The Notes: Friday Stuff

[orange+white=heaven]

Well, after getting thumped, surely it's time we did a little thumping...

If you're driving to Nashville from Knoxville, please remember to remove your pellet gun from under the front seat....
:whistling:

As you know, there is never much on Friday. The morning story is pretty much the confirmation on Ainge's start, which everyone already knows.

Anyhoo, here are.... The Notes.

Tennessean:Ainge Start Is Official

After practicing all week, Ainge was named the starting quarterback Thursday by Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer for Saturday's game at Vanderbilt.

"Erik has done fine," Fulmer said. "He's right at 100 percent. We've got to be a little bit careful with him, but we'll try to be smart with what he does."

"I think he's very eager to get back," Fulmer said. "He knows the football team needs him. Not that Jon's done poorly, but Erik is more experienced. He's done a really good job for us and I think was headed for some all-conference honors, or close to it, if he had not gotten hurt."

Timing is always a concern anytime a quarterback misses a few games, but Fulmer said Ainge has looked sharp.

"I'm hopeful that this week we'll throw it and catch it like we're capable of, like we were before he was injured," Fulmer said. "You always wonder how sharp he'll be after the time off. But if practice is any indication, I'm encouraged."

Antonio Reynolds is on the dress roster and will make the trip, but hasn't practiced all week. Robert Ayers will start in his place, but Wes Brown will also play extensively.

Fulmer didn't sugarcoat it when asked earlier this week what had been the Vols' biggest problem in containing running quarterbacks this season.
"I would probably attribute it most of all to speed at defensive tackle, a guy that can get off a block and go make a play," Fulmer said. "Now when Turk (McBride) is in there, that's one thing. But it's not having enough of those guys."

Ryan Karl...
"A lot of people coming into this season didn't expect us to really amount up to anything," Karl said. "So if we were to win out and have a 10-win season, that would be pretty satisfactory."

Tennessean:LaMarcus Coker
This is part and parcel the story that was in The Notes yesterday from the Tfp. But give it a read if you like...

tfpOnline:Vandy's Running QB
I think the Tennessean and the Tfp just swapped stories... this piece was in the Tennessean yesterday. It's a slow day, what can you say...

defensive end Wes Brown can be described as green and growing.

But he understands what’s expected against elusive Vanderbilt quarterback Chris Nickson on Saturday. Volunteers coach Phillip Fulmer stopped by Wednesday’s position meeting to make sure.

"It’s real important for us to get him contained and not let him loose," Brown said.

Tennessee allowed(Arkansas) 142 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a second quarter that ultimately decided a 31-14 defeat.

"It was probably the worst quarter I have been associated with in a long, long time," UT defensive coordinator John Chavis said.

Last Saturday at Kentucky, Nickson compiled 517 yards by himself, with 71 coming on 16 rushes.

"Not that he is that blazingly fast," Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson said, "but he sees holes, he makes great cuts and knows what the play is designed to do. Sometimes he is slippery enough to avoid people and get some extra yards."

Meach, On the 1,000 yard plateau...and turning pro...

Although one of receiver Robert Meachem’s top goals was to reach the 1,000-yard mark before the season, now that he’s there, it doesn’t seem to matter.

"I really don’t even think about the numbers at all," he said. "All I care about is wins and losses and playing for this team."

Meachem became the fourth receiver in Tennessee history to reach 1,000 receiving yards and has hauled in nine touchdowns. He admits that he expected to be happier about crossing the milestone number when he set out to accomplish it in the beginning of the season.

The impressive statistics have Vols fans worried about him leaving early to enter the NFL draft, something that he claims to have not even thought about.

"When the time comes and the season is over, me and my mom are going to get together," Meachem said. "We will pray and figure out an answer."

Have a great weekend Nationals!

Go Vols!!!

 

[hohenfelsvol]

"When the time comes and the season is over, me and my mom are going to get together," Meachem said. "We will pray and figure out an answer."

Someone needs to set up a surround sound speaker system at his mom's house. When they are done praying play, "Meachem, One more year. I have spoken."

Just a thought.

 

[orange+white=heaven]

Someone needs to set up a surround sound speaker system at his mom's house. When they are done praying play, "Meachem, One more year. I have spoken."

Just a thought.

You know, I've been thinking for the past month and a half or so that he really ought to go, that it'd be in his best interest.
But then against Arky, those DBs really got in his head a little. Made me wonder if there weren't still some things he could learn at this level...

 

[hohenfelsvol]

You know, I've been thinking for the past month and a half or so that he really ought to go, that it'd be in his best interest.
But then against Arky, those DBs really got in his head a little. Made me wonder if there weren't still some things he could learn at this level...

Don't blame him if he goes but agree with you he still does have some things to learn. If NFL rates him high then I think he's history. Waiting game now.

 

[orange+white=heaven]

If NFL rates him high then I think he's history. Waiting game now.

There's the rub.
The league rated Witten to the first round and he fell to the (third?). You can't get a firm grip on positioning until you do a combine, and you can't do a combine unless you come out.
Add to that, there are quite a few WRs this year and... man I just don't know.

 

[hohenfelsvol]

There's the rub.
The league rated Witten to the first round and he fell to the (third?). You can't get a firm grip on positioning until you do a combine, and you can't do a combine unless you come out.
Add to that, there are quite a few WRs this year and... man I just don't know.

Hopefully he'll have someone feeding him the bad what-ifs and not just the good.

 

[vader]

Someone needs to set up a surround sound speaker system at his mom's house. When they are done praying play, "Meachem, One more year. I have spoken."

Just a thought.

:lol: :thumbsup:

 

[tidwell]

Good stuff.

Nickson is a player.

 

[kcvols1]

Someone needs to set up a surround sound speaker system at his mom's house. When they are done praying play, "Meachem, One more year. I have spoken."

Just a thought.

Thanks for the spit-take.

Now go buy me another cup o' Starbucks!!

LMFAO! :lolabove:

 

[TennTradition]

There's the rub.
The league rated Witten to the first round and he fell to the (third?). You can't get a firm grip on positioning until you do a combine, and you can't do a combine unless you come out.
Add to that, there are quite a few WRs this year and... man I just don't know.

He would actually be lucky to end up with the career Witten is making down in Dallas, though. Not that he isn't good...but WRs come and go....

 

[gallavol]

You can color Meachem ..gone. Nothing left for him to accomplish in college ball. He has a daugther living with his mother in Tulsa. Not worth risking injury for the small amount of improvement to his draft status. He might still leave as the top reciever ever in TN history for reciving yards in a season this season, if Ainge is truely back to top form.

 

[kcvols1]

I would wish him all the best. He has to strike while the iron is hot.