The defining moment of the 2002 season for football fans at UT arrives Saturday, when the Florida Gators will enter a sold-out Neyland Stadium.
However, the energy brought by the annual contest produces unique security concerns for police officers maintaining safety at the game.
UT Police Chief Ed Yovella said that Saturday gamedays at UT require almost all of the officers on his staff to be on duty.
“All of our people work on a football Saturday and cover our other responsibilities,” Yovella said.
One security issue for Saturday’s game will be preventing students from rushing the field and possibly tearing down the goalposts.
Yovella said he understands the enthusiasm felt by students but does not want them to come onto the field.
“We (UT Police) want to ask the fans to enjoy the game and get involved as they should, but not to come on the field for their own safety,” Yovella said.
He said that students could be injured by crossing over the fence or by having a goalpost fall on someone.
Darrell DeBusk, public information officer for the Knoxville Police Department, had the same concerns regarding students rushing the field.
“It could be a very dangerous situation for students and officers on the field,” DeBusk said. “We hope students don’t get carried away.”
“We have measures available to discourage students from rushing the field,” DeBusk said, but he could not describe the tactics that will be taken.
Yovella described the other reasons beyond safety for preventing students from entering the field. Students are not authorized on the field, and by entering it they are trespassing.
“If students come on the field for trespassing, they could be arrested,” Yovella said.
UT sociology professor Tom Hood, who teaches a course titled “Collective Behavior and Social Movements,” said celebrations are normal behavior.
“Celebrations following victories are not uncommon,” Hood said, “and, sometimes celebrations get out of hand.”
Hood named several factors that contribute to unruly crowd behavior. Besides lower inhibitions from alcohol, Hood said the anonymity of the crowd and the mimicking actions from “emotional contagion” were among the reasons to blame.
In addition to the UT Police and the KPD, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Knox County Sheriff’s Department stand ready to meet the challenge.
“We have a tremendous amount of resources available to ensure the safety of all who attend,” DeBusk said.
