Sanders, "but he really came on and bought into it toward the end of the season last year.''
Tailback Gerald Riggs is currently ineligible, but he is expected to pass his summer school courses and get enough hours to be eligible. Finding his backup will be one of the objectives of fall practice.
"We expect to see Gerald come out and continue to do the things he did last fall,'' said Sanders. "We don't expect any drop-off from him.
"What we need to do is find his backup. Whether that is Arian Foster, JaKouri Williams, David Yancey or one of the incoming freshmen is what we need to determine,'' said Sanders.
"When we've had good seasons around here,'' said Fulmer, "it's been when we've had more than one really good running back.''
Fulmer is also high on fullback Corey Anderson, who he said should test out as the team's strongest man in the weight room.
The wide-receiver corps is also healed and ready.
"We have a very good group,'' said Fulmer, "led by Robert Meacham and Chris Hannon. We have five who have played a lot.''
Fulmer said, however, that he was most excited about his defense.
"I am most pleased with the way they have gone about their business in the off-season,'' said Fulmer. "Turk McBride is probably our most underrated defensive player going in. Justin Harrell is coming of being the Defensive MVP of the Cotton Bowl and he looks great. So does Jesse Mahelona.''
Mahelona is on the cover of the Tennessee 2005 football guide, which was released at the session. The "eyes have it" in this year's guide, which is appropriately thin in accordance with a new NCAA guideline that limits the size of preseason guides to just over 200 pages. Tennessee's is the maximum allowed, 210, counting covers. The guide should be available in stores soon.