University of Tennessee Athletics
COACH FULMER'S COMMENTS ON LSU GAME
September 20, 2005 | Football
Sept. 20, 2005
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"We're obviously disappointed as can be coming out of the Florida game and with the results of the game. It's not because of our effort at all. I thought our team played really, really hard in the game on both sides and physically played very well. But (I'm disappointed in) just the fact that we beat ourselves, basically. We beat ourselves in the kicking game, primarily. (We also beat ourselves with) some of our offensive inefficiencies.
"We went back to work (Monday) with a tremendous attitude. I was really, really proud of the football team. We addressed our problems, and as we go through the week we'll have those squared away. Obviously one of those areas was in the kicking game, and we went to work on those things. I guess I was as surprised as anybody that we had any of those kind of issues - especially with some of the talented guys that we're out there playing with. That's why we coach. That's what our job is, and we'll go to work and get it better.
"I was really happy with the way the players bounced back (Monday). We're going to have to play as hard as we played against Florida - and obviously play a lot better without the mistakes that we made - to win this football game. (We have to) make our plays in the passing game, particularly, and continue to run the football. We've made some progress there. I hope and feel like settling on the quarterback will help us do that. I want to make clear (that the decision to name Erik Ainge the starting quarterback) bears no reflection on Rick (Clausen's) ability or leadership or anything like that. Rick has done a great job for us, and this team is going to need him as we go through the year. And certainly the staff is counting on him.
"Erik went to work yesterday and worked really hard - as he has. He worked with a purpose in mind, I believe, and I'm sure he has the mindset to prove that he can use his talent to help us win football games.
"Offensively I feel very assured that we have the potential to be a very good offensive football team. We haven't been very good to this point, and certainly from a consistency standpoint we haven't been there. But I believe that we have potential to be - at receiver - a very good unit and continue to make progress in the running game.
"About LSU ... they're just a really outstanding football team. We've only got one game that we can really study right now, and that's the Arizona State game. (LSU's) talent level is really good. They're quarterback is a really good player in JaMarcus Russell. He's a big guy that's got a great arm. The running back (Joseph Addai), right now the guy is leading the (Southeastern Conference) in rushing. That tells you a little bit about him. They've got three of four guys who are very good (at running back). Their wide receiving corps is talented, led by a really talented player in Skyler (Green). He's one of the fastest guys we'll face all year long. Their offensive line is big, physical group of guys who have all played. They're experienced. They'll play a lot of those guys. And the tight end is very much interchangeable with the fullback, and he'll end up in different places, and that ends up being an adjustment problem from time to time if a defense doesn't handle it well.
"Defensively, I think we've got a very, very fine defensive front. (LSU has) an exceptional defensive front as well. So that's going to be a tremendous matchup for us as we go into this football game - to play against those guys, and winning at the line of scrimmage will be really important. Their linebackers are good. Their secondary had some issues at Arizona State. Certainly like us on offense, (their trying to address those issues in the secondary) and correct those issues. Hopefully we can make some plays down field on them.
"In the kicking game, they've got two punters who are ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the Southeastern Conference in punting. So they're obviously good there, and they have a talented kicker who is returning. It's a good, solid all-around good football team we're getting ready to play against.
"We know the circumstances we're going into down there from a noise standpoint, and I'm sure they're excited to play their first home game after all they've been through. We talked to our players about that. When you play in the Southeastern Conference - particularly at the University of Tennessee - and you go into those environments, you expect to get their best shot ... and their fans' best shot. So we'll prepare pretty well for the noise.
"We have made some adjustments to our travel plans, as everybody's aware. With all the tragedy that's gone on there on Louisiana and Mississippi and Alabama, for us to do anything different (than what we're doing) would not be right. Going down on the day of the game is the right thing to do. (We don't want to) displace any of those workers who are there helping the people of Louisiana and in New Orleans to get themselves squared away. A lot of these players have driven five hours on a bus, gotten off the bus and played a high school football game. So I'm hoping that it won't be a distraction, and I don't think it will be. I am a bit concerned about the weather that's coming in down there and traveling the same day, so we'll watch that as we go through the week.
"The things that we can do something about, that's our preparation; that's our attitude. I'm real happy with the way the kids have bounced back. Today's an important day for us to start on that track and keep improving in the areas we need to improve in."
