• New Starter At Strong Safety: Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said junior Robert Boulware will start at strong safety against Notre Dame. It will be Boulware's first career start. The Vols have started four different players at strong safety this season.

Fulmer cited Corey Campbell and Jarod Parrish's lack of consistent tackling that gave Boulware the opportunity. Five-time starter Brandon Johnson is suspended from the team indefinitely.

• Backs Attack: Running backs coach Trooper Taylor said junior Gerald Riggs and senior Cedric Houston are close to 100 percent. Riggs has been bothered by a hip pointer but has not missed a practice this week.

"They still have nagging injuries," Taylor said. "They'll both start out playing the game."

Taylor said Houston would start Saturday. Taylor said it would take "something serious" to get true freshman Arian Foster in a game this season.

UT coaches considered playing Foster last week against South Carolina because of all the injuries suffered by their tailbacks. Playing Foster would eliminate his redshirt this season.

• No Go - For Now: Senior center Jason Respert (ankle sprain) was not able to practice on Thursday. Senior Chuck Prugh, a former standout at Maryville High School, will start in Respert's place. Prugh, an Indiana native, grew up a Notre Dame fan.

"I'm one of the ones that thinks this game is really important," Prugh said. "Being a Notre Dame fan you're whole life you watch them on TV so you know how influential they are.

"A lot of the guys now see them struggling. Nationwide, Notre Dame still has that mystique. With some of the players it doesn't, but it's really important to me."

• Hardegree No. 3: Fulmer said redshirt freshman Bo Hardegree will be the third-team quarterback with freshman Brent Schaeffer out four to six weeks with a broken collar bone. Junior Rick Clausen is the backup. Erik Ainge will start and has received all the first-team snaps.

"If we get to the third-team quarterback, I'm going to come up there and sit with you all," Fulmer said to the assembled media.

• Early Start: Fulmer said he has spoken to UT athletic director Mike Hamilton about future schedules. Fulmer said he believes the NCAA will add a 12th game to the schedule.

Fulmer said he hopes the season will start earlier to maintain open dates. The Vols will have completed eight consecutive games without an open date, ending with Notre Dame this weekend. The streak began on Sept. 18 against Florida. The Vols have an open date next week before playing Vanderbilt and Kentucky.

• Scouting Report: UT wide receivers coach Pat Washington has had plenty of carry over from one game to the next this season.

"I think all defensive coaches went to the same clinic," Washington said comparing Notre Dame's defense to earlier opponents. "They're multiple. They're playing man and zone. They mix things up really well.

"I think their (Notre Dame's) strength is their front seven. I think they play to that with a little more zone so nothing gets behind them."

Washington said UT's receivers have a much better overall knowledge of passing routes when compared to earlier this season. Washington said receivers are doing a better job of selling clear out, or decoy, routes at full speed.