University of Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee Head Coach Phillip Fulmer's Media Day Comments
November 25, 2008 | Football
Nov. 25, 2008
"I'm going to really try and keep this on task as far as getting ready for Kentucky and our game against Vanderbilt if you want to talk about that. Obviously we have a very short week with Thanksgiving coming up. We're certainly glad to get the Vanderbilt win, but we didn't spend a lot of time even going through the tape except for plays that we felt like were relevant during the game. We wanted to get right onto Kentucky with all of our Sunday preparation. Where normally we would give corrections, we skipped so that we could get ourselves started on Kentucky because of the short week and because it's a very important game to our seniors and our football team.
"Kentucky presents a significant amount of problems on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Offensively, they have done a really good job as they've changed quarterbacks. I'm so impressed with Randall Cobb when you consider his youthfulness and look at his ability and what they've been able to do with him. We'll have to do a great job of containing him in this ballgame because a lot of what they're doing is built around him. The fact that they are a no huddle team, we've been able to see quite a bit of that during the course of the year. The practice time and the preparation are always a little bit more difficult because of that. It really makes you work.
"I think it's appropriate to say that the defense really has a challenge this week. I've been really proud of our defensive football team this year, particularly in light of some of our inefficiencies on offense. It's almost amazing what they've been able to accomplish this year getting that done.
"Last week was the first consistent time during the season our offense was able to take some of the burden off the defense by keeping the ball 34 minutes or so and scoring some points. Hats off to our defense and also to our offense to stay on the path that we're on. We obviously have to throw the ball better and more than nine times. You're not going to get away with that too often. That's certainly one of our priorities during the course of the week.
"When you look at Kentucky, at their kicking game, they've done a good job. Their punter is very good, their kickoff is very good. It's a good solid kicking game. That was another area where I felt like made a difference -- there were some hidden yardage plays that made a difference for us versus Vanderbilt. We will continue to address that during the course of the week.
"Our challenge has been our offensive team. They did take the challenge a bit better against Vanderbilt. We need to be able to continue to run the ball effectively. We must improve our balance. At this point right now, all of the quarterbacks are in the mix. We'll go here during the course of the week and decide exactly what we want to do. We'll continue to be creative a little bit with some of the things we do. Hopefully, we can do enough things well to keep Kentucky having to work to stop us.
"The guys started off well on Sunday night. Today and through the week it's going to be extremely important that we put the plan in place and execute to be able to do what we need to do."
ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR FULMER'S SATURDAY FAREWELL
UT Athletics is hosting more than 150 of head coach Phillip Fulmer's former teammates, players and their guests at Saturday's game. These individuals have been invited back for Friday's walk-through practice at the stadium and will have an opportunity to greet Fulmer on Saturday before the Vol Walk. The Vols coach will be accompanied by his family on the Vol Walk as well as walk through the T with his family following Senior Day introductions. Several video tributes to Coach Fulmer will run throughout Saturday's game.
NO FRIDAY FOOTBALL CHAT THIS WEEK
Due to the holiday there will be no Friday Football chat this week.
UT WELCOMES FANS TO KENTUCKY GAME SATURDAY
The University of Tennessee welcomes football fans to campus Saturday for the final game of the season.
Kickoff for the Volunteers' game against Kentucky is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2. Neyland Stadium gates open at 4:45 p.m.
Head coach Phillip Fulmer will be honored with several activities on game day, marking the end of his coaching tenure at UT. Former teammates and players will attend the game. Seniors on the team will be recognized before kickoff. A tribute to Fulmer will be played on the video board during the halftime show.
The traditional Vol Walk from Gibbs Hall to the stadium starts at 4:30 p.m., and the Pride of the Southland Marching Band leaves the music building at 5:05 p.m.
Interstate closed near campus
As always, fans driving to the game are encouraged to arrive early. Interstate 40 is closed between Hall of Fame Drive and James White Parkway downtown, but all of the exits that lead to campus remain open.
Eastbound motorists have access to several exits: Alcoa Highway (exit 386B) to Neyland Drive, 17th Street (exit 387) to Cumberland Avenue or Henley Street (exit 388) to downtown. The last eastbound exit is 388A, James White Parkway.
Westbound motorists should use Hall of Fame Drive (exit 389) to Neyland Drive.
After the game, fans traveling westbound on I-40 should stay in the left lanes to avoid traffic delays where I-640 merges with I-40. Local traffic should use alternate routes westbound, including Middlebrook Pike.
For more information about the I-40 closure, visit http://www.utk.edu/maps/closure.shtml or http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/smartfix/jwp/.
Game day policies remain same
Under state law, no smoking will be allowed anywhere inside the gates of Neyland Stadium. No one inside the gates will be allowed to leave and then be readmitted.
Only fans with permits can park on campus. UT encourages fans to use shuttle buses from the Knoxville Civic Coliseum and the UT Agriculture Campus.
A no-fly zone extends over the stadium from one hour before the game until one hour after it ends, prohibiting flights within a 3-nautical-mile radius and lower than 3,000-feet altitude, except as authorized by air traffic control.
Solicitation near stadium gates and along Phillip Fulmer Way is prohibited.
UT reminds visitors that all items, including purses, are subject to search at the gates. Certain items remain prohibited inside the stadium, and those items cannot be stored at any stadium gate.
Prohibited items include the following:
- alcoholic beverages
- cans, bottles or coolers
- radios without headphones
- open umbrellas
- video cameras
- stadium seats with arms
- large bags or parcels, including backpacks and large purses
- weapons of any kind, including pocketknives
Fans are allowed to bring the following items inside the stadium:
- cushions and seats without arms
- diaper bags that accompany infants
- small cameras, pagers, cell phones and binoculars
For those driving on campus, Peyton Manning Pass, Middle and Lower Drives, Estabrook Drive and Phillip Fulmer Way from Middle Drive to Tee Martin Drive will be closed 30 minutes before kickoff. Directional parking will be used in Area 9 and Lots 4, 5A and 5B.
