University of Tennessee Athletics
Acclimation period complete; Vols set to don pads
August 05, 2008 | Football
After consecutive three-hour workouts each of the last two days and with the first full-contact practice scheduled for Wednesday, the Tennessee football team worked out for two and a half hours Tuesday at Haslam Field.
Phillip Fulmer made clear after practice that beginning Wednesday his charges should have one singular focus: proving they???re game for a trip to the West Coast in 25 days.
???That???s the best thing about today,??? Fulmer said. ???It???s the last day before we go full speed. We've shown some maturity, and we've got a whole bunch of guys who need mature enough to get themselves on the bus. We???re not going to travel to UCLA with a bunch of guys who are going out there to see Los Angeles, see Hollywood. We???re going to take the ones that want to play.???
One position where the head coach is pleased with the maturation process is at linebacker.
???Rico (McCoy) is playing,??? Fulmer said. ???He loves football; he loves to practice. I think he???s taking on in the absence of Jerod Mayo some of the leadership role. Ellix (Wilson) is going out of his way to be a leader. That???s probably the biggest area I see.???
The Vols will workout in full-pads both Wednesday and Thursday before taking part in an early-morning walk through on Friday. The season???s first scrimmage is set for Saturday afternoon.
Tennessee kicks off the 2008 campaign Sept. 1 at UCLA. The nationally-televised contest is set for an 8 p.m. ET start on ESPN.
