Four runners, one ball

Enter senior Jabari Davis, the fourth-string tailback.

While hardly a rookie, Davis has settled into a role as the team's short-yardage back.

So why the decision to put Davis in at the most critical juncture of the game?

"I put Jabari in there because he was fresh and because of his protections,'' UT running backs coach Trooper Taylor explained. "And he came through; he knocked one linebacker down that had slid off a blocker.''

Perhaps, but on the previous drive -- the second-most-important possession of the game -- Davis showed little threat to break loose, running for gains of 1, 3, 4 and 1 yard as Erik Ainge passed the Vols into the end zone.

Wasn't this supposed to be the season the Vols settled on one tailback?

"We do want one back to step up, but right now there's not enough separation between them to justify it,'' Taylor said. "One thing I'll always try to be is fair.''

Taylor admits Cedric Houston and Gerald Riggs have separated themselves at the top with Corey Larkins not too far behind.

But circumstances, Taylor said, must be considered on each possession.

UT coach Phillip Fulmer, the ultimate decision-maker on offense, is fine with the running backs-by-committee philosophy for now.

"It makes sense to have as many guys be productive as you can,'' Fulmer said. "All I want to do is win. If we didn't have three or four guys getting it done, it would be one guy back there.''

Statistics show Houston is the most productive back, as he's averaging 7.1 yards per carry through two games. But Houston has been injury prone throughout his career and is nursing a hurt ankle.

Riggs has been the most consistent and gotten the most work with a team-high 28 carries for 142 yards.

But Taylor points out Riggs is still somewhat inexperienced in terms of the amount of game time he has seen over his three-year career.

Corey Larkins, a speedy scatback, has been boom or bust as a runner. He averages a healthy 4.8 per carry, and according to Taylor, is aggressive in pass blocking.

Davis is averaging 3 yards per carry, but Taylor likes the way he pass protects.

Regardless of who has been in the backfield, the Vols have struggled to break off long runs. The longest run this season is 28 yards by Houston.

"We haven't hit the home run yet, but that's something we're working on,'' said Taylor, who makes the backs carry the ball to the goal line at the end of every run in practice. "We have to do a better job in the open field.''

Taylor's job is to make sure the backs are fundamentally sound and know their assignments.

"Our steps, our aiming points and our landmarks,'' he said. "Perfect alignment, perfect assignment.

"After that, it's genetics. I'm going to allow them to use their abilities.''

True freshman Arian Foster showed flashes of being the most-explosive runner on the team in limited preseason scrimmage action.

Foster, however, might not even play this season.

"Slim and none,'' Taylor said, asked about the possibility of Foster getting work. "That's because of the productivity of the other guys. Talent-wise, he has the ability. Maybe if he hadn't gotten here late it would be different. I wish he could have come during two-a-days.''

The NCAA Clearinghouse held up Foster's enrollment at UT.