Fulmer, Ainge looking for next ‘playmaker’ WR
‘I couldn’t ask for them to do any more than they did in the spring,’ Fulmer said before an alumni event in Nashville. ‘Their attitude is wonderful, their work ethic is outstanding … (but) There’s not a Robert Meachem out there.’
Meachem set the school record last year with 1,298 receiving yards, but decided to forego his senior year and was picked in the first round of the NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints. Add to that the loss of Jayson Swain and Bret Smith, and receiver appears to be the Vols most troubled position heading into the season.
Tennessee keeps juniors Lucas Taylor and Josh Briscoe and sophomore Austin Rogers, all with a combined 29 career catches. Fulmer said he expects those returning to be reliable, but thinks the playmaker may be a new player.
‘If we’re efficient, if we’re fundamentally good and give great effort, I think that group of receivers that have been around a little while can be adequate,’ he said. ‘I am looking for some good play ability to come from somebody younger.’
Quarterback Erik Ainge said any one of the wide receivers, including sophomore Quintin Hancock, junior college transfer Kenny O’Neal and signee Brent Vinson could step into that role.
‘There’s eight guys right now, and if I had to tell you who was going to start right now I couldn’t,’ he said. ‘What they do in camp will determine who the starters are.’
During the team’s spring scrimmage, the offense struggled, especially at receiver, to make plays. Ainge was forced to watch the Orange and White game from the sidelines as he recovered from knee surgery.
Ainge said he’s completely recovered and not concerned about what he saw from his offense.
‘I’ve just got to get the ball to the athletes. That’s my job,’ he said.
Fulmer and offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe are hoping to throw off defenses this season with a no-huddle offense when Tennessee opens Sept. 1 at California.
Fulmer said the no-huddle style was similar to what the team used when Ainge was a freshman competing with freshman Brent Schaeffer for the starting quarterback job, except this time Ainge will have more control over the calls.
‘This is a little bit different version, a little bit more advanced version,’ he said. ‘Erik’s very comfortable with it. We’re very blessed to have a guy that’s been able to manage a team at the line of scrimmage.
‘We’ve just got to be able to handle it on the road,’ Fulmer said. ‘That’s something we’ll figure out pretty fast.’