Ask B.J. Coleman about football, and he'll tell you about his team.

The quarterback from McCallie High School in Chattanooga signed a national letter of intent with Tennessee on Feb. 7.

He said he looks forward to building relationships with his teammates, which he believes will make the Vols successful.

Coleman talked about the importance of teamwork and preparing to play in offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe's offense at UT in this GVX Q & A.

Q: What was your most memorable moment from your official visit at UT?

A: Just the people. I loved all the guys I got to meet. I was up there with guys visiting like Chris Walker, Ben Martin, Todd Campbell, Darris Sawtelle. It was just fun to hangout with those guys and mingle with them. We hung out with the guys already there. It was an opportunity to meet the coaches and sit down and talk football, X's and O's. It was a good atmosphere.

Q: What was your experience like with the players already enrolled at UT?

A: They were great. They took us out to a movie. They let us come out and hangout with them. It was a good time. We were able to interact and get some information from them, how they took their first year when they came in from high school to their freshman year. It was fun to take it in from somebody who was already there and is in the spot we'll be in next year. I knew a couple guys like Jacques (McClendon) and met some new guys. The tight end Luke Stocker was my host. He showed me around. It was fun to come in and have a mentor like that. It was fun and I really enjoyed it.

Q: When you visited UT in December you had been committed to the Vols since June, but many of the other visitors hadn't made a decision. Are you glad you committed early in the process?

A: Definitely. When I made my decision in the summer I knew I could focus on my high school football career. I could enjoy the time I had left with those guys. That will never come back. It's something special we had. Guys like Chris (Walker), it was fun to talk to those guys and ask them where they were going. They weren't sure. I knew Tennessee was high on their list. It's going to be great to play with them.

Q: Who has made the most significant influence on your football career?

A: I'd love to say my dad of course. He got me into sports. If it wasn't relationship-wise, I'd have to say Ralph Potter. He was the high school football coach at McCallie High School. He's in his first year at Brentwood Academy in Nashville. He's a great guy. He's more than a coach. He's a mentor. He's someone I looked to for advice and help. He's an unbelievable coach and guy. He helped me in so many situations the three years I was there with him. He had knowledge he was able to give about the game, but he had a passion for kids. I really enjoyed Coach Potter.

Q: When did you know you would have a future in football?

A: After my sophomore year. At McCallie we run the flex-bone so we ran a lot of option. I wasn't too big on the option until Coach Potter persuaded me. I love football. We started throwing the football a bunch. I love to throw it. It's the best feeling in the world to throw for a touchdown or move the chains. After my sophomore year we got more into the depth and studying of the game. I would say it was after my sophomore year.

Q: When you decided you wanted to have a future in football, did you know then you would have to study film and prepare yourself off the field?

A: It's going to be a huge part of the game. An understanding of the game is what you have to have. Quarterbacks like Brett Favre and Peyton Manning have that. That's what you've got to be able to do is study. Out there you need to know what you're doing and not worry about it. I knew when Coach Potter told me studying film was very important.

Q: What are your goals at UT?

A: I'd love to come in and learn as much as I can. There are three great quarterbacks there - Erik Ainge, Jonathan Crompton and Nick Stephens -- and I'm going to learn as much as I can from them, and of course coach Cutcliffe and coach (Trooper) Taylor. The offensive side has such great minds. I'm going to learn as much as I can from them. I'll put in as much work as I can in the summer through the fall in the workouts. I'll study film, study the playbook, get in as many reps as I can throughout the summer and fall.

Q: Why do you love playing football so much?

A: There are so many different things. The coolest thing is after a win you see the bonding and the brotherhood. That's the coolest thing. I love to throw the 55-yard touchdown and have great yards passing and watch my buddies run down the field, but after a game it's the win that's great. If you win it everybody else is excited. You see the hard work and sweat paying off. That's the best thing. It's funny because in football you have to be patient. You go through the trenches to get the outcome. That's the coolest part about it when all the guys come together in big games and you see how it all unravels.

Q: Who is your favorite athlete?

A: I love Peyton Manning. I love watching Peyton Manning. I love watching the highlights of Joe Montana. I love watching Cal Ripken (Jr.). He had a great attitude about the game. There was nothing that could get in his way.

Q: What is your proudest athletic moment?

A: We played against Brentwood Academy in the state finals this year. We got beat (37-34), but the thing that was pretty awesome was all the guys and seniors - we had 21 and eight or nine of us were really close -- and we all hugged one another and said it was pretty awesome that we could accomplish something like this. We only dreamed of making it to the state championship. We came up three points short and we would have had it. The brotherhood was just awesome.

Q: You keep mentioning the brotherhood involved with a football team. How important is that for a team to be successful?

A: It takes all 22 guys on both sides of the ball coming together and making it one. In football it's so important. You can have so much talent, but you all have to play on the same page. One thing has to be accomplished. UT football has that. They love to play together. They love to play the game. They not only have the talent, they have good character and sportsmanship. You want to know the guy next to you is going all out, balls to the wall. He puts his life on the line every single play. You do the same for him. There's no other sport like it where teamwork comes into play. If one guy doing his job slips up, it's tough to recover. Teamwork is huge in football.

Q: What did you think of Peyton Manning's performance on "Saturday Night Live?"

A: The only scene I got to see was him in the locker room dancing with the coach. That was hilarious. I had an opportunity to be (at UT) the weekend he was up there. He's an unbelievable guy. He's a top-notch guy. He's a great example of character and playing for the team. He puts himself on the line every single week and every single guy. I'm very honored to go to UT where he went.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.