Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer described Wednesday's mood as "business-like" as the Vols completed their brief open date practice schedule with a 90-minute session at Haslam Field.
UT is off this weekend before completing the 2008 season with games at Vanderbilt on Nov. 22 and home against Kentucky on Nov. 29.
"The team periods against each other were good," Fulmer said. "I think we've gotten a good start on Vanderbilt on both sides of the ball. I?hope by Monday we're healed up physically a lot better and emotionally ready to go, which I expect us to be.
"Nine weeks in a row with (six) of them SEC ballgames -- that's a tough road for anybody. It will be great to get a little bit of a break. They need it and the coaches need it. Hopefully, we'll come back refreshed and ready to go on Sunday."
Next on the agenda, however, is Thursday's junior varsity contest against undefeated Hargrave Military Academy of Ch
atham, Va. The Tigers enter Neyland Stadium 10-0 and looking to close out a perfect season, while also gaining a measure of revenge for last year's 37-20 setback to the Vols.Fulmer expects another good outing from his reserve units, including starting quarterback B.J. Coleman.
"B.J. will do fine. He certainly will have great demeanor on the field, good leadership and management of the huddle and the clock. The last four or five weeks that we've been going with the full-speed stuff at the end of practice, that's helped him as much as anybody. It's not scrimmage, but it's really close to scrimmage.
"You can see him getting better, getting more confident and getting fundamentally better. B.J.'s one of those guys who has that personality you really like being around if you're a player or a coach. He's always patting guys on the back and helmet, encouraging everyone -- all those things you enjoy being around."
