Tennessee Football Notes - UAB Game - University of Tennessee Athletics

Sept. 8, 2008

GAME 2: Vols Play Host to UAB in Home Opener

Quick Facts

Tennessee: 0-1, 0-0 SEC

UAB: 0-2, 0-1 CUSA

UT: Phillip Fulmer: 147-46 (17th yr)

UAB: Neil Callaway: 2-12 (2nd yr)

UT: NR AP / NR USA Today

UAB: NR AP / NR USA Today

Series: UT leads 2-0

At Knoxville: UT leads 2-0

Site: Neyland Stadium (102,038)

TV: Raycom

Announcers: Dave Neal, Dave Archer, Dave Baker

Radio: Vol Network

Announcers: Bob Kesling, Tim Priest, Mike Stowell

Next Game: Sept. 20 vs. Florida

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TENNESSEE-UAB SERIES HISTORY & NOTES

Tennessee has won both of its previous gridiron meetings with UAB, posting a 37-13 win in 1998 and a 17-10 triumph in 2005. Both games took place at Neyland Stadium, and the 1998 contest also marked UT's home-opener. The Vols went on to post a 13-0 record that season en route to the national championship.

Tennessee owns a 46-4 all-time record against current members of Conference USA, and UT head coach Phillip Fulmer is 16-1 against C-USA opposition. His lone loss came at Memphis in 1996.

Three players on Tennessee's 2008 roster--Carson Anderson (Florence), Willie Bohannon (Mobile) and Wes Brown (Athens)--hail from the state of Alabama. Brown is a starter at defensive end, while Anderson and Bohannon are both true freshmen. Condredge Holloway, Tennessee's assistant athletics director for student-athlete welfare and lettermen, is a native of Huntsville, Ala., and was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame earlier this year.

TENNESSEE UNDEFEATED AT HOME AGAINST CONFERENCE USA OPPONENTS

The Volunteers have never lost a home game to a current member of Conference USA.

Tennessee owns an all-time record of 46-4 (.920) against current Conference USA teams, and that includes an unblemished 33-0 mark at home. Both of UT's wins over UAB have taken place in Knoxville.

VAUNTED SECONDARY LOGS THREE PICKS IN SEASON-OPENER; VOLS MAKE FOUR TOTAL

Perhaps the single-most publicized Tennessee position group during the preseason was the Volunteers veteran-laden defensive backfield. Names like Berry, Morley and Willingham were among reasons why opposing offensive coordinators should have a hard time sleeping.

Well, in Tennessee's opener at UCLA on Sept. 1, each of those three recorded an interception. And senior linebacker Nevin McKenzie added a fourth pick, which he returned 61 yards for a touchdown. Interestingly, all four of Tennessee's interceptions against the Bruins came in the same half (first half).

Only one FBS team in the country recorded more interceptions in Week 1, as Iowa State totaled five. The Vols were one of four teams with four interceptions (Arizona, Florida and NC State were the others).

Tennessee's four picks were its most since a five-interception game at Kentucky in 1999.

FOSTER IS SEC'S ACTIVE CAREER LEADER FOR CARRIES, RUSHING & ALL-PURPOSE YARDAGE

Tailback Arian Foster is the Southeastern Conference's active career leader in three separate offensive statistical categories.

The San Diego, Calif., native boasts a league-high 532 carries, 2,490 net rushing yards and 3,252 all-purpose yards.

Through his first three playing seasons on Rocky Top, Foster averaged 173 carries per year, 798 net rushing yards per year and 1,048 all-purpose yards per year.

THREE MEMORABLE VOL HOME-OPENERS vs. CONFERENCE USA OPPONENTS

In Tennessee's previous home-openers against current members of Conference USA, there have been several memorable Vol performances. Here are three of note:

SACK ATTACK: SOUTHERN MISS, 2000
The Tennessee defense recorded nine sacks in a 19-16 victory over Southern Miss in Knoxville to open the 2000 season. The nine sacks were the second-most in school history. Linebacker Anthony Sessions led the way with 2.5 sacks for 23 yards, followed by defensive end Will Overstreet with two sacks for eight yards. Dominique Stevenson, Eddie Moore, Ed Kendrick, Rashad Moore and Omari Hand accounted for the rest. The nine sacks combined for 62 yards. UT recorded a school-record 13 sacks in the 1999 season-opener against Wyoming.

LEAVE IT TO LEAVERTON: SOUTHERN MISS, 2000
Senior punter David Leaverton earned ESPN "Player of the Game" honors for his performance during the 2000 season-opener against Southern Miss. He punted 10 times for 426 yards and booted a 58-yarder in the second quarter. In addition, six of his 10 punts were downed inside the Southern Miss 20-yard line.

PEYTON POUNDS THE PIRATES: EAST CAROLINA, 1995
Peyton Manning, in his first full season as a starting quarterback, went 17-of-29 for 178 yards and a touchdown as the Vols defeated East Carolina 27-7 in the 1995 season-opener. On UT's first drive, Manning completed six of six passes and scored the first touchdown of the season on a quarterback sneak. He later threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Nilo Silvan after a brilliant fake. By the end of the game, Manning had completed 17 passes to eight different receivers.

"I've been waiting for this night all summer," Manning said. "It feels great to have the first game out of the way... I tried of play smart football, take care of the ball."

FOSTER ALREADY UT's ALL-TIME LEADER IN ALL-PURPOSE TOUCHES

Entering this season, Arian Foster was touted nationally as being one of the nation's most complete backs. His rare adeptness at both rushing and receiving out of the backfield has led to him owning the Tennessee career record for all-purpose touches.

Foster has carried the ball 607 times as a rusher, receiver or returner and is the only Vol (non-quarterback) ever to reach that 600-touch milestone.

FOUR VOLS MAKE UT DEBUT IN SEASON-OPENER

Four Vols made their Tennessee debuts during the Vols' season-opener at UCLA Sept 1. The lone true freshman to see action against the Bruins was tailback Tauren Poole. The other Vols who took the field for the first time in Orange & White were: junior holder Bram Cannon, redshirt freshman defensive back Daryl Vereen and sophomore tight end Brandon Warren (who started).

In Tennessee's 2007 opener, 14 Vols made their career debuts.

SCHEDULE MAGNET GIVEAWAY

Free Tennessee Football Schedule Magnets courtesy of Image Matters will be given out to the first 5,000 fans at Gates 10 and 21 this Saturday.

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