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Article published Apr 20, 2008 Crompton continues to show potential
KNOXVILLE -- No need to surf the Internet for national championship football tickets just yet.
The impressive showing by Tennessee's designated starting quarterback Jonathan Crompton and the receivers who played in Saturday's Orange and White clash comes with a wait-and-see warning label.
Yes, Crompton, who is expected to be under center come the opening kickoff with UCLA on Sept. 1, connected on 13-of-20 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns, and the junior's confidence level has to be at an all-time high as he heads into summer workouts, but let's not forget that on Saturday he was working against the second-team defense all afternoon.
UT coach Phillip Fulmer himself said the second team defensive front just hasn't developed in the way he had hoped this spring, and the unit's effort in the closing scrimmage of the spring left him concerned.
"That No. 2 defensive front didn't challenge very much," he said. "It was very disappointing. They had better push during the course of the spring than they had (Saturday)."
Crompton so far appears to have benefitted from the change in offensive coordinators. Fulmer praised the North Carolina product for having picked up Dave Clawson's newly-installed system quickly this spring and for improving his ability to get rid of the ball.
"He's had a tremendous spring and today kind of capped it off," Fulmer said. "He is definitely our quarterback and definitely a guy who has shown the ability to run the offense."
But Crompton will have to continue at the same pace if he is to have similar Saturday afternoons against the SEC's best defenses in the fall.
The return of top receivers Lucas Taylor and Austin Rogers, who missed spring practice while recovering from injuries, should improve Crompton's chances for success. Getting more out of the running game will also keep defenses from capitalizing on Crompton's lack of experience. But his own work ethic will have to take care of the rest.
On the defensive side of the ball, this year's secondary has the kind of star power normally reserved for the UT linebacking corps, but defensive coordinator John Chavis has been wondering all spring how he's going to build depth up front. Saturday's indication is that there is no definitive answer yet.
As the Vols move into a time of year when coaches and players are allowed little contact, Fulmer is concerned about the team being "fragmented" by recent academic troubles, off-the-field problems and injuries.
"I've made about 40 appointments with players," Fulmer said. "I'm going to look them in the eye. I don't get a chance to do it with that many each year. We'll have some heart-to-heart conversation. We just had a (team) discussion (about leadership). I told them I don't want any phone calls at 2 a.m. about anything.
"If we can get everybody healthy and pulling in the same direction, we can have a darn good team. We really can."
Leonard Butts is sports editor. Contact him at leonard.butts@thedailytimes.com.