Don't call him Dante. The Tennessee freshman defensive lineman from Venice, Fla., now goes by Omari Phillips, and Dooley made that clear Saturday.
"He goes by Omari, for the record," said Dooley when asked a question about "Dante" Phillips. "That's O-M-A-R-I. He was Dante. I'll get the story behind that (change) if you guys are interested."
Phillips, listed at 6-foot-6 and 325 pounds, originally signed with Florida but was denied admission to the school.
"He's probably a little heavier than what he should be," Dooley said. "We have to trim him up and then tone him back."***If Phillips is big fellow newcomer, Daniel McCullers is a giant.
The junior college transfer from Georgia Military College is a 6-6, 377-pound defensive lineman.
"He's huge," Dooley said. "He's got a lot of work to do in understanding technique and effort and all that stuff, but he's a big guy and he's had a great attitude. Now it is just a matter of how much he can learn and how quickly he can apply it."***Phillips and McCullers are in the newcomers group practicing in this weekend's evening sessions. Those practices, as Dooley expected, have been much sloppier than the morning session with veterans.
"It was about like most of the freshmen practices," Dooley said. "Their heads are spinning and they have no idea what we're talking about. The ones that go out and play fast and don't worry about all of that always look a little better."***Dooley spent extra time watching the running backs during early position drills. "A machine never gets tired!" he yelled as the backs worked under assistant coach Jay Graham.
Sophomore Marlin Lane and junior Rajion Neal are fighting for carries at the position.
"I think (the competition) helps their ability to push themselves in practice," Dooley said.***Junior receiver Da'Rick Rogers, coming off a 1,000-yard performance last year and a rumor-filled but ultimately uneventful offseason, spoke affably with reporters after Saturday's practice.
He said the Vols' offense is becoming second nature for veterans.
"It's so much more fun because you don't have to think as much," Rogers said. "You can just come out and run the plays and really work on getting open and trying to make plays rather than worrying about where you have to be. Everybody is moving fast."
Evan Woodbery covers Tennessee football. Follow him at Twitter.com/TennesseeBeat
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Comments » 27
VFL_Troll_Patrol writes:
Im Ready! Practice hard boys! Go Vols!
*Im always watching*
*Shock the world*
See: "Shock The World" (Volunteer dubstep mix) video
http://www.youtube.com/user/BudrayJef...
grout writes:
just call him Phillips but at 377 lbs don't call him late for dinner
Texassean writes:
This could be fun to watch...
BIVOLAR_BEARE writes:
Sounds like a complete make-over..GBO!
ambrown64 writes:
How 'bout this: you don't have a name. You are nameless. Shut up until you make sometthing happen around here. Then we'll get a name for you.
Sir_Spanky writes:
We'll?
JayTee writes:
Must have changed his religion like Lew Alcindor, that would be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to you younger people.
Bigger_Al writes:
Maybe you should be recruiting director.
kcbigorngX writes:
I hope he gets Gilleslie at the bottom of a pile and turns him into a pretzel.
TURN EM LOOSE, DOOLEY!!!!!!!!!
Pompey writes:
....note: if Rajion Neal "gets it" this year he will be a force in the SEC. If he doesn't he will be the most wasted talent in years.....!
BIVOLAR_BEARE writes:
I think "Mr. Phillip's" would be a good way to communicate..
pingkr62 writes:
"Mr. Phillips" was exactly my thought. I'm counting the days until kickoff. G.B.O.!!!
BIVOLAR_BEARE writes:
No doubt, the man is a beast..KOC here we come! GBO!!!
RockyMountainVol writes:
LOL I was talking to some kids earlier this year and mentioned Kareem... and they said "Who?" That's when you know you've been around for awhile.
ambrown64 writes:
We will see. I don't like it. Shows too much ego when his posture should be humble.
ambrown64 writes:
Sir Spanky - please be easy on the chimp, he must be sore. "We'll" is a contraction of the words "we" and "will." In this case, I'm using it to refer to the extended UT family.
misplacedVOLinGA writes:
Can you allow this video for mobile viewing. Trying To watch on iPad. You tube says user has not allowed for mobile?
keepitreal4vols writes:
Sometimes I joke that "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse" But when McCullers says that, there's no pun intended.
BIVOLAR_BEARE writes:
A Clydesdale at that..
BodeaneVol writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
VolGrad writes:
Phillips is 325, McCullers is 377. But I don't think either one has been late for a meal in their life. Just don't run out of food.
Go Vols! Beat the Pack!!!
OrangePsyched writes:
I can't believe the difference in this year's team as opposed to CDD's first year. We have more size,speed,experience and depth. NC State will be our statement game while the gator beatdown will be the exclamation point. ESPN Gameday crew will be here for the Bama game as both teams enter undefeated. Crowd noise at Neyland that day will make your ears bleed. I said it's great to be a Tennessee Vol!
VolGrad writes:
"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these trolls from the asinine fatuity of their appointed flatulence."
Trolls Obsessing Over Tennessee.
BodeaneVol writes:
I didn't think the liquor stores were open on Sunday up there.
OrangePsyched writes:
Jethro can't help himself VG. It's just Vol/Gator smack. Though I don't go to other team's sites to try and rattle their cages it's part of the rivalry. It's Flowers and his ilk that's sad. At least trolls are equal opportunity rats. They criticize the team in general. The multipersonalities are on the Dooley agenda. Bring it Jethro..after we beat them gators down Muschump will pull an Urbie and be in the local ER for exhaustion from tantrums.
BIVOLAR_BEARE writes:
North of KNS offices?
chuckfromwoodberry writes:
I'll call you Filet O' Fish with extra cheese as long as you help us win.
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