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Home | Staff Reporter List | Wes Rucker | Story Archive

Wes Rucker Stories

Posted: Sunday - Nov. 8, 2009
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Vols pounce on Tigers, win 56-28
KNOXVILLE -- The Tennessee football team punctuated a postcard-perfect homecoming Saturday with a night full of Playstation-potent offense.
Posted: Sunday - Nov. 8, 2009
Vols' fourth-down streak ends
KNOXVILLE -- The fourth-down Lane train finally got stopped Saturday night in Neyland Stadium.
Posted: Saturday - Nov. 7, 2009
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Energized Vols wary of Tigers
KNOXVILLE -- Momentum has turned toward the University of Tennessee football team.
Posted: Friday - Nov. 6, 2009
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Hometown foes
KNOXVILLE -- Tennessee defensive tackles Dan Williams and Marlon Walls have firsthand experience of the long-held belief that there are two types of sports fans in Memphis.
Posted: Friday - Nov. 6, 2009
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UT's Jackson to sit out
KNOXVILLE -- Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin didn't address reports that freshman safety Janzen Jackson had been suspended for Saturday's game against Memphis, but defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin hinted that a one-game patch was needed.
Posted: Thursday - Nov. 5, 2009
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Vols face tall challenge against Memphis
KNOXVILLE -- At a sturdy 6-foot-4, senior star Duke Calhoun is Memphis's second tallest wide receiver.
Posted: Thursday - Nov. 5, 2009
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Hopson lead Vols to exhibition win
KNOXVILLE -- The University of Tennessee's final men's basketball tune-up went as expected Wednesday night in Thompson-Boling Arena.
Posted: Wednesday - Nov. 4, 2009
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Kiffin not satisfied
KNOXVILLE -- Lane Kiffin had to keep reminding himself Saturday night that his Tennessee football team had just defeated No. 21 South Carolina by 18 points.
Posted: Wednesday - Nov. 4, 2009
UT's Richardson back at practice
KNOXVILLE -- Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin said Tuesday that freshman wide receiver and return specialist Nu'Keese Richardson was back with the team and available for Saturday's game against Memphis.
Posted: Tuesday - Nov. 3, 2009
1 Comment - Audio
Vols now must replace Frazier
KNOXVILLE -- When senior linebacker Rico McCoy paints a metaphorical image of Tennessee defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, he leaves the impression of hard-nosed construction foreman.
Posted: Sunday - Nov. 1, 2009
Richardson a Vols no-show
KNOXVILLE — A handful of injured University of Tennessee football players stood on crutches or paced around Haslam Field on walking boots Sunday night.
Posted: Sunday - Nov. 1, 2009
1 Comment
Treats do trick for UT
KNOXVILLE — Black and back. Garnet and gone.
Posted: Sunday - Nov. 1, 2009
Cunningham is also blocked
KNOXVILLE -- A temporary kicking change didn't help Tennessee get field-goal attempts past the line of scrimmage Saturday night.
Posted: Saturday - Oct. 31, 2009
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Vols can't settle for being close
KNOXVILLE -- There were times when moral victories may have sufficed for this Tennessee football team.
Posted: Saturday - Oct. 31, 2009
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Vols easily defeat North Alabama in exhibition
KNOXVILLE -- It wasn't perfect, but it was plenty good enough for an exhibition opener.
Posted: Friday - Oct. 30, 2009
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Out of the shadows
KNOXVILLE -- When most people start doling out praise for the University of Tennessee's stout defense, they start with coordinator Monte Kiffin and All-America safety Eric Berry.
Posted: Friday - Oct. 30, 2009
Rucker: Insight from South Carolina
KNOXVILLE — I exchanged question-and-answer blogs this week with Seth Emerson, who covers South Carolina football and men’s basketball for The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C.
Posted: Friday - Oct. 30, 2009
Monte Kiffin has no plans to retire
KNOXVILLE -- Monte Kiffin didn't take too kindly to opposing college football coaches telling recruits that he was planning to retire soon.
Posted: Thursday - Oct. 29, 2009
1 Comment - Photo
Lil Wayne claims to be like Lane
KNOXVILLE -- First-year University of Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin's big mouth has officially attained pop culture status.
Posted: Thursday - Oct. 29, 2009
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Defenses never rest in SEC
KNOXVILLE — Nearly every week this time of year, the University of Tennessee offense flips on the film and knows what it’s about to see.
Posted: Thursday - Oct. 29, 2009
Sore knee won't sideline UT's McCoy
KNOXVILLE -- University of Tennessee senior weakside linebacker Rico McCoy said Wednesday that a sore knee wouldn't prevent him from playing Saturday night against South Carolina.
Posted: Wednesday - Oct. 28, 2009
2 Comments - Photo
A Spurrier admirer
KNOXVILLE -- Lane Kiffin has drawn Steve Spurrier's ire at least once, and possibly more than that, but Kiffin maintained Tuesday that any animosity between the two Southeastern Conference football coaches is a one-way street.
Posted: Tuesday - Oct. 27, 2009
5 Comments - Photo
Kiffin newly reprimanded
Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin's second public reprimand from the Southeastern Conference came down Monday from commissioner Mike Slive, and it warned that strike three could be much worse than another slap on the wrist.
Posted: Tuesday - Oct. 27, 2009
Vols' Lincoln maintains faith
KNOXVILLE -- Daniel Lincoln considers himself physically stronger than most place-kickers.
Posted: Monday - Oct. 26, 2009
Vols take heart after close loss
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. --- The University of Tennessee football team came literally inches from a stunning upset over archrival, then-top-ranked Alabama.
Posted: Sunday - Oct. 25, 2009
Posted: Sunday - Oct. 25, 2009
Upset blocked
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Daniel Lincoln was having a bad day.
Posted: Sunday - Oct. 25, 2009
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Berry play sets up lone TD
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The situation didn't discourage Eric Berry.
Posted: Saturday - Oct. 24, 2009
2 Comments - Photo
Special teams make, break in Alabama victory
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Visiting Tennessee slugged with top-ranked Alabama all Saturday afternoon, but special teams was the difference in the Crimson Tide’s 12-10 victory.
Posted: Saturday - Oct. 24, 2009
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Vols embrace new No. 1 test
KNOXVILLE -- One of the Southeastern Conference archrivals taking the field this afternoon in Bryant-Denny Stadium is undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the country.
Posted: Friday - Oct. 23, 2009
2 Comments - Photo
Keying on Ingram
KNOXVILLE -- The intricacies of Alabama's football program lie in the layers to Nick Saban's multiple 3-4 defense.
Posted: Thursday - Oct. 22, 2009
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Jones is jumping for Vols
KNOXVILLE -- Most times, it's not terribly difficult to gauge Gerald Jones' mood.
Posted: Wednesday - Oct. 21, 2009
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Cody vs. Mt. Cody
KNOXVILLE -- Alabama has Mount Cody.
Posted: Wednesday - Oct. 21, 2009
Back is better
KNOXVILLE -- One of top-ranked Alabama's few recent bugaboos has been pass protection.
Posted: Tuesday - Oct. 20, 2009
UT rebuffed on orange jerseys
KNOXVILLE -- Tennessee won't wear its orange home jerseys at Alabama on Saturday.
Posted: Tuesday - Oct. 20, 2009
No Mac attack
KNOXVILLE -- Most No. 1-ranked college football teams sit atop the polls because they don't have many weaknesses.
Posted: Monday - Oct. 19, 2009
1 Comment
Vols hope to keep Tide's Jones in slump
KNOXVILLE -- Georgia and Alabama stacked in consecutive October games was supposed to give the Tennessee defense consecutive chances to stop an elite wide receiver.
Posted: Sunday - Oct. 18, 2009
UT gets back to speed
KNOXVILLE -- It might be more than mere coincidence that Jonathan Crompton's best career performance against a Southeastern Conference opponent came shortly after Tennessee's top two wide receivers lost their limps.
Posted: Thursday - Oct. 15, 2009
Fullbacks key to Vols' success
KNOXVILLE -- A further review of Saturday's Tennessee-Georgia football highlights showed why Volunteers senior tailback Montario Hardesty broke free for a crucial, 39-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Posted: Wednesday - Oct. 14, 2009
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Vols' routine gets a change
KNOXVILLE -- University of Tennessee football practice had a different feel Tuesday.
Posted: Tuesday - Oct. 13, 2009
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Six areas of focus for Vols' last six weeks
KNOXVILLE -- After several postgame news conferences when he urged everyone to avoid panicking, Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin stayed consistent after Saturday's 45-19 whipping of Georgia.
Posted: Monday - Oct. 12, 2009
Vols enjoy big win
KNOXVILLE -- Sundays have generally been soul-searching days the past two falls around the University of Tennessee.
Posted: Sunday - Oct. 11, 2009
3 Comments
Crompton romp
KNOXVILLE -- Before Saturday, Jonathan Crompton's college career largely had been a frustrating collection of poor performances. There are no guarantees that anything past Saturday will be better.
Posted: Sunday - Oct. 11, 2009
1 Comment
Kiffin: Georgia UT's main rival
KNOXVILLE -- Not Alabama. Not Florida.
Posted: Sunday - Oct. 11, 2009
Record still waits for Berry
KNOXVILLE — Eric Berry thought he’d just broken the NCAA’s all-time interception return yardage record, and Tennessee roommate Art Evans thought he got the assist by deflecting the ball in the air.
Posted: Saturday - Oct. 10, 2009
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Tennessee beats Georgia 45-19
The University of Tennessee football team stunned Georgia in Neyland Stadium, as the Volunteers beat the Bulldogs 45-19.
Posted: Saturday - Oct. 10, 2009
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Not a must but 'big,' Vols admit
KNOXVILLE -- Lane Kiffin has repeatedly maintained that "make or break" games don't exist in college football programs' first seasons with new coaching staffs.
Posted: Friday - Oct. 9, 2009
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'D' Vols focus on thirds
KNOXVILLE -- University of Tennessee defenders seemingly have no shortage of valid excuses for their inconsistent third-down stopping ability.
Posted: Friday - Oct. 9, 2009
Vols change kick-cover units
KNOXVILLE -- The University of Tennessee football team hasn't scored enough points this season to leave much room for special-teams error. Coach Lane Kiffin has shuffled the coverage unit this week to put more speed on the field.
Posted: Thursday - Oct. 8, 2009
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Vols keeping flags off field
KNOXVILLE -- Few would suggest that the University of Tennessee, especially offensively, is one of the nation's most fundamentally-sound football teams.
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