University of Tennessee Athletics
Colquitt Named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week
October 08, 2007 | Football
Junior punter-placekicker Britton Colquitt is Tennessee???s first Southeastern Conference Player of the Week after his efforts in the Vols 35-14 win over Georgia.
The Knoxville native punted six times for a 42.0-yard average with three punts downed inside the 20-yard line. But more impressively, Colquitt kicked off for the first time this season and landed the Vols??? first two touchbacks of 2007. The Bulldogs averaged only 18.3 yards per return on three attempts to go with their 5.5-yard punt return average.
Georgia???s average starting field position in the game was its own 21-yard line.
Other SEC players of the week were LSU???s Jacob Hester (offense), South Carolina???s Eric Norwood (defense) and Chris Smelley (freshman), Auburn???s Tyronne Green (offensive line) and Alabama???s Wallace Gilberry (defensive line).
VOLS-MISSISSIPPI STATE SET FOR PAY-PER-VIEW
Tennessee???s game this Saturday at Mississippi State is being televised on a pay-per-view basis across the state of Tennessee. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Eastern (1:30 p.m. Central). Randy Smith will handle the announcing duties for the game.
Cable systems across the state of Tennessee are scheduled to carry the telecast from the VideoSeat pay-per-view service. Fans may contact their local cable systems to order the game and receive price information. The game also is expected to be made available to Tennessee Dish Network subscribers and DirecTV subscribers.
The game will be blacked out on ESPN GamePlan in the states of Tennessee and Mississippi.
For fans living outside the borders of the Volunteer State, ESPN GamePlan will offer the game to fans living outside the state of Tennessee via the ESPN GamePlan package.
This marks only the second time that Host Communications/VideoSeat Pay-Per-View has been able to bring a Southeastern Conference road game back to the state of Tennessee. The first SEC road football game ever brought back to Tennessee on a pay-per-view basis was the UT-Arkansas game at Fayetteville on Oct. 7, 1995.
UT-ALABAMA START TIME NOT YET DETERMINED
CBS requested from the Southeastern Conference and has been granted a third and final six-day selection for games on Oct. 20. CBS will televise either Tennessee???s game at Alabama or Florida???s visit to Kentucky, with Lincoln Financial carrying the game not selected by CBS.
ESPN has selected Auburn at LSU for an 8 p.m. Central time start.
INTERVIEW OF COACH PHILLIP FULMER BEFORE MISSISSIPPI STATE GAME SATURDAY
1. How big a lift will it give the Vols coming off an impressive victory over Georgia last Saturday?
A - ???No doubt about it, the victory gave us a big lift. We played well, and we played well for 60 minutes, doing the things we had challenged our team about. The open date helped, but most of all the players??? attitude in working hard to improve was critical to our victory.???
2. How pleased were you to see improvement in tackling and kick coverage, two areas you had cited as needing work?
A - ???Our kick coverage was outstanding in taking their return threat out of the game. Britton Colquitt gets a lot of credit, but so does our overall coverage. Our tackling was significantly improved, mostly because we controlled the line of scrimmage, and Georgia didn???t have the seams where they could run. There was significant progress in those two areas.???
3. Explain one obvious point in the Vols??? improved play, the efficiency of the offensive line in protecting the senior quarterback, Erik Ainge.
A - ???The offensive line does an outstanding job, and I don???t want to take anything away from them. But it all goes together. Erik gets the ball out quickly, and the receivers do their jobs nicely, too. Everybody should be proud of what we???ve accomplished from a protection standpoint.???
4. Give your description of the fight for the Eastern Division title in the SEC championship race, which is a wide open affair.
A - ???It???s wide open, and we are in position to control our own destiny. But it???s very important that we don???t look down the road. The team that improves the most from this point is the team that will have the chance to represent the East in Atlanta.???
5. What do you expect from Mississippi State, which brings a 4-2 record, including a win over Auburn, into Saturday???s game?
A - ???It was an impressive victory over Auburn. Auburn turned it over five times, and Mississippi State was good enough to take advantage of it. It???s imperative we take care of the football, something which we have focused on. Mississippi State presents a lot of issues and problems as we prepare to play them Saturday afternoon.???
BIG ORANGE TAILGATE TOUR SET FOR WEEKEND AT MISSISSIPPI STATE
All Vol fans, friends and UT alumni are invited to join the Tennessee National Alumni Association from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Central time Saturday in Starkville, Miss., for the Big Orange Tailgate Tour.
This week???s location is at the MSU intramural fields on Stone Boulevard, just two blocks south of the stadium. Look for the tented area with orange and white balloons, for there will be a tailgate-style barbecue buffet along with plenty of Rocky Top and fun for the entire family.
Participants can look forward to listening to the UT Pride of the Southland Band, cheerleaders and a special appearance by Smokey! Door prizes will be given away every 15 minutes. Everyone who pre-registers has the opportunity to win a Phillip Fulmer autographed football.
Cost is just $15 for adults and $8 for children ages 3-12. Pre-registration is suggested.
To pre-register or for more information, please go to www.utalumni.tennessee.edu/bottmen.html or call the Tennessee Alumni Association office at 865-974-3011 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time.
