University of Tennessee Athletics
Volunteers Continue Preparations With First Practice at Texas Stadium
December 27, 2004 | Football
Dec. 27, 2004
Coach Fulmer | Fulmer on running game | Fulmer on bowl game approach
Fulmer on Texas A&M
TB: C. Houston | QB: R. Clausen | TB: G. Riggs | DB: J. Allen | DB: C. Campbell
IRVING, Texas - The 15th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers moved to their permanent bowl practice site Monday, working for two hours at Texas Stadium. The Vols practiced Sunday at the Irving Schools Stadium because of the Dallas Cowboys-Washington Redskins NFL game. Tennessee's SBC Cotton Bowl Classic opponent, Texas A&M, is practicing this week at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on the SMU campus.
"We appreciate the opportunity to come here to practice," said Tennessee head coach Philip Fulmer. "It's obviously a great facility, as well as Irving Schools Stadium. We enjoyed it here."
Tennessee continues an impressive postseason run this week, making its 16th straight bowl appearance for the third-longest active streak behind only Michigan (30) and Florida State (23). Fulmer has coached the Vols in their last 12 bowl games against 11 different opponents. Interestingly, four of Tennessee's last five bowl foes and seven since 1992 are not playing in bowl games this year - Clemson, Kansas State, Maryland, Nebraska (twice), Northwestern and Penn State.
"Even though it's a Monday, it was a Tuesday-type practice for us. The 30 plays or so of scrimmage was to get us back in the mode. It's been a while since we've played even though we had the SEC championship game. I'm looking forward to watching the film. I think the results will be mixed, to say the least, but I think we had some good hits. We'll stay very focused on the plan now, finish up the week and hopefully be 100 percent healthy by game time."
Freshman QB Brent Schaeffer did not practice for the second straight day while he recovers from the flu. Junior DT Jesse Mahelona was held out Monday to also recover from cold-like symptoms.
Two members of the Tennessee's 2005 signing class, Josh Briscoe and Demonte Bolden, joined the team today for their first full practice. Briscoe, a 6-3, 175-pound WR, from Lawndale, N.C., graduated from Burns High School earlier this month and will enroll at Tennessee in January. Bolden, a 6-5, 287-pound DT from Chattanooga, Tenn., just completed one semester at Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy and will also be a mid-year enrollee next month.
The Vols also welcomed several visitors to its Monday practice including:
- James Madison head coach and Andrews, Texas, native Mickey Matthews who coached his Dukes to the Division I-AA football championship earlier this month in Chattanooga.
- Dallas Cowboys TE Jason Witten who played at Tennessee from 2000-02.
- Larry Lacewell, defensive coordinator at Tennessee from 1990-91, who is now director of player personnel for the Cowboys.
- Joe Odom, Dallas FCA southeast area director, who played under Fulmer at Wichita State in 1977-78. Fulmer was offensive line coach at Wichita State from 1974-78.
Kickoff for the 69th SBC Cotton Bowl Classic is slated for Saturday, Jan. 1 at 10:10 a.m. The game will be televised nationally on FOX Sports. The game is sold out.
REGGIE WHITE FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS SET: VIEWING WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING, WITH SERVICES PRIVATE
Funeral arrangements have been announced for former University of Tennessee defensive tackle Reggie White, 1983 captain and consensus All-America selection, who died Sunday, Dec. 26.
There will be a public viewing Wednesday, Dec. 29, from 3 to 8 p.m. at:
A.L. Jinwright Funeral Service
4300 Statesville Road
Charlotte, N. C. 28269
Telephone 704-599-5994
Fax 704-599-9937
www.aljinwrightfuneralservice.com
Services will be private.
