TUESDAY MEDIA DAY COMMENTS FROM HEAD COACH PHILLIP FULMER

Oct. 3, 2006

"As we've gone through the season, I've been pleased with the progress we've made. I've said that a couple different times, but I really have thought the players have continued to take a serious business-like approach to improving during the course of the year. It certainly has not been without some challenges along the way, but it's been a fun team to be around and coach.

"The biggest challenge we've had to this point is Georgia because, No. 1, they are a very fine football team. Two, it's the first time for a fairly young football team to play in a significantly hostile environment. We have traditionally been a very good road team, which is a plus for us, but this will be our first big test as to how we manage hostile crowds, the trip and everything else. We did very well at Memphis, but there's no way to compare the two as to what they'll see this week.

"We have some limitations, obviously. We're very hopeful that we can get everybody back from injuries later in the week. Arron Sears and Anthony Parker, being two significant guys, and Michael Frogg as well, but I think they'll be back. Missing that work certainly is not a good thing for us right now. Arron has had in his career some limited work-weeks and then played very well, but we haven't seen Anthony do that. It's going to be a real challenge for him to see if he can do that and how quickly he can get back.

"We're still working really hard with our depth, and there's a chance here for a number of guys to step up. Chris Scott is one of them. He played significant snaps against Memphis, and he played OK. If Arron can't go, then he'll have to put himself at the top of his game. He's a good young prospect, and I emphasize the 'young' part of it, because he's still learning a lot.

"Jacques McClendon is continuing to make good progress for us, and if Anthony is not ready -- or even if he is -- I think he's ready to make some significant strides for us and get some significant playing time. It's tough duty to ask him to take on something like going to Georgia and playing against the best defense in the Southeastern Conference in a hostile environment, but that's where we are at this particular time and I think he'll take that challenge. He seems to be a guy that's kind of quiet and works hard, very prideful in what he's doing, and physically he's very capable of being a good player.

"Ramon Foster has played some for us. He missed a couple weeks with an ankle injury and hopefully he'll be ready to go and play at his best if we have these circumstances where the guys can't play.

"Demonte' Bolden has made real good progress over the last few weeks, and he could be an important part of this ballgame along with Walter Fisher. It's interesting that this many young guys at this point of the season are being counted on, but that's where we are. Losing a couple of guys that would have been here to pro football, like Rob Smith and Tony McDaniel, these are the positions that we need guys to step up at.

"These types of games are fun and exciting to be a part of. It's the fifth year in a row that we've played Georgia with both of us being ranked, but when you go into a hostile environment like Athens playing a top-10 team, knowing that the crowd and everybody there is definitely against you, it's exciting. Obviously we're going to have to do a fantastic job of handling the noise to the best of our ability.

"Their team is really good. We'll lean on our strengths. Our quarterback Erik Ainge just is playing exceptionally well for us. When you say that, you have to look at the people around him, because they are playing well around him. The receivers, tight ends, the backs and the offensive line, for the most part, have really done some nice things in finding that balance that we are desperately searching for. It's going to be so important in this ballgame.

"We've got Arian Foster back, which is really encouraging. He had a good day (Monday), which I think was the first day that he ran without a limp since his injury against Air Force. Having LaMarcus Coker, Montario Hardesty and Foster will be a definite plus for us, and we'll use them in a variety of ways in the ballgame. Hopefully that will be a strength for us, and help us offset Georgia's very outstanding trio of running backs.

"Defensively, we absolutely must do the fundamental things well. I think some of the keys in the game will be how we can manage first down -- trying to keep that in our favor the best that we can. Also getting our rear ends off the field on third down, something we were better at last week. But that may have been an understatement since Memphis didn't challenge us as much as Georgia will to say the least, and we've got to play great assignment football. We've got to tackle well, which will be a real challenge for us and something we can improve on, and avoid the big plays that Georgia is very capable of making. They have excellent backs and excellent receivers, a very fine offensive line and their quarterbacks are very efficient, so we're going to have to play really well defensively.

"Kicking game-wise, their return game is just outstanding. It's going to be a huge challenge for our kicker (James Wilhoit) and our punter (Britton Colquitt), and for our coverage teams. We're going to have to work like heck to match that with our return game, which has not been up-to-par where we'd like it to be.

"Taking care of the football, or takeaways, is always important in a game like this. Our discipline, which has improved, our mental toughness and our play-after-play execution certainly will be an important part of this ballgame. We have grown in a number of those areas, but I think this is our biggest challenge of the year.

"The guys have been responsive and it's been a fun group to coach. It's certainly not been without many challenges, which is why we practice everyday. The schedule -- having four games at home and a fifth in the state -- has helped us in a lot of ways. In other ways, because of who we've played, it's also banged us up some. We've had some injuries that we'd have liked not to have had. Our youth has been kind of forced to grow up by design, and we're seeing some strides that way. We're still seeing some immaturity that we need to get through, but I like the character, the leadership and the toughness that we've shown to this point in the season.

"To me, we've just started that, so we've got a lot of work yet to do to get where we really want to be. Obviously we're going to have to be the very best that we can be this weekend."

BIG ORANGE TAILGATE TOUR CONTINUES SATURDAY IN ATHENS

All Vol fans, friends and alumni of the University of Tennessee are invited to join the Tennessee National Alumni Association from 4:45-6:45 p.m. Saturday in Athens, Ga., as the Big Orange Tailgate Tour rolls on.

The pre-game event begins three hours before kickoff and is conveniently located at The Ritz-Athens, 346 East Broad St. Limited parking is available at The Classic Center for $20.

There will be a tailgate-style breakfast buffet, along with plenty of Rocky Top and fun for the entire family. In addition to food, fun and Rocky Top, participants can look forward to listening to the UT Pride of the Southland Band, cheerleaders and a special appearance by Smokey!

There will be game-specific spirit buttons and beads available, too. Door prizes will be awarded every 15 minutes.

All participants who pre-register for a tailgate tour stop will be automatically entered into a drawing for an autographed football. The drawing will occur at the end of the event. Cost to eat is just $15 for adults and $8 for children (3-12). Admission to the fair is free with a game ticket.

To pre-register or for more information, click here or call the National Alumni Association office at 865-974-3011 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (ET).