Arian Foster still watching Vols work

KNOXVILLE — The University of Tennessee football took the field in full pads around 7 a.m. for the first of two Tuesday practices, but senior tailback Arian Foster did not.

The All-Southeastern Conference player was again held from contact with a “bone bruise” on his knee. Coaches have limited Foster from contact since at least Saturday’s scrimmage, when he first appeared on the sideline in street clothes.

Foster dressed for the second Tuesday practice, as well as Wednesday morning’s full-pads work. He and coaches have maintained since Saturday that his limitations are “precautionary” measures.

“It’s no big deal,” Foster said Wednesday morning. “It we had a game, I would play.”

Aside from Foster, the Vols remain reasonably healthy. Junior defensive tackle Chase Nelson (knee) is out for the season, junior tight end Jeff Cottam is still recovering more slowly than anticipated from a broken leg, and redshirt freshman offensive lineman William Brimfield is still waiting for contact clearance on a surgically-repaired ankle.

“We’ve got a lot going on with some bumps and bruises right now and some guys who have played or look like they’re going to be players,” UT coach Phillip Fulmer said Thursday morning. “We’re limiting them a little bit, but I’m pushing them to stay the heck out of the training room. That’s a mental thing as well.

“There’s a difference between pain and injury. If you’re injured, take care of it.”

Foster cautiously replied when asked if the team was happy to avoid more significant injuries like SEC rivals Georgia and Florida — which has already lost five players to torn ACLs.

“You like that we’re able to handle our business, but you don’t like to see another athlete getting injured,” Foster said. “They might have on a different color jersey, but they’re people, and you don’t ever want to wish bad on another person.”

THRILLING THURSDAY MORNING

Fulmer beamed brightly after Thursday morning’s practice. He approached reporters and offered, with no solicitation, this opening statement:

“I thought today was one of the best days that we’ve had on our practice field. It certainly wasn’t perfect from the standpoint of execution all the time. But we scrimmaged long-yardage, we scrimmage short-yardage, we scrimmaged goalline, we scrimmage two-point plays and several other situations, and our guys got after it. That was good to see.

“We have a million things to coach off of. We should take this film and be able to get better from anything that happened Saturday. We had some big plays in the passing game, the defense got theirs hands on a couple of balls, we had just one interception, and it was on a two-point play.

“I’ve got to go up there and evaluate the offense and the defense and the techniques and the fundamentals, but I was thrilled with the effort that we have today. On a Tuesday morning, Thursday morning — what is today? Thursday morning? — 10, 11 or 12 practices into it, I just ... I just liked their effort.

“Now, that doesn’t guarantee you a dang thing, but an opportunity to be better. That’s what we’re going to do.”

The Vols practice again today at 4 p.m.

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