Thursday, April 8, 2010
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Stephens leaving Vols</font>
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Associated Press
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Quarterback <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=189984" target="_blank">Nick
Stephens</a> plans to leave
Tennessee
and find a school where he's assured of starting in his final year of
eligibility, coach Derek Dooley said Thursday.
The redshirt senior was concerned that the competition for the starting
spot with junior college transfer Matt Simms and incoming freshman Tyler
Bray could end up costing him a chance to play.
"Nick's in his fifth year and of course has been trying to get on the
field his whole career," Dooley said. "[He] just felt like it was too
risky to go through another season because he just wants to play. We
hate to lose Nick, but I certainly understand."
Stephens hasn't determined where he will play but will go to either a
Football Championship Subdivision school or one in a lower division so
that he won't lose his final year of eligibility.
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<h4>SEC blog</h4>
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The 6-foot-4, 231-pound Flower Mound, Texas, native started six games in
2008 as he and <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=175658" target="_blank">Jonathan
Crompton</a> failed to take control of the Vols' struggling offense in
coach Phillip Fulmer's final season. Stephens backed up Crompton in 2009
in coach Lane Kiffin's offense.
He struggled last week in the Vols' first spring scrimmage, finishing
3-of-9 for 6 yards.
Stephens the third Tennessee player to leave since Dooley was hired in
January to replace Kiffin, who left for Southern California. Running
back <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=480207" target="_blank">Bryce
Brown</a> and offensive lineman Aaron Douglas have also let the
program.
"I expected attrition certainly. Over the last three years there's been
an inordinate amount of attrition, and to say it hasn't hurt the program
is not being forthright," Dooley said. "What I hope is that we get our
arms around it at some point and then we get a little stability, and I
expect that to happen."
The Vols also have sophomore <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=483408" target="_blank">Nick
Lamaison</a> to bolster depth at quarterback this spring with freshman
quarterback Nash Nance joining the squad in the fall as well.
Stephens' departure paves the way for junior college transfer Matt
Simms, son of former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms, to take
control of the Vols' offense.
Simms will continue to compete with Bray for the starting job but
appears to be somewhat ahead of the freshman because of his experience
as a redshirt freshman at Louisville and at El Camino Community College
in California.
He's also won the respect of his teammates because of his attitude.
"I like his whole swagger, his whole demeanor," senior wide receiver <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=236008" target="_blank">Gerald
Jones</a> said. "He's confident in himself, and he's confident in the
players around him. He has a very strong arm, and I think his weakness
right now is just getting used to the offense and timing."