Knoxville News Sentinel: UT's starters set for Cal

Competition keen among wideouts, defensive backs

By Drew Edwards

A few thousand University of Tennessee students piled into Neyland Stadium on the eve of the first day of classes to watch the Vols' final full-contact scrimmage of preseason camp. For the most part, what they saw Tuesday evening is what they'll see when No. 15 Tennessee opens its season in 11 days against No. 12 California. At least in terms of personnel. "We're pretty much settled," UT coach Phillip Fulmer said. "We can identify our 11 on both sides of the ball right now pretty well. But second-team positions, we're still competing and that will probably continue." On the offensive line, junior Ramon Foster appears to have locked down the starting job at right tackle, after swapping places with Chris Scott last week. Scott will likely get the starting nod over fellow sophomore Jacques McClendon at right guard. McClendon, who played 12 games last season and started at right guard in the Outback Bowl against Penn State, has been hampered with an ankle injury this week.

Offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe said both will play against Cal. "We're trying to find five," Cutcliffe said of his offensive line. "I think Chris Scott's kind of earned that opportunity. I think Jacques's there at six. Let's get to seven and hopefully eight. That's what we're trying to push to get to." At wide receiver, the numbers likely won't go that high. Receivers coach Trooper Taylor said he's close to settling on the four or five players who will make the trip to Berkeley. Austin Rogers, Lucas Taylor, Josh Briscoe and Quintin Hancock have all but assured their spots on the team plane. Freshman Denarius Moore has been the most consistent newcomer among a talented group of incoming wideouts.

"Our three older guys, I think Quintin will be fine and I think (Denarius) Moore has moved himself certainly into that group of guys we can count on," Fulmer said after Tuesday's scrimmage. "Kenny O'Neal gives us a threat, he's just got to take care of the ball and catch it better." Trooper Taylor said the Vols will begin narrowing the 80-page playbook to cater to individual players' strengths at receiver. "We threw the whole playbook at some of these guys. We can start menuing it down and getting those guys where they're comfortable and knowing what they're doing," Trooper Taylor said. "When we get to that point, I think some of the guys that you think are struggling are going to help us as well." In the secondary, Jarod Parrish and Jonathan Hefney have locked down the starting safety spots. But who UT's first two cornerbacks will be is still up in the air. For most of fall camp, the Vols have true freshman Eric Berry, sophomore Marsalous Johnson and senior Antonio Gaines. Johnson has eight career games to his credit, while Gaines has played in 24. None has ever started a game. But that experience only goes so far, Gaines said after Tuesday's scrimmage. "It doesn't give me much of an edge," he said. "The younger guys, they're great guys and great, great competitors. It doesn't give me much an edge, it just makes me work harder." On Tuesday, Berry and Gaines were the first two corners on the field. But as far as Gaines is concerned, it doesn't matter who those two are a week from Saturday in California.