KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - The Tennessee Volunteers hoped they had rid themselves of last year's injury bug, but this preseason has brought more of the same. <br>
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One player is already lost for the 2003 season, and another will likely miss most of it. About 20 players have missed at least part of a practice or several days because of muscle pulls, soreness, heat problems and even a broken nose. <br>
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Then there's junior linebacker Kevin Burnett, a captain and centerpiece in the Vols' defense. <br>
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Able to change the dynamics of the game almost single-handedly, Burnett was one of 19 starters who missed at least one game each last year and a combined total of 71 games. He was one of four who were lost for the season. <br>
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He tore ligaments in his left knee in the 2002 opener and had surgery in October. <br>
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He hasn't practiced much this month and not at all in scrimmages. Burnett's injury has been described as soreness in his surgically repaired knee. <br>
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No. 12 Tennessee opens the season Aug. 30 at home against Fresno State. <br>
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Coach Phillip Fulmer and Burnett both hope he will be ready in time but aren't making any predictions. <br>
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``We'll be not stressing him too much, but by next weekend I hope he plays as many snaps as he can,'' Fulmer said after practice Thursday. ``He hasn't practiced a whole lot and hadn't had a lot of hitting, so it's going to be hard to think he's going to play the whole game.'' <br>
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Wearing pads and a helmet, Burnett was able to participate in practice Wednesday and again Thursday. He did some one-on-one drills and rode the stationary bicycle, but did not participate in any full-team drills. <br>
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``I'm progressively getting better, just trying to take it one step at a time, trying to get it slow,'' Burnett said. <br>
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Burnett said he did conditioning drills during the summer like the other players did and had no soreness. Apparently his knee problem is just bad timing, and could mean bad news for the Vols. <br>
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``We're a better defensive team with him there than we are without him there,'' Fulmer said. ``We'll find a way to get around it.'' <br>
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The first big injury of the preseason hit redshirt freshman Justin Harrell, a defensive tackle. He broke his left ankle, had surgery and will miss the season. The Vols already were struggling at defensive tackle with no returning starters. <br>
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Then freshman receiver Robert Meachem, who had impressed the coaches in practice, tore the meniscus in his right knee and had surgery Monday. He will need about 12 weeks of rehabilitation, making it unlikely he will play this season. <br>
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The most bizarre injury so far is probably sophomore defensive end Parys Haralson's broken nose, which occurred when another player's cleat got stuck in Haralson's facemask during a play. But he only missed one practice and doesn't wear any sort of bandage on it now. <br>
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``It happened on a little freak accident,'' Haralson said. ``I could have been worse, but it's over with now. I'm happy to get back to practice.''
