by special report to The Chattanoogan
posted September 4, 2008
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For the second day in a row, the focus was on correcting the mistakes made in the season-opening loss at UCLA. The Vols have practiced twice since returning from the West Coast and will take the remainder of the weekend off before reconvening Sunday night and beginning a regular game-week routine.
After practice, head coach Phillip Fulmer assessed the mood of his team in the three days since the UCLA game.
"I wouldn't say it's very good,'' he said. "I hope it's not very good. They should be disappointed. We lost an opportunity where we were the better team.''”
While less than stellar performances are typical of season-openers around the country, the Tennessee coaching staff felt the Vols were past many of those common mistakes--both physical and mental--before they left for Pasadena.
"You can correct both of them (physical and mental mistakes). But there were some mistakes that shouldn't have happened. Some of them you worked your rear end off to prevent.
"We'll get better from it. It's behind us now. If we can learn a lesson from it, then it will be worth it.''
Moving forward into the UAB game on Sept. 13 and the SEC opener vs. Florida on Sept. 20, Fulmer has his eyes peeled for a new determination in his charges.
"I'm looking for responsiveness, looking for fighters, looking for toughness, looking for guys that are as mad about it as I am.''”
The UAB game is scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m. ET and will be televised regionally on Raycom Sports.
(E-mail Stan Crawley at wscrawley@earthlink.net)
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