Jason Mitchell has made the adjustment from strong side linebacker to middle linebacker on Tennessee's defense.

Omar Gaither has made the adjustment from Mitchell's backup at strong side linebacker to the starter.

It has not been a simple adjustment for either Vol.

"It's been pretty frustrating knowing I had to learn (the new position) and I had to be able to play the other one too," Mitchell said Tuesday.

"At times it's frustrating but I never showed that. I just went out and practiced as hard as I could and played as hard as I could on Saturday."

Mitchell, a junior, was moved from strong side linebacker to the middle when starting middle linebacker Kevin Simon suffered a knee injury Sept. 18 against Florida. Simon is out for the season.

When Mitchell started at middle linebacker against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 25, it was his first time playing that position in a game. He is still listed as possible starter with Gaither at strong side linebacker.

"I played (middle linebacker) in practice here and there, but never in a game," he said.

Mitchell had four tackles in the 42-17 victory over Louisiana Tech and 10 in last Saturday's 34-10 loss to Auburn.

He had two tackles for loss against Auburn.

Mitchell, who missed spring practice after having knee surgery in January, says learning the assignments of the new position wasn't the most difficult aspect of the change.

"The hardest part is the small things about it, the footwork, the angles, the way you take on people," he said. "Those have been the hardest things. Knowing what you have to do is not as hard as actually doing it, just the fundamentals."

Mitchell will likely start his third straight game at middle linebacker Saturday at Georgia. He is listed as possible starter with junior Jon Poe.

Mitchell feels better with each practice day about the move to the middle.

"I feel more comfortable than I felt two weeks ago, yes, but far as the way Robert Peace (2000-03) and Kevin Simon and Dominique Stevenson (1998-01) felt, I'm not there yet," Mitchell said.

Gaither, a junior, started his first game as a Vol against Louisiana Tech and had 11 tackles, including nine solo tackles and one tackle for loss. He also intercepted a pass.

Against Auburn, Gaither had five tackles, including one tackle for loss. He also forced a fumble.

"When you're starting, you don't have time to sit over there and watch and see what they're doing and get adjustments like that," Gaither said. "You have to be ready to go."

He said game-day adjustments aren't the only changes made when a player moves from backup to starter.

"You have to watch a lot of film, get in bed early, practice hard," he said. "When you're starting, you have to step up the intensity level."