The evidence was presented with a thud and a pop Saturday afternoon at Neyland Stadium.
Now coach Lane Kiffin has retired the jury to study the tape and render a verdict on Tennessee's depth chart.
"People had to come out here and prove themselves and I think a lot of people did,'' defensive end Chris Walker said after the Vols' third preseason scrimmage.
Two weeks before the season-opener against Western Kentucky, Kiffin ran the squad through a game-like weekend, beginning with Friday's walk-through. There was even a Vol Walk walk-through Saturday morning.
He billed Saturday as the most important 3 hours of preseason camp as far as determining the depth chart.
So who won starting jobs?
"Everything is in the coaches' hands,'' said quarterback Jonathan Crompton. "We'll go from there.''
If Crompton got out of bed Saturday with an edge over Nick Stephens - as many perceive - it didn't appear from the stands that Stephens did enough to hurdle him.
Crompton was 17-of-31 passing for 265 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was intercepted once, by Art Evans.
Stephens was 9-of-17 for 90 yards and didn't direct a drive to the end zone. He emerged interception-free, although there was one close call. A couple of his incompletions were throw-aways.
"I thought they did well,'' Kiffin said. "Jonathan ended up with more plays, just because of how it worked out. It wasn't done on purpose.''
Kiffin is likely to name his season-opening starter by mid-week at the latest. He said it wouldn't be fair to the team to go into game week without a leader.
"I think I had a pretty good day,'' said Stephens. "And I had a pretty good week.
"It's their decision and whatever they choose, everybody has faith in them. Obviously, I want to be the guy.''
Crompton and center Cody Sullins worked with the No. 1 offensive line in the first half. Stephens and Josh McNeil did likewise in the second half.
"Before the (Friday) meetings, they told me I would start with the ones,'' Sullins said. "They didn't tell me why.''
It took until the fifth offensive possession before the defense allowed a touchdown. Crompton and Quintin Hancock connected on a 20-yard strike against the No. 2 defense.
Hancock did most of the work, taking the short pass, evading cornerback C.J. Fleming and dashing down the sideline.
It wasn't long before Crompton found fullback Kevin Cooper for a 45-yard completion. Three plays later freshman Bryce Brown scored on a 5-yard run, bouncing outside when he found the middle clogged.
Early in the second half, Crompton led a 65-yard drive. Brandon Warren got 34 of them on a catch-and-run, then got open for a 5-yard TD pass.
The defense won on the scoreboard, 37-30, scoring points for stopping drives and getting turnovers.
Daniel Lincoln chipped in nine offensive points, hitting all three field-goal tries, from 23, 40 and 47 yards.
As for other position battles, Montori Hughes started ahead of Dan Williams at noseguard with the No. 1 defense.
"We thought Montori had a good week and wanted to see him go against the ones,'' said line coach Ed Orgeron. "And I thought he had a pretty good day.
"The competition is tight right now.''
Tauren Poole opened at tailback but that was attributed to Montario Hardesty oversleeping and reporting late Saturday morning. Hardesty, however, did lose a fumble.
Dennis Rogan opened at cornerback with the No. 1 defense but soon reverted to safety, where he has spent most of camp.
"I really like him at safety,'' said defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. "I think he's got a lot of potential at safety.''
The Vols will hold another game simulation on Saturday, but without contact.
And while the depth chart might take shape this week, it won't be chiseled in granite. That even goes for the quarterbacks, said offensive coordinator Jim Chaney.
"In Lane's program, what we try to do is develop that competitive spirit all the way to the end,'' Chaney said.
"The hay is never in the barn in this program. We want to let those guys compete for the starting spot every day and that's what is going on.'' The SEC Rocks!
Now coach Lane Kiffin has retired the jury to study the tape and render a verdict on Tennessee's depth chart.
"People had to come out here and prove themselves and I think a lot of people did,'' defensive end Chris Walker said after the Vols' third preseason scrimmage.
Two weeks before the season-opener against Western Kentucky, Kiffin ran the squad through a game-like weekend, beginning with Friday's walk-through. There was even a Vol Walk walk-through Saturday morning.
He billed Saturday as the most important 3 hours of preseason camp as far as determining the depth chart.
So who won starting jobs?
"Everything is in the coaches' hands,'' said quarterback Jonathan Crompton. "We'll go from there.''
If Crompton got out of bed Saturday with an edge over Nick Stephens - as many perceive - it didn't appear from the stands that Stephens did enough to hurdle him.
Crompton was 17-of-31 passing for 265 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was intercepted once, by Art Evans.
Stephens was 9-of-17 for 90 yards and didn't direct a drive to the end zone. He emerged interception-free, although there was one close call. A couple of his incompletions were throw-aways.
"I thought they did well,'' Kiffin said. "Jonathan ended up with more plays, just because of how it worked out. It wasn't done on purpose.''
Kiffin is likely to name his season-opening starter by mid-week at the latest. He said it wouldn't be fair to the team to go into game week without a leader.
"I think I had a pretty good day,'' said Stephens. "And I had a pretty good week.
"It's their decision and whatever they choose, everybody has faith in them. Obviously, I want to be the guy.''
Crompton and center Cody Sullins worked with the No. 1 offensive line in the first half. Stephens and Josh McNeil did likewise in the second half.
"Before the (Friday) meetings, they told me I would start with the ones,'' Sullins said. "They didn't tell me why.''
It took until the fifth offensive possession before the defense allowed a touchdown. Crompton and Quintin Hancock connected on a 20-yard strike against the No. 2 defense.
Hancock did most of the work, taking the short pass, evading cornerback C.J. Fleming and dashing down the sideline.
It wasn't long before Crompton found fullback Kevin Cooper for a 45-yard completion. Three plays later freshman Bryce Brown scored on a 5-yard run, bouncing outside when he found the middle clogged.
Early in the second half, Crompton led a 65-yard drive. Brandon Warren got 34 of them on a catch-and-run, then got open for a 5-yard TD pass.
The defense won on the scoreboard, 37-30, scoring points for stopping drives and getting turnovers.
Daniel Lincoln chipped in nine offensive points, hitting all three field-goal tries, from 23, 40 and 47 yards.
As for other position battles, Montori Hughes started ahead of Dan Williams at noseguard with the No. 1 defense.
"We thought Montori had a good week and wanted to see him go against the ones,'' said line coach Ed Orgeron. "And I thought he had a pretty good day.
"The competition is tight right now.''
Tauren Poole opened at tailback but that was attributed to Montario Hardesty oversleeping and reporting late Saturday morning. Hardesty, however, did lose a fumble.
Dennis Rogan opened at cornerback with the No. 1 defense but soon reverted to safety, where he has spent most of camp.
"I really like him at safety,'' said defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. "I think he's got a lot of potential at safety.''
The Vols will hold another game simulation on Saturday, but without contact.
And while the depth chart might take shape this week, it won't be chiseled in granite. That even goes for the quarterbacks, said offensive coordinator Jim Chaney.
"In Lane's program, what we try to do is develop that competitive spirit all the way to the end,'' Chaney said.
"The hay is never in the barn in this program. We want to let those guys compete for the starting spot every day and that's what is going on.'' The SEC Rocks!
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