Tennessee hoping for afternoon kickoff at LSU

Most of the hotels in Baton Rouge, La., have been filled with people who fled the New Orleans area. A kickoff at noon or 3:30 p.m. would allow fans to stay outside the city and drive to the game and then return the same day without interfering with relief efforts.

The Southeastern Conference is expected to announce the final plans for the game this week.

“It’s all going to depend on what the needs of the people of Louisiana are and we will adjust accordingly. That’s pretty much where we are,” coach Phillip Fulmer said Wednesday.

“It’s such a tragedy going on that a football game is not that important compared to helping people get back on their feet.”

LSU postponed its home opener against North Texas and moved the Arizona State game this weekend to Tempe, Ariz. The Tigers have an open date before the Tennessee game.

“Our hope is we’ll still be able to play the game and play there and come in on time on Friday night and have a normal routine,” Fulmer said.

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ORANGE AID: Tennessee fans and the athletic department have raised over $130,000 to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The players and coaches signed autographs at a Knoxville mall on Monday to help raise money for the American Red Cross relief efforts. Fans gave a minimum donation of $15 for a Vols T-shirt, and the outing dubbed “OrangeAid” collected $6,340.

More than 107,000 fans attending last Saturday’s win over UAB had opportunities to donate to the Red Cross before and after the game, and those efforts raised $77,198. The athletic department also is donating $50,000 from concessions at the game to the Red Cross.

Shirts, bearing the words “One Heartbeat” and an orange heart, are still available through the football community relations office by calling (865) 974-8437.

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BAND AID: A fundraiser for the University of Tennessee’s Pride of the Southland Band brought in over $50,000 last week to go toward scholarships for band members.

Alumni of the band organized a gala at the Tennessee Theater because the band does not have enough money to offer more scholarships and remain competitive in recruiting musicians.

About 600 people attended the gala, said Bill Burkhart, chairman of the alumni association.

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LINEMAN HONORED: Junior tackle Justin Harrell is the Southeastern Conference’s defensive lineman of the week.

He stopped one of UAB’s drives in the third quarter with an interception and return of 29 yards. On third-and-goal from the Tennessee 3, UAB quarterback Darrell Hackney was pressured by Jesse Mahelona and let go of the ball. Harrell caught it and started running down the middle of the field toward the other end zone, but some Blazers and Mahelona caught up to him.

Harrell ran into Mahelona at the Tennessee 36 and saw his interception return come to an end.

The 6-foot-4, 295-pounder said he was tired before the play started and didn’t think he had enough gas to make it for a touchdown anyway. But the team enjoyed watching the film.

“I got a lot of jokes,” he said.

Harrell also had four tackles, and the Tennessee defense allowed UAB only 53 yards rushing.

“Both of our tackles played really well in the ball game,” Fulmer said. “If the rest of the team could play up to their level, that would be good.”

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CLOSE CALL: The 1998 national championship season opened with a narrow victory at Syracuse.

The Vols rallied from two points down to beat Syracuse 34-33 with Jeff Hall’s 27-yard field goal as time expired. Fulmer was asked about the game this week by a reporter looking at some of the best games ever in the Carrier Dome.

“That was a great game. Some fabulous players on the field. I didn’t think we’d ever get (QB Donovan) McNabb down. He’s just a great football player. It was a tremendous effort by both teams,” Fulmer said.

“The Jamal Lewis-Tee Martin last drive was just the start of things to come down the road for us, and the Jeff Hall kick was huge obviously for the entire season.”

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MANY CALLS: Defensive end Parys Haralson was called for two penalties in the UAB game, roughing the passer in the second quarter and a personal foul in the third quarter. The senior has been whistled for several of those type of fouls during his career, but Fulmer says Haralson hasn’t had enough penalties to have a reputation for late hits.

“But I’d say one is too many. And he’s had four or five in his four years, and that’s too many,” Fulmer said, adding the referees were probably not watching for him to do it.

“I don’t think they were looking for it. I think it’s pretty obvious,” he said. “I bet he doesn’t do it again.”