University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Get Warm Reception as Bowl Practice Resumes in Atlanta
December 27, 2003 | Football
Dec. 27, 2003
FULMER ON 2003 VOLS & BOWL PREPARATION
QB CLAUSEN ON CLEMSON DEFENSE
DB BAKER ON CLEMSON OFFENSE
SNELLVILLE, Ga. - Warm sunny skies welcomed Tennessee to this Atlanta-area suburb Saturday as the Vols began on-site practice preparations for Friday's Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
Tennessee worked for 90 minutes at Brookwood High School in temperatures reaching the mid-60s, better than 30 degrees warmer than the Vols' opening practice a year ago.
"It's a beautiful day and a great facility," head coach Phillip Fulmer said. "The trip was good and all the hospitality from the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl has been fantastic." The Vols' coach added that the entire team reported in good standing to the team's headquarters in the Buckhead district of Atlanta.
"We kicked off the week today from a football standpoint, letting the team know what's expected," Fulmer said. "It's been all positive. Today's kind of an extra day and (Sunday) starts our game-week preparation."
The Vols meet Clemson Friday at the Georgia Dome for a 4:30 p.m. Eastern time kickoff. Tennessee enters the game ranked sixth by Associated Press and seventh in the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll.
A year ago, the Vols were unranked heading into a matchup against Maryland at this same Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Tennessee lost that contest 30-3.
"I want to send this senior class out the way they came in, with a lot of good play and a top-five finish, I hope," Fulmer said. "They know they'll have to play well against a good Clemson football team.
"We're just making sure we're not taking anything for granted. That means we'll have a good time for two or three days and then it's going to be much more serious business than what it was last year."
Despite last year's loss, Tennessee has won five of its last nine bowl games including wins during that span over Virginia Tech Ohio State, Florida State and Michigan. This year's bowl appearance is UT's 15th consecutive, a school record and the fourth-longest active streak in Division I-A.
Tennessee, 10-2, rides a six-game winning streak into the New Year - a streak that began with a five-overtime victory at Alabama and included a spectacular upset at Miami. The Vols tied Florida and Georgia for the SEC Eastern Division crown, the team's fifth such title under Fulmer.
Clemson, 8-4, finished all alone in third in the ACC after closing its season with three straight victories. The Tigers outscored Florida State, Duke and South Carolina by a 129-34 count in those wins.
Sunday's agenda includes an official team welcome party at the ESPN Zone at 2 p.m., followed by a late afternoon practice back at Brookwood.
Freshman defensive end Turk McBride, who had left thumb surgery earlier this month to repair ligament, is listed as doubtful for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl game but may see some practice action later this week. In addition, sophomore linebacker Marvin Mitchell, who suffered a knee sprain in scrimmage play and missed the final three Knoxville practices, was held out of Saturday's drills and remains day-to-day.
