The Tennessee Volunteer football team started practicing actual football with pads and stuff yesterday, but the news of the day was all Da'Rick Rogers all the time, which is just the way Da'Rick Rogers prefers news of Da'Rick Rogers to be. Wes Rucker has pretty much everything Derek Dooley said about Da'Rick Rogers, including a "Huh?" when asked about reports that Da'Rick Rogers wanted to transfer to Georgia State. VolQuest says that such a scenario is highly unlikely for a variety of reasons, including transfer and eligibility rules and Da'Rick Rogers' academic standing (he reportedly would not have been eligible for a bowl game last year.). Most everyone else pretty much just says the same stuff about the situation, but Mike Strange comes right out and says what we're all thinking: It's past time that Da'Rick Rogers be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
But here's what we're all wondering but nobody seems to be asking, probably because the beat guys know but also know they're not going to get an answer on the record: What exactly does Da'Rick Rogers have to do to get back on the team?
The salient quote is this: "He’s got some things he’s got to do to come back, and when he does ‘em, he’ll be back. . . . He could be back tomorrow. He could be back today."
So there's no time component to the condition, which says to me that there's some kind of battle of wills going on, that Da'Rick Rogers has been given something akin to an ultimatum. A sort of "You can have your cookie just as soon as you eat your veggies. No veggies, no cookie. Don't you want a cookie?"
So what, exactly, does Da'Rick Rogers have to do for Da'Rick Rogers to get back on the team? It could be offering an apology to someone or a group of someones that he's offended. It could be some official and semi-public proclamation of a sincere commitment to the team. Maybe he's just been given some minor consequence like having to pick up the other guys' towels due to some minor offense but he's being stubborn. Hey, Da'Rick Rogers, Obstinate Street is one way into the heart of the City of Stupidity.
Sigh.
Anyway, there is good news underneath that mountain of needless drama. Tyler Bray is leading well and still being challenged by his coach to make sure that he does it consistently. The rest of the receiving corps is thin, but working hard. A.J. Johnson can survive a heinous surprise attack with ream of paper by his new coordinator. And Maurice Couch, despite being undersized for the position, is happy to be playing nose in the 3-4. Oh, and there's apparently nothing better than the spider drill to get the juices flowing.
More linkage after the jump.
Oh, wait. Before we dump the links, I have to comment on this piece about Pat Summit, which begins with the statement that Pat Summit's retirement should be her call and then immediately makes that call for her. Nice.
Okay, then.
VolQuest.com - Opportunity knocks at WR, Couch at the nose
VolQuest.com - Goodman talks about newest offers
VolQuest.com - No rush for Bostwick
VolQuest.com - Around the nation: Irish fight back
VolQuest.com - Future Diamond Vol Plunkett finds comfort on Rocky Top
VolQuest.com - Best of Rivals/VTO Georgia Camp
VolQuest.com - Best of Rivals/VTO Alabama Camp
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