Jason Flatt was 16 when he stood alone in his bedroom, raised his father`s .38 caliber, stainless steel Smith & Wesson to his head and pulled the trigger. Jason Flatt committed suicide at the age of 16.  There was no suicide note. The only two things Clark Flatt found that July 1997 day in his suburban Nashville home were the crumpled, lifeless body of his youngest son and, as it turned out, a calling.
Flatt grieved, but he also had an awakening. A close friend had asked, “Do you really understand …

The University of Tennessee football team went full contact for the first time on Tuesday.Then the running back unit took a huge hit.   UT Coach Phillip Fulmer announced that sophomore running back LaMarcus Coker had been suspended indefinitely and must fulfill certain obligations to the program before returning.
Fulmer declined to give a reason for the suspension, citing Coker`s privacy.”I can`t tell you if it`s going to be a week or two weeks or a month,” Fulmer said. “I`m really not going to talk about it until I know more about …

Eric Berry is three days into his first fall camp at the University of Tennessee.You`d never know it talking to the Vols` football coaches.   The 18-year-old true freshman continued to impress the staff with his speed, skill, strength and smarts on Sunday and is making a strong push to lock up a starting job at cornerback. But it doesn`t stop there.
Coach Phillip Fulmer is looking for ways to work the former high school quarterback into the offense.”Anything that we can do to get his hands on the ball, it gives …

Spring chatter about Tennessee considering a 3-4 defensive alignment may wind up a fall reality.
At least it sounds that way to Volunteers linebacker Jerod Mayo.
“The way the coaches are talking to me about it, I definitely think that`s still alive,” Mayo said. “At first I thought it was just a ploy to get the
defensive tackles to step up, but they`re still talking about it.”
John Chavis has relied on a 4-3 formation since becoming Tennessee`s defensive coordinator in 1995. Yet the 2006 season was the Vols` worst statistically
under Chavis. With inexperience …

Tennessee began fall camp on Friday with high expectations, plenty of energy and a No. 15 preseason ranking in the USA Today coaches poll.  But Coach Phillip Fulmer was a little more cautious. A young secondary will do that to a coach.
“I think the effort was certainly there and there are some young guys who look like they are going to push themselves pretty quickly into the mix,” said Fulmer, whose team worked out in stifling heat before rain forced the Vols into the indoor practice facility.
Outside of All-SEC safety …

The University of Tennessee`s Neyland Stadium is now smoke free.
In compliance with a new state law passed this year that prohibits smoking in all enclosed public places, smoking will no longer be allowed inside the gates of the stadium.
Smoking had been allowed in certain areas of Neyland Stadium in past years.
The “Non-Smoker Protection Act” signed into law this June applies to sports arenas, including indoor and outdoor areas.
“UT has gradually restricted smoking in the stadium over the last 10 years, and now the law requires the University to make the …

COACH FULMER: A few statements, I`ll be glad to take your questions.  We`re very excited like everyone else in the league about our season. Our players have worked extremely hard during the off season.
 
We had a very physical and demanding, by design, spring practice, summer program. The guys have responded extremely well.  I`m excited about where we are at this particular time. Certainly don`t have all the answers just yet, but hopefully as we go through fall camp and prepare for the big opener with Cal, we`ll get closer to …