Seven games ago, Jason Mitchell made the move from strong-side linebacker to middle linebacker, replacing the injured Kevin Simon.

Mitchell said he still isn't completed settled into the new position.

"It's one of those things, you've got to play there for a while," he said. "It's not easy because every game your angles still change a little bit.

"I'm not used to walking to the line of scrimmage and they're calling out your number because they've got to block you. When I was outside, sometimes (opponents) forget about you."

Mitchell, a junior from Abbeville, La., isn't one of the Vols' marquee defenders, but he has been an integral part of the defense.

Starting every game, Mitchell is fifth on the team in tackles with 41 and has 5.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

Mitchell will keep pushing himself.

"I'm not satisfied with how I'm doing," he said. "I guess I've been doing good enough to get by but not good enough. I think if I'd been doing a lot better teams wouldn't be scoring on us that much."

Mitchell started the first two games at strong-side linebacker before Simon suffered a season-ending knee injury Sept. 18 against Florida.

The move was a big change after spending most of his career as an outside linebacker.

"I still like the move because it's for the better of the team, and I'm a team player," Mitchell said. "For me personally, I just like playing."

Mitchell, listed at 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, fits the current mold of a Tennessee linebacker - fast and athletic.

He was a standout sprinter at Abbeville High School, clocked at 10.72 in the 100 meters and 21.9 in the 200 meters.

"I'm only 222 pounds, (so size) ain't my strength," he said. "I try to make up for it with my speed."

Mitchell says he will be eager to get back to work Monday, but he welcomed a couple of days off for today's open date.

The Vols finish the regular season with games at Vanderbilt (next Saturday) and at home against Kentucky (Nov. 27). They will be heavily favored to win both for a spot in the SEC Championship in Atlanta.

"We've got to approach those games like we approach any other game," Mitchell said. "We can't overlook them. We can't look forward to Auburn. If we lose one of those games, we're not even going to see Auburn."