Tailbacks are becoming an endangered species around Tennessee football.

Freshman LaMarcus Coker underwent shoulder surgery on Thursday and became the fifth Vols running back to hit the operating table since early October.

Coker was released from UT Medical Center on Friday morning after having surgery to repair torn ligaments in his shoulder.

The injury was suffered during preseason drills in August. Flareups followed during the remainder of the season.

Head athletic trainer Keith Clements said Coker will be sidelined for spring practice, but should be ready for 2006 preseason drills. He will earn a redshirt for 2005.

Coker joined Gerald Riggs Jr., Montario Hardesty, Ja'Kouri Williams and Arian Foster on the list of UT backs needing surgery in the past two months.

"Obviously the running back situation is something we'll just have to deal with," UT coach Phillip Fulmer said Friday. "We've gone into spring practice before with six healthy offensive linemen.

"It's not that unusual. The primary concern is to be healthy by the fall."

Hardesty, a freshman from New Bern, N.C., was the first casualty when he suffered a season-ending knee injury against Ole Miss on Oct. 1.

Listed as second-team tailback prior to the injury, Hardesty won't be available for spring practice.

Riggs came next as his senior season ended with an ankle injury suffered Oct. 22 at Alabama. He finished with 556 yards rushing and three touchdowns in six games.

Williams, a redshirt freshman who saw most of his playing time on special teams, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in mid-November.

Then came Foster and Coker this week. Team orthopedic surgeons Dr. Greg Mathien and Dr. Russell Betcher performed both surgeries.

Foster came on strong in relief of Riggs and finished his redshirt freshman season with a team-high 879 yards rushing and five touchdowns.

Foster had arthroscopic knee surgery on Wednesday and is exploring second opinions on a possible shoulder surgery in January.

If Foster chooses surgery, he will be the third back lost for spring practice.

That would leave Williams and seniors-to-be David Yancey and fullback Cory Anderson as tailback options.

Thirteen Vols have undergone surgeries since summer, a number Clements said was close to the national norm.

Kentucky, on the other hand, has had 25 surgeries since July 1.

Seivers honored: Former Tennessee receiver Larry Seivers will represent the Vols as one of 12 SEC Football Legends at tonight's SEC Championship game.

Seivers, a Clinton native, was a two-time consensus All-American and had seven 100-yard receiving games during his 1974-76 career with Tennessee.

Other former Vols honored since 1994 are Bob Johnson, Doug Atkins, Condredge Holloway, John Michels, Richmond Flowers, Steve Kiner, Steve DeLong, Stanley Morgan, Johnny Majors, Reggie White and Frank Emanuel.