Vols T logoThe University of Tennessee football coaching staff posted the list on the back wall of the school's indoor practice facility a couple of weeks ago. For 10 young men lucky enough to find their student ID numbers on that list, it was Christmas in September.
They were about to become proud members of Team 118's scout squad from among the 50 total former high school stars who tried out for the group.
Logan Fetzner, a 2014 graduate of Bradley Central, immediately believed he'd made the list, but he kept checking it. Twice. Then thrice. Then a fourth time. And a fifth.
"I was afraid my number might be a digit off," the 19-year-old recalled. "I kept looking at my ID number, then back at the list. Finally, I was sure it was mine. I called my mom. She cried."
Said Lisa Fetzner on Saturday morning: "I'm so proud of Logan. Football's never been my thing. I've always been afraid he'd get hurt. But he's wanted to do this for a long time. Even when his dad told him making an SEC team would be almost impossible, he wouldn't give up his dream."
Added his father, Dennis: "I didn't want to discourage him, but I didn't want him to be disappointed, either. What are the odds any walk-on makes an SEC team? One thousand to one? Maybe 10,000 to one? Like my wife said, we aren't football people. We were surfers growing up. That's how we met. But now that he's on the team, as Logan might say, we're livin' the dream."
Unfortunately, his buddy's dream was shattered.
"They were supposed to post the list at 10:30 in the morning," Fetzner said. "We got there at 10. But they didn't put it up until 12:30. My buddy's number wasn't there. That was tough. They only kept four skill players. I was lucky."
Fetzner had been a rough and tough 5-foot-10, 180-pound running back and return specialist at Bradley Central. He was also a former teammate of UT redshirt freshman offensive lineman Austin Sanders. And an honors student. And a class president who helped organize students to help area tornado victims.
"I actually went to school a month early for math camp," young Fetzner said. "I didn't [fraternity] rush. I didn't stay out late. Everything I did was to get ready to try out for the Vols. I went to bed early every night. I got up and trained every morning at 6. I just wanted to give myself the best chance to make the team."
None of this has surprised Bradley coach Damon Floyd.
"Logan's going to give 100 percent every day on every play," he said. "It's hard to get that sort of effort from somebody that might not play on Saturdays, but I've got no doubt that Tennessee will get that kind of effort from him every day in practice."
But just what does a scout teamer do?
"We watch film to learn the other team's offense and defense," he said of his continuing role as an opposition wide receiver. "When we were preparing to run Oklahoma's offense this week, I thought we'd be watching ESPN replays or something. But it's very specific, just like high school. And the coaches are very tough on you, but they should be. If we don't do our jobs, they get fired."
Fetzner is wisely keeping most of the details of UT's preparation system to himself. But he did note that when the scout guys were running Arkansas State's offense, they often used running backs to simulate Red Wolves QB Fredi Knighten's fleet feet. UT's staff has also used reserve sophomore quarterback Josh Dobbs on the scout team to help the Vols prepare for accurate passers such as the Sooners' Trevor Knight.
"He always puts the ball on the money," Fetzner said of Dobbs, who is one year further into the aeronautical engineering major he shares with the scout team wideout.
And academics are one of the first things Fetzner has been impressed with regarding the UT program.
"Coach [Butch] Jones stresses academics every day," he said. "They have a sign that lists goals. Graduation is at the top, even before winning championships."
To help that along, Fetzner says he rises by 8 every morning, attends class until 1:30, goes to football meetings until 4, practices until 6:30 and is back in his room studying by 8 after dinner at the football complex.
"Sometimes I'm up until 1 a.m. doing homework," he said. "It's football and school. That's all I've got time for."
As for those training table dinners, he said he wasn't allowed to eat there his first week. He had to earn it, and he's glad he did.
"They're stellar," Logan said. "Like going to a five-star restaurant every day. I've already put on four pounds of muscle from those meals and working out."
And if going against former four- and five-star prep stars has been challenging -- "I went to block Cam Sutton one day and he ran by me like I wasn't even there," Fetzner said -- he quickly added, "Those guys have been great. Players like A.J. Johnson take you under their wing, really make you feel a part of the team."
He still has unfulfilled dreams, like dressing out for a home game, which he believes is possible before the season ends. But whatever happens in the future, Fetzner says the present is pretty precious.
"It's just been surreal," he said. "Just to say I'm a University of Tennessee football player. I was a Florida fan when I was younger. But I love, absolutely love, being a Vol."
Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.