 | | Head coach Phillip Fulmer begins his 11th season as the Vols' head coach Saturday against Wyoming. | WYOMING-TENNESSEE SERIES
Tennessee and Wyoming are meeting for the second time with the Volunteers holding a 1-0 series lead. The teams first met in the 1999 season-opener in Knoxville with the No. 2 Volunteers coming away winners, 42-17.
A common thread that links the two schools is Bowden Wyatt. An All-America in the 1930s at Tennessee and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Wyatt was head coach at Wyoming from 1947-52. He returned to coach the Vols from 1955-62 following a two-year stint at Arkansas.
The Vols are undefeated against teams that make up the Mountain West Conference, going 12-0. UT is 4-0 vs. Colorado State, 3-0 vs. Utah, 2-0 vs. New Mexico, 1-0 against Air Force, 1-0 vs. UNLV and 1-0 vs. Wyoming. Tennessee is scheduled to open the 2004 season with UNLV. VOLUNTEERS AT A GLANCE
? The Tennessee Volunteers open their 106th football season with an all-time record of 718-294-52 (.699) that ranks eighth all-time. Also, since 1926, the year Gen. Robert R. Neyland took over as head coach of Tennessee, the Volunteers have posted the highest winning percentage of any team at .733 (589-204-33).
? The Vols open with the Wyoming Cowboys for the second time in four years. This year's meeting takes place at The Coliseum in Nashville, Tenn. It is the first of two games the Vols will play at The Coliseum, the other coming against the Vanderbilt Commodores Nov. 23. UT won its only game in The Coliseum, defeating the Commodores, 28-26, in 2000.
? UT is 77-22-6 (.762) in season openers, having won its last seven lidlifters. It is 2-1-1 in the last four openers away from home. The Vols last opened a campaign on the road at Syracuse in 1998, winning 34-33. UCLA handed Tennessee its last season-opening loss in 1994, 25-23. UT last opened on a neutral field in 1990 when it tied Colorado, 31-31, in the Pigskin Classic in Anaheim, Calif.
? Tennessee has won 17 of its last 20 games overall while going 16-1 in regular-season action. | WINNINGEST DIVISION I PROGRAMS (Since 1997)
Team W-L Pct | | 1. Nebraska 55-9 .859 | | 2. Florida State 53-9 .855 | | 3. Marshall 54-11 .831 | | 4. Tennessee 52-11 .825 | | 5. Michigan 49-12 .803 | ? Over the last five years, Tennessee ranks as the fourth-winning program in the nation and winningest program in the Southeastern Conference with a 52-11 mark. Since 1995, the Vols are tied for third with Florida in total victories at 73. They trail only Nebraska's 78 and Florida State's 74.
IN THE POLLS
Tennessee opens the 2002 season ranked No. 5 in the preseason polls, marking the seventh time in the last eight years the Vols have been a preseason top 10 team. This marks the 10th consecutive poll that the Vols have been ranked in the top 10. UT was ranked in the top 10 in 15 of 17 polls last season, reaching a high of No. 2 on Dec. 2.
Each of the last six times Tennessee has been ranked in the top 10 in the preseason, the Vols have finished in the top 10.
VOLS IN NASHVILLE
The Vols first played in the state capital in 1892, losing 22-4 to Vanderbilt, and have a record of 33-18-5 in games played in Nashville. Tennessee is 31-17-4 versus Vanderbilt and 2-1-1 against Nashville from 1901-04. NON-CONFERENCE DOMINANCE
Tennessee has won its last 15 regular-season non-conference games dating back to a 21-17 loss at Memphis in 1996. The Vols have not dropped a non-conference home game since a 34-29 decision to No. 1 Notre Dame in 1990, a span of 25 games. | FASTEST COACHES TO REACH 100 WINS (Games) | | ? | Games | Record | | Gil Dobie | 108 | 100-5-3 | | George Woodruff | 109 | 100-9-0 | | Bud Wilkinson | 111 | 100-8-3 | | Fielding Yost | 114 | 100-10-4 | | Knute Rocke | 117 | 100-12-5 | | Robert Neyland | 120 | 100-12-8 | | Frank Leahy | 121 | 100-13-8 | | Joe Paterno | 122 | 100-21-1 | | Barry Switzer | 122 | 100-18-4 | | Henry Williams | 122 | 100-13-9 | | Phillip Fulmer | 115 | 95-20 | | ? | ? | ? | | FASTEST COACHES TO REACH 100 WINS (Years) | | ? | Year | Game | | Barry Switzer | 11 | 3rd | | Tom Osborne | 11 | 4th | | Amos Alonzo Stagg | 11 | 6th | | Bud Wilkinson | 11 | 8th | | R.C. Slocum | 11 | 8th | | Joe Paterno | 11 | 9th | | Steve Spurrier | 11 | 9th | COUNTDOWN TO 100 WINS
Head coach Phillip Fulmer is nearing the 100-victory mark in his career. He has 95 wins in 115 games and could tie legendary Tennessee coach Gen. Robert R. Neyland as the sixth-fastest to reach 100 victories in 120 games.
Fulmer also has a chance to become the third-fastest to reach 100 wins in terms of longevity. He could reach the mark in his 11th season and fifth game, trialing only Oklahoma?s Barry Switzer and Nebraska?s Tom Osborne.
Fulmer is the only active coach who ranks in all-time winning percentage list among Division I-A coaches. His .826 winning percentage is ninth, while he is only one of 11 coaches with an .800 winning percentage.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
The 2002 schedule is a favorable one for the Vols from the standpoint of playing nine of their 12 games in-state, including seven home contests at Neyland Stadium where the Vols have amassed a 67-9 (.882) record since 1990, a span of 11 seasons. They have gone undefeated six times at home during that span.
UT will play two games in Nashville at The Coliseum, the NFL home of the Tennessee Titans. The Vols play Wyoming there in the season opener Aug. 31 and Vanderbilt on Nov. 23.  | | Casey Clausen | | UT CAREER PASSING LEADERS | | 1. Peyton Manning - 11,201 | | 2. Andy Kelly - 6,397 | | 3. Jeff Francis - 5,867 | | 4. Tee Martin - 4,592 | | 5. CASEY CLAUSEN - 4,442 | | 6. Heath Shuler - 4,088 | | 7. Alan Cockrell - 3,823 | ACTIVE NCAA
STARTING QB WINS | 1. Ken Dorsey
Miami (Fla.) - 26-1 (.963) | 2. Brooks Bollinger
Wisconsin - 22-7 (.759) | 3. Dave Ragone
Louisville - 20-5 (.800) | 4. Byron Leftwich
Marshall - 19-7 (.731) | 5. Casey Clausen
Tennessee - 17-3 (.850) | | ? | CLAUSEN MOVING UP SEC CHARTS
Casey Clausen enters the 2002 season ranked fourth all-time in completion percentage among SEC signal-callers with 300 completions at 63.5 percent (348-548). He trails former Kentucky quarterbacks Tim Couch at 67.1 and Dusty Bonner at 65.3, and Florida?s Rex Grossman at 64.3.
In addition, with one more scoring aerial, Clausen will move into a tie for 20th on the SEC?s career touchdown passes list with 38. He needs just three more TD passes to become one of 18 league quarterbacks with at least 40 scoring strikes. Only 14 quarterbacks have thrown 50 or more, while just eight have at least 60.
Another impressive note is that he ranks fifth in lowest percentage of interceptions at 2.74 in 400 attempts. CLAUSEN AMONG TOP QBs
Junior quarterback Casey Clausen ranks fifth among active Division I-A quarterbacks with 17 victories in his two seasons. His .850 winning percentage ranks second to Ken Dorsey of Miami (Fla.) .963.
Clausen also ranks 13th among active quarterbacks in career passing yards at 4,442 and 11th in passing touchdowns with 37.
PRESEASON RANKINGS
NATIONAL
No. 1 -- Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook; Phil Steele?s Inside College Football
No. 3 -- Sports Illustrated
No. 4 -- Athlon; CBSSportsline.com
No. 5 -- AP; ESPN/USA Today; FWAA; Lindy?s; Street & Smith?s; Football Action
No. 6 -- collegefootballnews.com
No. 7 -- The Sporting News SEC
Eastern Division
1st -- Athlon; Lindy?s; Birmingham News; Street & Smith?s; Football Action; Phil Steele?s Inside College Football; SEC Media
2nd -- The Sporting News PRESEASON HONORS
Despite losing 10 players to April's NFL Draft, 11 Vols were ranked among the top 25 players at their positions by The Sporting News.
Offensively, Casey Clausen was named the No. 7 quarterback, Kelley Washington the No. 9 wide receiver, Will Ofenheusle the No. 8 offensive tackle, Troy Fleming the No. 7 fullback and Jason Witten the No. 5 tight end.
On defense, TSN ranks Julian Battle the No. 6 strong safety, Eddie Moore the No. 7 outside linebacker, Kevin Burnett the No. 8 outside linebacker, Jabari Greer the No. 10 cornerback, Rashad Moore the No. 15 defensive tackle. Alex Walls is ranked No. 8 among the nation's placekickers.
Led by the return of Ofenheusle, guard Jason Respert and center Scott Wells, the Vols' offensive line ranks fifth nationally by TSN, while Lindy?s tabbed Clausen as its SEC Most Valuable Player.
The Birmingham News listed Kelley Washington as the best receiver in the SEC, along with Eddie Moore as the best outside linebacker. PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA
Casey Clausen -- (1st) Phil Steele?s Inside College Football
Kelley Washington -- (1st) Birmingham News, Lindy?s; (2nd) Athlon, Football News, Phil Steele?s Inside College Football
Jason Witten -- (2nd) Lindy?s, Phil Steele?s Inside College Football PRESEASON ALL-SEC
Julian Battle -- (1st) Phil Steele?s Inside College Football; (2nd) TSN, Lindy?s
Casey Clausen -- (1st) Phil Steele?s Inside College Football; (2nd) Lindy?s
Mondre Dickerson -- (3rd) Phil Steele?s Inside College Football
Kevin Burnett -- (2nd) TSN
Jabari Greer -- (1st) SEC Media, TSN, Lindy?s; (2nd) Birmingham News, Phil Steele?s Inside College Football
Eddie Moore -- (1st) Birmingham News; (2nd) SEC Media, TSN, Lindy?s
Willie Miles -- (3rd) Phil Steele?s Inside College Football
Michael Munoz -- (1st) Street & Smith?s; (2nd) SEC Media
Will Ofenheusle -- (2nd) SEC Media, Birmingham News, TSN, Lindy?s, Phil Steele?s Inside College Football
Constantin Ritzmann -- (1st) Football News; (2nd) Birmingham News, TSN
Alex Walls -- (1st) Football News; (2nd) SEC Media, Birmingham News, Lindy?s, Phil Steele?s Inside College Football
Kelley Washington -- (1st) SEC Media, TSN, Football News, Lindy?s, Street & Smith?s, Birmingham News, Athlon, Phil Steele?s Inside College Football
Jason Witten -- (1st) SEC Media, Lindy?s, Phil Steele?s Inside College Football; (2nd) Birmingham News, TSN PRESEASON AWARD LISTS
Casey Clausen -- Davey O?Brien Award
Eddie Moore -- Butkus Award
Michael Munoz -- Loombardi Award
Will Ofenheusle -- Lombardi Award
Alex Walls -- Lou Groza Award
Kelley Washington -- Biletnikoff Award
Jason Witten -- Lombardi Award VOLS AGAINST RANKED TEAMS UNDER FULMER
Head coach Phillip Fulmer owns a 33-15 record against ranked teams. His clubs have won 16 of their last 22 versus ranked teams.
The Vols have gone head-to-head against an average of five ranked teams a year under Fulmer.
FULMER VERSUS RANKED TEAMS
Ranking W L Pct.
1-10 11 10 .524
11-20 14 4 .778
21-25 8 1 .889
Last game vs. 1-10: Last game vs. 21-25:
W 34-32 vs. No. 2 Florida, Dec. 1, 2001 L 20-31 vs. No. 21 LSU, Dec. 8, 2001
Last game vs. 11-20:
W 45-17 vs. No. 17 Michigan, Jan. 1, 2002 SCORING STREAK
Tennessee has scored in 96 consecutive games, dating back to a 31-0 shutout by Florida in Knoxville in 1994. UT's home scoring streak is 49 contests, while it has scored in 118 straight games away from Neyland Stadium. The last road shutout was by Georgia in 1981, 44-0. VOLS LOOK TO PLAY TOUGH VERSUS RUN
Tennessee?s rushing defense has ranked in the top 10 nationally each of the last five years. Over the last 34 regular-season games the Vols have held opponents to an average of 83.1 rushing yards per game and just 2.6 yards per rush (1086-for-2827).
UT?s defense has allowed just 23 rushing touchdowns in the last 46 regular-season games, giving up eight or fewer scores in each of the last four seasons. NATIONAL SACK LEADERS
Since 2000, Tennessee ranks third nationally in team sacks with 84. The Vols trail only Louisville's 96 and Fresno State's 89 totals over the last two years.
Junior linebacker Kevin Burnett become?s UT?s active leader in sacks with 5.5, since the season-ending injury to Constantin Ritzmann. Second is senior Demetrin Veal, who served as a back-up defensive tackle to departed NFL first-rounders John Henderson and Albert Haynesworth, recording four sacks last season, including one in each of the last three regular-season games. WALLS MAKING HIS MARK
Senior placekicker Alex Walls, who ranks fourth on UT?s career field goal list with 41, is sixth in career field goal percentage in SEC history at 80.3. He trails Fuad Reveiz (71), Jeff Hall (61), John Becksvoort (52) in field goals.
He also ranks 12th in league history with 112 PATs, having connected on 85 consecutive - which ties Auburn?s Damon Duval for the eighth-longest streak in SEC history.
Walls is fourth in kick scoring at Tennessee with 236 points, which ties for 13th in the SEC annals with Auburn?s Al Del Greco. He enters the 2002 season having made nine of his last 10 placements. WASHINGTON NEARS UT TOP 10
Sophomore receiver Kelley Washington, who set UT freshman records for receptions and receiving yards, is poised to move up UT?s career receiving chart. He needs 42 catches and 605 yards to enter the top 10 in the respective career categories. Washington has three 100-yard games to his credit, including a school-record 256-yard performance in the first of two meetings against LSU in 2001. SCOTT LOOKS TO OVERTAKE GAULT
Leonard Scott, Tennessee?s leading kickoff returner over the last three years, is within striking distance of overtaking Willie Gault as the Vols? all-time leader in returns and yardage.
Scott ranks second behind Gault in both returns and yards. He needs seven returns and 157 yards to pass Gault?s marks of 78 and 1854 yards.
Scott is averaging 23.58 yards per return, which ranks sixth on UT?s career list.
His 72 returns ranks 11th on the SEC all-time kickoff return list, while his 1698 yards is seventh. His yards per return average is eighth.
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Scott is only 566 yards shy of becoming the SEC?s all-time leader in kickoff return yards. He must average 47.2 yards per game this season to reach that milestone.
He needs 36 returns to become the league?s all-time leader in kickoff returns. 2002 SEASON NOTES
? The last time Tennessee played 12 regular season games was in 1990 when it began the season in the Pigskin Classic against Colorado. The Vols also began the 1987 season in the Kickoff Classic versus Iowa, and concluded the 1975 campaign at Hawaii.
? The last time Tennessee played seven home games was in 1999. UT leaves the state for just three games in 2002.
? Kentucky and Vanderbilt swap places on the Vols schedule, marking the first time since 1939 that the Wildcats and Commodores have not appeared in that order in late November.
? For the first time since 1903, Tennessee will play twice in Nashville with both contests at the Coliseum. The Vols will be the visitors in both games, in the lidlifter against Wyoming Aug. 31 and in the Nov. 23 game against Vanderbilt. REGGIE WHITE TO HALL OF FAME
Official Release
Former University of Tennessee defensive tackle Reggie White (1980-83) has been named to the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame, Division I-A Class of 2002. He becomes the Tennessee's 18th member of the College Hall.
White was captain of the 1983 Vol squad and was an All-America and All-SEC selection that season. He was the SEC Player of the Year in 1983 and was the Atlanta Touchdown Club's Player of the Year, the Birmingham Touchdown Club's Most Outstanding Senior and the Birmingham Monday Morning Quarterback Club' Most Outstanding Lineman that season. He holds school records for career sacks with 32 and season sacks with 15 in 1983.
He played professionally for the Memphis Showboats of the USFL (1984-85), the Philadelphia Eagles (1985-92) and the Green Bay Packers (1993-98). He led the Packers to a win in the 1998 Super Bowl.
Induction ceremonies will be held Dec. 10 in New York City at the Foundation's annual Awards Banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. 2002 CAPTAINS NAMED
Official Release | Feature
Coach Phillip Fulmer announced that the team has elected linebacker Eddie Moore, defensive end Omari Hand and offensive tackle Will Ofenheusle as the captains for the 2002 season.
Moore, from South Pittsburg, led the 2001 team with 81 total tackles. Hand, from Tallahassee, Fla., is one of six seniors expected to see action on the defensive front and had 21 tackles and three tackles for loss in 2001. Ofenheusle, from Martin, is the only senior on the offensive front and has quietly become a team leader since starting all 13 games last season.
Moore is the third Vol captain from Marion County, joining Eddie Brown (Guild 1973) and Eric Westmoreland (Jasper 2000). Hand is the first from Tallahassee and Ofenheusle is the second from Martin, joining Chad Clifton (1999). UP NEXT
Tennessee continues in non-conference action when it plays host to the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Sept. 7 (7 p.m. EDT) from the Sun Belt Conference.
The Volunteers have never played their rivals from the mid-state in football. The schools have a long history in baseball and short one in basketball.
The game will be shown on a pay-per-view basis by VideoSeat productions. The announcing team for the game telecast will include Bob Bell with play-by-play and analysis from former Vol Terence Cleveland. Cable systems across the state of Tennessee are scheduled to carry the telecast. MEDICAL UPDATE
Out for season -- DE Constantin Ritzmann (left knee surgery) Note: Injured knee during preseason drills. Will undergo surgery in next couple of weeks.
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