EXECUTIVE SPORTS EDITOR:

Greg Pogue | pogue@dnj.com 615.278.5170

Sports
MTSU FOOTBALL
I

C1
Auto Racing | C2 Scoreboard | C7
Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008

TITANS

Search for Young due to talking of suicide

Fishers talk with therapist prompts call to police
By TERESA M. WALKER AP Sports Writer

GAME 3

MTSU at Kentucky I 6 p.m. I Today I Commonwealth Stadium

TV: ESPN Gameplan Radio: WGNS 1450-AM, 100.5-FM, 101.9-FM, WNFN 106.7-FM

MONTE HALE
Staff Columnist

Upsets against SEC rare for Blue Raiders

LEXINGTON, Ky. Is an encore in order? MTSU made its statement a week ago when the Blue Raiders defeated Maryland 24-14 at Floyd Stadium. Today, MTSU faces 2-0 Kentucky at Commonwealth Stadium. Beating a team from this years struggling ACC is one thing. Knocking off an SEC team on its home field is another. Take away the Blue Raiders three victories over Vanderbilt and it has been a struggle against the SEC. MTSU did put a scare into Alabama in 2002 when the Crimson Tide held off the Blue Raiders 39-34. Other SEC losses include: 55-0 and 52-6 at Florida, 2910 at Georgia, 52-7 at South Carolina, 44-22 at Kentucky, 26-3 at Tennessee, 30-14 and 44-0 at LSU, 58-6 at Arkansas, 40-7 and 61-35 at Mississippi State and 45-17 at Ole Miss. Upsets against SEC opponents are rare, although Louisiana-Monroe did stun Alabama 21-14 last season. Fortunately for the Blue Raiders, theyre not facing an LSU or Florida today. Kentucky, although having given up just five points in its first two games, lost a lot of talent from last years team that actually beat eventual national champion LSU. That being noted, there is still plenty of talent in Lexington, Ky.

NASHVILLE The Tennessee Titans called police Monday night for help searching for Vince Young because his therapist told coach Jeff Fisher the quarterback mentioned suicide several times before driving away from his home with a gun. Both Fisher and Young have said what happened Monday night was overblown by the media. But the supplemental report filed Tuesday by Nashville police showed that Fisher was worried about the quarterback after the from call Youngs therapist. I asked him, What made her worYOUNG ry about him? Lt. Andrea Swisher wrote. He N Tennessee stated, His at Cincinnati mood, his Sunday, Noon emotions, at Paul Brown Stadium N Ch. 5 (WTVF) he wants to N 103.3-FM (WKDF) quit, and he mentioned suicide several times. He went on to state that he left the house with a I Log on to gun. dnj.com to see The Titans the police redeclined to port concerning Vince comment on Young details of the report. The Nashville City Paper obtained the report through a public records request and first reported the details Friday afternoon on its Web site. Nashville police had been criticized locally for what appeared to be an immediate and strong response to help with a star NFL player. The Titans and Fisher had only said they acted on the information they were given, and Fisher has refused to say what those concerns were.

TITANS

Encore in store?
MTSU tries for two in a row against BCS opponents
By ADAM SPARKS sparks@dnj.com

See YOUNG, page C6

LEXINGTON, Ky. MTSU coach Rick Stockstill would rather have won the big game and face an even bigger one than never to have won at all. Today, his Blue Raiders follow their upset of Maryland a week ago with the challenge of knocking off another major BCS conference foe in Kentucky. To be honest, Im really looking forward to this game, Stockstill said. Id rather have to bring these players down a little than have to try to build them up. Many MTSU players and coaches have spent the last week both preparing for Kentucky and dismissing links between this game and last weeks 24-14 win over Maryland, arguably the pro-

I Log on to BlueRaiders.com during and after the game to get more coverage of MTSU football.

MTSU Gameday, C4
grams biggest victory. But the teams overwhelming optimism has been difficult to hide. Smiles are bigger, strides are bouncier and moods are lighter. Giving a mostly fledgling fan base exactly what its craved can have that effect. Now the Blue Raiders play their first road game of the season with their finest home win just a week old. Its in the past. We got our biggest

win, MTSU offensive tackle Mike Williams said. Now its time for us to focus on the next one and try to get our next biggest win in school history. We feel good going into an SEC place, their home stadium. It may not be easy to put last weeks game in the past, but thats what has to be done to have a chance to win this one. Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said MTSUs win over Maryland simply reinforced his perception of the Blue Raiders. It is clearly an alarm,
See ENCORE, page C7

Bluegrass battle
The last time MTSU visited Kentucky was in 2002 when it suffered the 4422 setback. The Blue Raiders battled the Wildcats to a 2416 deficit at halftime. However, a fight just before intermission seemed to take the wind out of their sails. Two key defensive linemen, Jerry Vanderpool and Devarick Scandrett were ejected, and standout tailback Dwone Hicks was hurt early in the second half and forced to exit the game. It was a rather wild scene, from the scuffle to an idiot UK assistant coach actually being involved. Fastforward six years and weve got two different coaching staffs who have made quite an impact with their respective program. Kentuckys Rich Brooks has taken the Wildcats to back-to-back bowl games, while Rick Stockstill took the Blue Raiders to the Motor City Bowl in 2006. Brooks wants respect for his program and was miffed that the Wildcats didnt get more votes and werent ranked in the Top 25 this week. Stockstill is taking more baby steps, but last weeks victory was a quantum leap indeed. What the Blue Raiders do for an encore remains to be seen, and today certainly presents another great opportunity. However, history suggests that an upset or encore performance will be most difficult.
Monte Hale Jr. is sports editor of The Daily News Journal. E-mail him at hale@dnj.com.

UT looks to correct mistakes against UAB

By BETH RUCKER Associated Press Writer

KNOXVILLE The Tennessee Volunteers have learned a lot about themselves, even if it was a painful lesson. You find out a lot about yourself in a game like that early, and I certainly think that we did that the good and the bad and the ugly along the way, coach Phillip Fulmer said. Tennessee (0-1) gets its first

chance to fix mistakes from its 27-24 overtime loss at UCLA against UAB (02) on Saturday. After that, its on to tougher opponents like No. 4 FULMER Florida, No. 9 Auburn and No. 2 Georgia. One of the Vols biggest problems against the Bruins was lack of rhythm on offense. Even

UT FOOTBALL
though they were successful running the ball, offensive coordinator Dave Clawson opted to lean on the passing game. That didnt work out as Jonathan Crompton completed only 19 of 41 passes for 189 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. Tennessee struggled to convert on third down and committed

penalties and other mistakes that cost yardage and at times the ball. If the offense wants to find rhythm, UAB is the perfect opponent to help. The Blazers have allowed an average 577.5 yards in their two losses, the secondworst average in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Those losses came against Tulsa and Florida Atlantic.
See UT, page C3

N UAB at Tennessee
Today, 11:30 a.m. vs. Alabama-Birmingham in Knoxville NWUXP (Ch. 14) NWLAC (1510-AM) NWNRQ (105.9-FM)

Inside
College football I C2
USC plays host to Ohio State in a battle of top-five teams

Coming Tomorrow:
Coverage of MTSUs game at Kentucky Previewing the Titans-Bengals game

Vandy I C3
Rice bring high-flying offense to Vanderbilt

Baseball I C7
A roundup of Fridays action from the major leagues

PRICE

Former Blackman High School and Vanderbilt pitching star David Price is headed to the majors. The No. 1 prospect of the Tampa Bay Rays, named the the Minor League Player of the Year this week by USA Today, got the call Friday and will join the Rays today in New York.

SCOREBOARD
NL Batting Leaders
Pujols, St. Louis, .362 CJones, Atlanta, .36 Holliday, Colorado, .329 Berkman, Houston, .328 For the big picture, check out the Scoreboard

page C5
Page editor: Corby A. Yarbrough