Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer's transcript

OPENING STATEMENT
Obviously, we're very, very happy with the win. it was important to our team, and we talked about it during the week, to start fast and play a full 60-minute football game. I think we started fast. The kids and coaches did a great job preparing during the week. Our focus was good. it was a very important game for us from the standpoint of continuing to build on this season that we feel we could turn around and make it special. ... Defensively, we got after them early and got turnovers and field position. ... We threw and caught it as well as we have in some time, certainly this year.

CAN YOU EVER REMEMBER A FIRST QUARTER LIKE THAT?
Ever? I don't know. I'll have to think about it. We've had some ones where we scored a lot of points, but I don't ever remember quite that much.

DID YOU EXPECT TO BREAK OUT LIKE THIS SOMETIME?
Yeah, I've been looking for it for a while now. We've been close, and we have improved along the way. And that's what you're supposed to do.

WHY DID YOU CALL THE FAKE FIELD GOAL?
We felt like all week long it would work. It's something Coach [Mark] Bradley's in charge of, and we'd studied it and looked at it and decided if the opportunity presented itself that I'd call it. And I called it and it worked. The kids did a great job of executing. I felt like [the Razorbacks] were a little bit vulnerable.

HOW DID IT FEEL BEING UP 35-0 AFTER THE FIRST QUARTER?
Oh, it felt great. I mean it was unbelievable. Kind of like old times again. It really felt great to get up. But you could still see the intensity on the sideline. Because they got a drive or two going, and the coaches are upset and the players are upset and we wanted to get them stopped. Our defense certainly takes a tremendous amount of pride in their scheme. They don't like people ripping off chunks of yards on them like they were able to a few times.

HOW BIG WAS THE FIRST PUNT RETURN IN TERMS OF GETTING YOU GUYS GOING?
The punt return was big. We felt like [Arkansas punter Richie Butler] had a really good average, but he'd also outkicked his coverage some and we worked really hard on hold up, and we got Eric [Parker] started and he made two or three people miss. I know he wishes he'd gotten in the end zone, but that was big.

This article was published on Sunday, November 12, 2000

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