In the rhyming lingo used by Tennessee's coaching staff, the play is known as "Catch and Stretch."

The tailback swings wide out of the backfield, catches a pass dumped off behind the line and instinctively runs for daylight.

UT senior Cedric Houston stretched Notre Dame's defense so effectively that he equaled the most receiving yards by a UT running back in a single game since the 1997 season. Houston finished with four catches for 78 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown play.

"When you get him out in open space one-on-one, he usually wins that,'' UT running backs coach Trooper Taylor said after Wednesday's practice.

The last Vols' back to have more receiving yards was Jamal Lewis with 105 against Kentucky in 1997.

Houston actually ran forward a total of 95 yards after making the catches because all four receptions were made behind the line. Although the plays went down as passing yardage, the short tosses were nothing more than glorified pitches to Houston, who took the ball and picked his holes.

"That play is built into the offense as a check-down,'' Taylor explained. "He's not the primary receiver. All of those plays against Notre Dame were check-downs with the quarterback reading what the defense was giving us, and then dumping it down to the back."

It's likely there will be more short and intermediate passes to backs and receivers when the Vols face Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon. Vols' offensive coordinator Randy Sanders has noted several times that third-string quarterback Rick Clausen doesn't have the arm strength of injured starter Eric Ainge.

Houston's elusiveness on the screens or swing passes proved he isn't necessarily easy to bring down, which has been the most common knock on his ability.

Taylor said there's "no question" Houston is harder to stop in open spaces after a catch "because he's not thinking" and just running with his natural instincts.

"He checks his (blocking) protection first, is patient and then gets out there fast,'' Taylor said. "You'll see a lot of backs turn and look at the defender before the ball gets there and the pass will be incomplete.

"Ced catches the ball, looking it into his hands as well as any back I've ever seen. He catches the ball with his eyes."

On the 56-yard touchdown play, he caught the pass five yards behind the line and then weaved his way through the Notre Dame defense to the end zone. He also ran 16 yards after another catch and 15 yards following another.

Meanwhile, 11 yards was the longest run after a catch by any other UT back or receiver. If the offense is to click with Clausen at quarterback, it may be incumbent on the Vols to be more elusive.

Since the short passes were so effective against the Irish, the obvious question is why Houston can elude defenders on pass plays more often than he does on running plays.

"Because you give him separation created by the formation,'' Taylor said.

"On a running play you are in a confined area - A gap, B gap or C cap. On this (screen) play you are really out in the space where you have room. That helps him."

Tennessee has used the screen to the running back against Notre Dame before, including the so-called "Miracle at South Bend" game won by the Vols in 1991.

Georgia coach Mark Richt said except for Auburn's backfield duo of Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown, "there aren't that many guys lighting it up in our league right now" on yards after the catch.

"At Florida State, Peter Warrick was better at that than anyone I've seen,'' Richt said. "I don't see anybody (in the SEC) making a bunch of big things happen, but we have pretty good defenses. And we have people who are well coached. It's a little bit tougher the better the competition, you know."

Gary Lundy may be reached at 865-342-6274.