UT's Johnson arrested, charged with aggravated assault "KNOXVILLE - Tennessee redshirt freshman Marsalous Johnson faces suspension or even dismissal from the team after being arrested Sunday night on a charge of aggravated assault after a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency officer said Johnson waved a toy gun at him."

What do you think Fulmer's reaction will be? My guess is indef. suspension

NWAnews.com :: Northwest Arkansas' News Source
Ole Miss is still waiting for Schaeffer to become eligible

Coaches: Big bucks, big pressure | StarNewsOnline.com | Star-News | Wilmington, NC: "In a business where big bucks and great expectations have merged to create legions of impatient fans, the fact that there have been no coaching changes in the SEC or ACC is considered highly unusual.

'And that tells you everything you need to know about the state of coaching the state of our game,' Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer said. 'I'm not complaining. That's just the way it is. People want it now.'

Fulmer has won nearly 80 percent of his games in 14 seasons in Knoxville. He's turned the Vols into a perennial power, winning a national title, coaching in 11 January bowl games and watching 64 of his former players get drafted the past 10 years.

All that went out the window in 2005, when Tennessee plummeted to 5-6, lost to Vanderbilt and missed out on a bowl. It's led some fans and commentators to ask - with straight faces - if Fulmer's in danger of losing his job."

WBIR.COM - Vols picked third in East at Media Days

Fulmer refuses to 'baby' Ainge - Nashville, Tennessee - Friday, 07/28/06 - Tennessean.com: "Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer said he's as anxious as anybody to see how junior quarterback
Erik Ainge responds this season.

But one thing's for sure. Fulmer doesn't plan on babying Ainge in the preseason."

A friend in need: "Twenty-four years ago, Phillip Fulmer persuaded his friend David Cutcliffe to quit a high school coaching gig, sell his fishing boat and scrimp by as a graduate assistant coach at Tennessee.

When Fulmer asked Cutcliffe to return to Knoxville as offensive coordinator over the offseason, he offered plenty of money and much more responsibility. Cutcliffe has been charged with rejuvenating the Volunteers' struggling offense, struggling quarterback and declining program."

Cutcliffe, a Birmingham native and University of Alabama graduate, first joined Fulmer on the Tennessee staff in 1982 after serving as head coach at Birmingham's Banks High School.

"He was about 26 years old and had everything going for him at the high school level with his team and his success," Fulmer said.

"He had to sell his bass boat, sell his Cadillac and borrow money to stay the course as a graduate assistant."

Jackson Sun - www.jacksonsun.com - Jackson, TN: "'You just won the East (in 2004). You've got a lot of people coming back, a really exciting quarterback and a defensive team that was as good as anybody's.

'But I assumed too much.'"

The State | 07/28/2006 | Vols enter season without usual swagger: "Tennessee defensive tackle Justin Harrell could not bring himself to take a bite out of the Florida Gators.

Prodded, pushed and provoked, the Volunteers senior and two-year starter smiled and backed away from the annual tradition of Tennessee and Florida players trading barbs."

Scout.com: SEC MEDIA DAYS: Phillip Fulmer - Tennessee:

Phillip Fulmers complete interview from Today's SEC MEDIA DAYS

www.secsports.com:

Interviews available under each team's helmet.

1998 Tennessee Volunteers the 2nd best team of all time?

(HT View from Rocky Top)

Jackson Sun - www.jacksonsun.com - Jackson, TN: "UT officials are closely monitoring a Knox County Schools investigation that has turned up the name of UT football signee Lee Smith.

The Knoxville News-Sentinel and WBIR-TV reported Tuesday that a Powell High assistant principal, Kimberly Kallenberg, had been suspended while officials look into allegations of grade fixing and an inappropriate relationship with a student."

Top 10 Questions about SEC Football

DallasCowboys.com - News
Former Vol Jason Witten gets a $29 Million Dollar contract

Last Year's Football Season Affecting Business?

Memphis' Source for News and Information: Football
Great article in the Memphis Commercial Appeal. If this does not get you ready for College Football nothing will. (HT to Georgia Sports Blog)

Herald-Dispatch.com - MU Football

KnoxNews: Govols: "Individual game tickets for four University of Tennessee home football games — University of California (Sept. 2), Air Force (Sept. 9), Marshall (Sept. 23) and Kentucky (Nov. 25) — and two away games — University of Memphis (Sept. 30) and University of Arkansas (Nov. 11) — will be available for purchase online at UTsports.com, via phone at (800) 332-VOLS and at Thompson-Boling Arena beginning Monday, July 24."

Scout.com: New look on offense: "When head coach Phillip Fulmer scans Tennessee’s offensive roster these days, he sees a lot of new faces … and that’s just on the coaching staff. Randy Sanders, Jimmy Ray Stephens and Pat Washington are out; David Cutcliffe, Kurt Roper and Matt Luke are in."

WVLT VOLUNTEER TV Knoxville, TN: 5 Vols Named To Coaches All-SEC Preseason Team: "(utsports.com) -- The 2006 Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team was released by the league Thursday, with five Tennessee players earning inclusion. Senior offensive tackle Arron Sears and senior defensive tackle Justin Harrell were both first-team selections.

Sophomore tailback Arian Foster and junior defensive back Jonathan Hefney were selected to the second-team offense and defense, respectively. Tennessee's preseason All-SEC contingent was rounded out by third-team defensive lineman Turk McBride.
"

WBIR.COM - Fulmer says QB Ainge has "matured"

WBIR.COM - Vols receivers catching on

SI.com - 2006 NCAA Football Preview - Tennessee

thedailytimes.com - Stepping up: Pressure put on Vol receivers: "KNOXVILLE -- Tennessee's wide receivers will still need to prove themselves when practice opens Aug. 4, but already senior Jayson Swain is drawing praise from head coach Phillip Fulmer for his presence off the field.

``Jayson Swain has shown as much leadership this summer as any receiver that we've had here in a long time,'' Fulmer said Tuesday prior to his annual media golf tournament. ``I'm very encouraged about what he's done.''"

No interest in Williams, two schools say

It was rumored that problem LB from Miami, Willie Williams, wanted to transfer to Tennessee or West Virginia. Both schools have said no thanks....

FOX Sports - COLLEGE FOOTBALL - Look for breakout seasons from these QBs

Mahelona agrees to terms with Titans

Cal is wary of Vols - Nashville, Tennessee - Tuesday, 07/18/06 - Tennessean.com: "KNOXVILLE — Tennessee fans aren't the only ones lamenting last season's 5-6 disaster. California Coach Jeff Tedford also wishes the Vols had fared a little better a year ago.

Emotion plays such a big part in college football, and Tedford doesn't need to be reminded how difficult it can be to open the season on the road against a proud program, such as Tennessee, eager to prove itself all over again."

Sports
Good article on Tennessee booster Jim Haslam. He recently gave $32.5 million to the University

Shelbyville Times-Gazette: Story: UT finds a new 'Host': "The University of Tennessee Athletic Department announced today that Host Communications has been awarded the department's Multi-Media Rights. The deal, which is worth an estimated $83.4 million over a 10-year period, will run from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2017."

Some former Vols are making some serious Cash in the NFL according to this article. The combined total of former Vols on an NFL roster was $95 million last year.

Total (Bonus)
Peyton Manning $35,000,000 ($34,500,000)
Chad Clifton $11,500,000 ($10,000,000)
Al Wilson $7,000,000 ($6,500,000)
Shaun Ellis $6,200,000 ($5,000,000)
Eric Parker $1,200,000
Shaun Bryson $1,190,000
Trey Teague $3,500,000 ($2,000,000)
Jamal Lewis $4,765,000
Charlie Garner $4,460,000 ($3,700,000)
Deon Grant $3,250,000 ($2,500,000)
Loenard Little $3,000,000
Peerless Price $2,200,000
Raynoch Tompson $2,000,000
Darwin Walker $1,000,000

Scout.com: Harrell, McBride tabbed

Lineman Johnson cleared for class - Nashville, Tennessee - Wednesday, 07/12/06 - Tennessean.com: "KNOXVILLE — Tennessee football signee Ramone Johnson received word on Tuesday that his NCAA Clearinghouse paperwork had been processed, paving the way for him to attend the second session of summer school."

EDSBS » WATER IN THE DESERT: GAMES YOU’LL WATCH WHETHER YOU LIKE THEM OR NOT: EDBS looks at upcoming 06 games. Their take on UT - CAL "There’s so many different variable to this game–Tedford’s tenous qb situation, the unknowns of Cal playing on the road in the SEC, whether Tennessee’s gotten their head into something more than shambles after ‘05–that betting on Phil’s ever-cavitating waistline seems as good a bet as any."

Another good video of Great Vols and Great Tennessee moments. There are some good National Championship game highlights here...

Scout.com: Front 7 must be rebuilt

Scout.com: Kicking game needs work: "Special-teams play is one-third of football – along with offense and defense – and the Tennessee Vols had better keep that in mind throughout the 2006 season. With a bunch of new aides on offense and a bunch of new starters on defense, the Big Orange may need more help from special teams than usual."

The Daily News Journal - www.dnj.com -: "eggie Cobb relates to uncertainty surrounding the current University of Tennessee football program.

The season was 1988, and the Volunteers were in the process of losing their first six games and posting a 5-6 record — the first losing season for UT football since 1980 and only the third such losing campaign in a quarter of a century for a very proud program."

"After the debacle in 1988, then came the turnaround. In Cobb's senior season in 1989, the Vols went 11-1 and won the Southeastern Conference championship, capping the season with a win over Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl."

On Vacation.... here is a good video to hold you over