These Are Two Confident Volunteers

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. —  Ask Tennessee receiver Kelley Washington about playing with quarterback Casey Clausen this season, and he won’t even stop to think about the answer.

“We’re going to go out and be that one-two punch, probably one of the best in the nation,” Washington said.

Sure, he sounds cocky. But Clausen, who’s got a fair share of swagger himself, doesn’t mind.

“Hey, you have to have confidence in yourself and your abilities. It’s just his personality,” said Clausen, a third-year starter whose last two top receivers are in the NFL.

And after all, Washington’s predictions usually come true.

Washington, 23, is entering his second and probably last college season. When he walked on the team in 2001 after four years of minor league baseball, he said he just wanted a chance to show what he could do.

He did.

By the third game against LSU a year ago, Washington set a school record with 256 yards in 11 catches, all for first downs.

“It was a great coming out party for him,” Clausen said.

He even made a habit during the season of pointing at his mother in the stands after each touchdown. Washington explained that he likes to “excite and electrify the crowd.”

At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Washington is taller and stronger than most defensive backs.

He channeled his natural abilities into catching and route-running as the season progressed, and coaches felt more comfortable moving him into different slots. Even a sore left foot that kept him out of practice didn’t slow him down.

There’s no reason he won’t be even better this year, Coach Phillip Fulmer said.

“It is amazing what he was able to accomplish last year with his inexperience and injury. Hopefully we’re going to have one of those tremendous breakout years,” Fulmer said.

“I’ll be really disappointed if he doesn’t get a bunch of footballs thrown his way this year.”

Fulmer expects big things out of Clausen this season, too.

“Casey Clausen is ready to take off and take control of this offensive football team,” he said.

Clausen finished last season with 2,969 yards passing, including 393 yards in Tennessee’s 45-17 win over Michigan in the Citrus Bowl.

The California native with spiky blond hair was lured east by watching Peyton Manning play. His first start as a freshman came in 2000 after the two previous starters had no spark and the Vols were 2-3.

Even as a freshman, Clausen was so confident it scared the coaches. Fulmer regularly jokes that his hair is grayer because of coaching a freshman quarterback.

Clausen tested the coaches’ nerves with his tendency to change the called play at the line of scrimmage.

His first audible came against Alabama in his first start when the Vols were down on the three-yard line and he threw a touchdown to Cedric Wilson instead of going with the called running play.

“In previous games we ran enough second-and-ones or third-and-goals and kicked field goals,” Clausen recalled.

“I said, ‘We’re not kicking a field goal.’ I checked out to Ced and threw that fade and got seven points.”

Clausen also has become a vocal team leader.

He criticized teammates for a lack of intensity after Tennessee lost to LSU in the SEC championship.

A win would have sent the Vols to the Rose Bowl against Miami for a shot at the national title.

Over the summer, Clausen and Washington practiced together three times a week and got to know each other better.

Their different displays of confidence complement each other.

“He’s not the flashy type person like I am, but you know deep down he’s so confident in himself,” Washington said about Clausen.

This season, fans can expect even more flash from Washington.

He’s been practicing some dance moves. Washington promises they’ll be legal and not against the excessive celebration rules.

“No penalties, just a lot of dancing behind the scenes. It’s going to be fun,” he said.

Clausen hasn’t seen Washington’s dance yet. But don’t expect this to be a duet.

“I can dance,” Clausen said. “But on the field, I won’t dance.”