University of Tennessee Athletics
Notebook: Loss of Reveiz 'A Huge Blow'
September 27, 2009 | Football
Sept. 27, 2009
BY DREW EDWARDS
UTSports.com
Middle linebacker Nick Reveiz is likely out for the season after "blowing out" his right knee in Tennessee's 34-23 victory over Ohio on Saturday night, Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin said.
Reveiz, who ranked third on the team with 19 tackles entering Saturday's game, went down in the closing minutes of the third quarter.
After spending a few moments down on the UT sideline while trainers worked on his knee, Reveiz watched the rest of the game either on the bench or resting on crutches with an ice pack taped to his knee.
Reveiz, who began his career as a walk-on, is one of the Vols' most respected players and is responsible for making adjustments on the field during the game.
"It's a big blow," said cornerback Brent Vinson. "He's one of the pieces of the heart of the defense. That's one of the guys you look over to in the middle of the game and see it in his eyes that he's ready to go. He's just a big motivator.
"I know a lot of guys are really sad that he's hurt, because he does everything he's supposed to do on the field and off the field. It is a big loss. We're going to miss him. We're still going to support him and work hard in every practice and every game for him."
Linebacker Rico McCoy, who finished tied with Reveiz for a team-high eight tackles against Ohio, said the Vols will miss Reveiz.
"It's crazy," McCoy said. "He'd been in the fire. He's a tough player. He's a tough player, and a good leader for the defense. We're going to miss him if he's not coming back. Just makes everybody play that much harder."
Fresh Faces: Five Vols made their first career start against Ohio.
Redshirt freshman Aaron Douglas started at right tackle, while true freshman Greg King started at outside linebacker. True freshman Nu'Keese Richardson started at wide receiver.
Senior Cory Sullins started at guard, while fellow senior Andre Mathis started at defensive tackle.
Four true freshmen have started at least one game this season, including receiver Marsalis Teague (four) and safety Janzen Jackson (three).
And while Brent Vinson started 10 career games entering the season, he got his first starting assignment this season in place of Dennis Rogan, who was suspended this week for an "administrative" reason.
Anniversary Win: Saturday's victory over Ohio marked Tennessee's 500th win in Knoxville.
The first victory came more than 100 years, with a 32-0 win over Maryville on Nov. 18, 1893.
And that came in the Vols' third year of football. Tennessee's program began 0-4 in Knoxville, before winning two games at home to end the 1893 season.
Line Shuffle: With one starting guard limited by illness and another out due to injury, Tennessee's offensive line did some shuffling.
Jarrod Shaw, who played guard for the first time this season on Saturday, saw action on both the left and right sides of the line Saturday after starting right guard Jacques McClendon (illness) struggled to stay on the field.
Cory Sullins, who started at guard alongside his twin brother, center Cody Sullins, stayed on the left side of the line all night.
"We obviously had some unexpected things," Cory Sullins said. "Jacques ended up a little under the weather last night. We had to step up and take care of that. As far as just the shuffling going on, I think we did a pretty good job. I think the stats show that. I think we may have had some breakdowns, but overall I think it was a good job."
No Flag? Kiffin had a lengthy, and animated, talk with referee Penn Wagers following Ohio's first touchdown of the game.
"They had 12 in the huddle," Kiffin said. "That's what I was yelling at the ref. We couldn't get our substitution on, and we're in the wrong personnel out there. They didn't throw the flag."
Nu-Gun: Richardson took two snaps in the first half at quarterback. On those two plays, the Vols scored an 11-yard touchdown on a run by Montario Hardesty, and Richardson gained 4 yards on a keeper.
Odds and Ends: Heavy rain forced the cancellation of Saturday's Vol Walk. ... Teague, who has started all four games this season, caught his first pass since leading the Vols in receiving in their season-opening win over Western Kentucky. ... Daniel Lincoln's 49-yard field goal set a career long. His previous was a 48-yarder in UT's victory over South Carolina in 2007. ... Tennessee scored a touchdown on its opening drive for the first time this season. UT opened with a field goal against UCLA and Florida. ... End Ben Martin set a new career high with four tackles.
Follow the Vols on Twitter @UTAthletics , and read Drew Edwards' blog, The Inside Source.
