University of Tennessee Athletics
COACH FULMER COMMENTS ON NOTRE DAME GAME
November 01, 2005 | Football
Nov. 1, 2005
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"Well obviously at this point in the season (we are) not at all where we expected to be (or) where we want to be. The kids, fortunately, have continued to fight hard and play hard in the ballgames that we've played. We've obviously played some tough teams, and the bottom line of it is we're not making plays that we need to win the games that we felt like we should have won. We certainly have had our opportunities, and I've always been one not to make excuses about bad luck or anything like that. (I'm one to) honestly evaluate where the issues have risen up, and it gets back to the discipline of being able to manage the football and take care of the football and the discipline of the penalty game. Those two areas right there, ball security and the penalty game, are great equalizers in any game where two teams are fairly evenly matched. It's certainly been our downfall this year. We have had some injuries along the way that have limited us quite a bit. But the truth of it be known, we're five or six or seven plays away from having a season that we're all very proud of. But that's not the case.
"As I said yesterday with coach (Randy) Sanders stepping aside (as offensive coordinator), there is no one person at fault for all this, and it very much has to start with me. I've never been one to shirk that responsibility. (These are) tough times. When you have those things, those are when the when the greatest lessons are learned, and I think we're certainly going through that right now. Would we like have to have those few plays back to make again? Certainly, we would. Then we wouldn't be going through all this turmoil. But that's not life.
"As far as our planning for this week, Randy will go to the press box (during the game). He and I will share the play-calling duties as we go through. The staff collectively is having input because obviously we're all affected by that. We need everybody to really understand that this is a group of very, very prideful men as a staff that we're talking about that loves the program, loves the kids and has worked extremely hard. We just, offensively, haven't been able to get it done quite like we would have liked to have gotten it done.
"We will do all that we possibly can to win these next four games, starting with Notre Dame. The bottom line of it is we've got to make some plays. We've got to make some plays that help us win the ballgame.
"Notre Dame is a very fine football team. When you watch them on tape you have to admire what they've done. Their quarterback, Brady Quinn, is an outstanding football player. He's a guy that throws the football extremely well, runs their offense extremely well; the guy that can get out of trouble and make a play. He's a big, strong, good-looking athlete.
"Their tailback, Darius Walker, is one of those guys who runs the football and his feet almost never leave the ground it seems like. He's just got great cutting ability and vision. Fortunately our defense has played really well against the run, and this will certainly be a big challenge for them.
"(Notre Dame has) two 6-5 receivers that are good players. We'll go back to school and get our scout-team guys out there who are taller guys and make sure that (our defensive players) get a look what they'll be facing. (Notre Dame also has) a good, strong group of tight ends that they use very efficiently. And their offensive line, which you'd expect from a Notre Dame team, is a very good group of guys.
"With the defensive football team it always starts up front. They're great up front. They really have a good-looking group of guys. Their defensive ends are very fast off the edge. The defensive tackles are strong, tough guys. Their linebackers are really active and good players. Brandon Hoyte is one of the best linebackers that we'll have played against this year. In the secondary, their corners are good players. They play well in zone (coverage); they play well in man (coverage). Their safeties are actually almost like linebackers. They'll come up and hit you in a hurry.
"(They have) a very, very good kicking game. Good return game. They're just a good team all the way around.
"Have we played our best football of the season yet? No. I don't think that we have. If we put all the pieces together and play really well, we'd certainly hope to go into Notre Dame and turn this thing around that's going on with our team right now."
