Fulmer Comments on Tennessee's 2004 Football Signing Class

Feb. 4, 2004

FULMER PRESS CONFERENCE | VIDEO | 2004 UT FOOTBALL SIGNEE LIST/BIOS

"We are very pleased with the day's results and the end results of a lot of effort by our staff, who did a great job, and our players, who did a fantastic job of being hosts when we were able to get the prospects to campus.

"We met most of our needs with our class. There are certainly some opportunities for some young guys in this group to be of some immediate help. There are others who will provide long-term help, depending on the maturity and adjustment time that's always the case when a new class of Volunteers comes in.

"In the short term, the help should come the most quickly from the junior college players we signed in Albert Toeaina and Jesse Mohelona. A defensive tackle, Jesse is an outstanding football player and is in to the off-season program as is Albert, who is an offensive lineman. They'll be there and ready in spring practice. Another prep school signee we had is Antonio Reynolds. He has shown significant maturity and has a chance to ready to help us at defensive end or at linebacker.

"As we looked at our needs, both short- and long-term, it was obvious we needed to do well at the quarterback position. We worked really hard and went far and wide to find a quarterback or two we think will be able to fit in and help us. Both Brent Schaeffer and Erik Ainge fit that bill nicely. Both are athletic guys, with really very good intelligence. They come from passing type offenses and, depending how quickly they make the adjustment, they will be outstanding additions to our football team. They certainly will have a chance to put themselves into the mix once they get to campus.

"We had a number of other needs I think we addressed along the way, but obviously quarterback being the most immediate need along with the junior college guys.

"As you look at our football team and the guys who have a chance to fit in with this group, the defensive backs certainly have an opportunity to help quickly as we lost two outstanding safeties and an outstanding corner. You could really put Mark Jones into that category as well, since he played both ways for us. There are a number of guys in this class who have a chance to help at that position.

"We're always looking for a running back who can have some dynamics and Ja`Kouri Williams brings that to our campus with his speed. We needed a fullback, since we lost a really good player in Troy Fleming. David Holbert brings us that. At defensive end, I'm really excited about the potential of Xavier Mitchell and Ell Ash.

"They have a chance to come in and help quickly. At linebacker, there are Robert Ayers is a highly-recruited guy who chose to come here from South Carolina and Jarod Mayo, a linebacker who was defensive player of the year in Virginia.

"There are a number of guys we're very pleased with and we're looking forward to getting to campus. The most important thing is how quickly they make the transition. Most of our signees the last several years have come in in the summer. I would expect that a majority of these guys would, too, so the transition is easier in a nine-week span that coming in and three weeks later have to play a game."