Vols wary of UTM shocker

KNOXVILLE — The upperclassmen on Tennessee’s football team haven’t forgotten the feeling of walking off the field at Neyland Stadium on Nov. 8, 2008.

The Volunteers, undoubtedly distracted by the midweek firing of longtime coach Phillip Fulmer, never properly prepared for lowly Wyoming and sustained one of the most embarrassing losses in UT history.

“Never again,” junior cornerback Art Evans said. “We don’t ever want to feel that way again.”

“It was bad. Really, really bad,” added senior defensive lineman Gerald Williams.

On the surface, FCS program UT-Martin seems even less likely than Wyoming to topple the Vols.

FCS teams have upset FBS teams in the past, perhaps the most shocking being Appalachian State’s 2007 victory over Michigan. But the Mountaineers are perennial FCS title contenders.

UT-Martin went to the FCS playoffs in 2006 and were within a blocked field goal of the playoffs in 2008. But the Ohio Valley Conference doesn’t typically produce national championship contenders in college football’s second-tier division.

But the Skyhawks fought Southeastern Conference member Auburn to a tie deep into the third quarter two years ago before ultimately falling 37-20. And today’s 6 p.m. game in Neyland Stadium means more to them. Nearly 60 percent of UT-Martin’s roster played high school football in Tennessee, and many admitted waiting their entire lives to play a game in Knoxville’s riverside football cathedral.

“Like many of our guys, I had a childhood dream to play at Tennessee, and I’m proud to finally do it as a Skyhawk,” said UT-Martin junior defensive back Kendall Harper from Trenton, Tenn. “Everything happens for a reason, and God has a reason for everything he puts in your path, and he’s put us all where he wants us to be. I feel like we all can play football here, and you can shine from anywhere. And I just feel like we’ll showcase that on Saturday.

“We’ll be there, and we’ll be ready to play.”

Preseason FCS All-America linebacker Josh Bey from Springfield, Tenn., agreed.

“Oh, I definitely liked Tennessee as a kid,” Bey said. “When I was a kid, I would have loved to play in Knoxville. But now I’m playing against them in Knoxville, so I’m definitely looking forward to it.

“You go out there and look around — fans are going to be everywhere. It’s a dream. I just hope we make it a good game.”

Motivation is never difficult for a massive underdog. First-year UT head coach Derek Dooley, who led Louisiana Tech the past three years, knows that firsthand. And he knows that victories are possible for the little guys, since his Tech team nearly stunned Boise State and LSU last season.

“I’ve been on the other shoe,” Dooley said. “This will be their biggest game of the year. I know there’s a lot of players on their team that probably are not happy that Tennessee didn’t want them, and it’s a very similar situation to what I’ve been to. We expect them to play their best, and their best is good enough to beat us if we don’t come ready to play, that’s for sure.

“You’ve always got to expect their best. That’s the key: Evaluate them when they’re at their best, because that’s what we’re going to see Saturday night.”

The Vols aren’t just expecting Martin’s best. They’re expecting Martin’s trickiest. UT-Martin quarterback and Tennessee native Derek Carr said the Skyhawks have “absolutely nothing to lose in this situation,” and they’ve played that way against FBS opponents.

UT-Martin faked a field goal and ran a surprise onside kick in last season’s loss at Memphis, so Dooley has put the Vols through just about every possible offensive and special-teams trick play scenario he could imagine.

“A I-AA school getting an opportunity to play a Division I school? It’s imperative that you come out and play your best game and do whatever it takes to win,” UT senior wide receiver Gerald Jones said. “That’s why we’re practicing for everything. You’ve got to be ready for it.

“There’s been too many cases where a Division I team comes in and underestimates their opponent and end up losing.”

Jones, who led the Vols in receiving and caught a pass for their only touchdown in the loss to Wyoming, said that miserable afternoon was “a prime example ... a perfect example” of the risks in lost focus.

“We were dealing with Coach Fulmer getting fired, and that was one thing, but we paid so much attention to that that we forgot about Wyoming,” Jones said. “And that jumped up and bit us in the butt. It’s a prime example of a team with more talent taking a team with less talent not seriously, and end up getting beat.”

Oregon and Florida, UT’s next two opponents, will “be there when we get to them,” Jones said.

But for now, the Vols claim they’re fully focused on the Skyhawks.

“I’ve heard a few people talk about [Wyoming],” said junior Matt Simms, whose start at quarterback today will be the first of his UT career. “Really, in this day and age, you can’t take anybody lightly. Michigan-Appalachian State, you remember those types of game.

“You always think you don’t want that to be you.”

A loss today by UT would trump the Michigan shocker. After all, UT-Martin lives in a town with probably more Vols fans than Skyhawks fans. There might more UT-Knoxville than UT-Martin fans in the Martin administration, according to several Skyhawks players.

UT-Martin’s sports teams used to officially be called the Baby Vols.

“This community embraces being a part of the University of Tennessee system tremendously,” said UT-Martin coach Jason Simpson, a former assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at UT-Chattanooga. “They embrace the kinship. That’s why this is such a huge game for this program, which, in turn, makes it even bigger for our players that they have an opportunity to play against the big brother as the little brother.

“Obviously, this is an unbelievable opportunity for our program.”

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