WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & SportsVols' Lathers returns to practice in limited role

Lathers practices for first time this fall
KNOXVILLE (UT) - Junior linebacker Herman Lathers, who has missed all of the 2011 season recovering from an ankle injury, practiced with the team for the first time this year on Tuesday.

The team's top returning tackler from 2010 broke his ankle on the first day of summer drills, and has been sidelined ever since.

"Herman got some good scout team work today," head coach Derek Dooley said. "I wouldn't say he's full-blow ready to go but it was good to see him get his pads on and take a couple hits.

"We'll just kind of monitor him day-by-day. He's not close to 100 percent, so we don't want to get too excited."

Lathers won't play Saturday against Middle Tennessee, and Dooley said there is currently no timetable set for his return.

Vols' Hunter focused on football while rehabbing injury
KNOXVILLE (UT) - Being on crutches hasn't prevented Tennessee sophomore wide receiver Justin Hunter from being a part of the team or becoming a better player.

Hunter, who underwent surgery in September to repair a torn ACL in his left knee suffered at Florida, has tried to maintain a positive mindset, not only to help himself, but his teammates as well.

"I'm just trying to coach the young guys up and tell them what they need to do," said Hunter, who addressed the media for the first time since his injury. "I'm helping them read coverages and just (trying to) be like another player out there."

The Virginia Beach, Va., native was ranked first in the SEC and among the top 10 nationally in both receptions and receiving yards at the time of his injury.

But he hasn't stopped working.

"He can improve with his weightlifting and his physical strength," head coach Derek Dooley said. "He can improve in the mental part of the game. There's never a time where you can't work on something to get better as a player.

"There's always ways to improve as a player. When a guy is injured, it's what we do with every player. How can we get you to play better when you come back? And that's what we're doing with Justin."

While Hunter could've been devastated by his injury, he bounced back quickly.

"I just had to throw it out the window because it is going to be there and it happens to a lot of people," Hunter said. "I just tried to forget about it and go on to the next thing."

Hunter is expected to return to the field for spring practice in March.

"I'm ready for him to get off the crutches," Dooley said. "That will make me feel better when he's walking around, but every indication I'm getting is that he's recovering well. He's staying around the team. He brings good energy around the guys. That's important."

In some respects, Hunter's already back in action.

"If I can't play on the field, I play on the Xbox sometimes as myself to get my stats up," Hunter said.