John Chavis doesn't get into making comparisons.

He's into making defenses impenetrable. That's the bottom line for Tennessee's defensive coordinator.

Ask him where that process begins, and he'll start at the end -- defensive ends Parys Haralson and Jason Hall.

While the Vols' 3-4 season has been nightmarish at times, the senior tandem of Haralson and Hall is combining on a dream season.

"We expected that from them," Chavis said. "You can't put into words the senior leadership.

"They've been so productive on the field, and the numbers bear that out."

The numbers are eye-popping, the kind of stats that elicit thoughts of Leonard Little and Jonathan Brown in 1996.

"When we've been really good, we've been that way (at defensive end)," Chavis said. "You go back to Leonard Little and Brown, those two.

"You hate to make comparisons, but if we're going to be good, that's where it starts -- more so than inside because of the pass rush."

Get to the quarterback. It's the driving force behind every successful defensive end.

This week, with UT traveling to face No. 8-ranked Notre Dame and Heisman candidate quarterback Brady Quinn, the focus becomes intensified.

Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. Saturday at South Bend (TV: WBIR) and Haralson and Hall can't wait.

They're No. 3 and No. 4 in the SEC in sacks, Haralson with 5.5 and Hall with five. Haralson has 18 in his career, tops among active SEC players.

Some call him undersized at 6-foot-2, 248-pounds, but Haralson is third in the SEC with 10.5 tackles for a loss. Hall is sixth with 9.5.

"If you look at our defensive ends year in and year out, that's one of the positions that's always going to play well," UT coach Phillip Fulmer said. "(Ends coach) Steve Caldwell does a great job.

"Those kids are great young men, great character guys, have really good ability, play hard and understand techniques and fundamentals. They've been a real plus to us all year long."

Look up the "big-play" leaders for a Tennessee defense ranked No. 12 in the nation and Haralson and Hall are No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.

Off the field, Haralson is among 11 players nationwide selected for the Division I-A American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team.

On the field, Haralson is the guy with the reputation.

He was the high school All-American out of Flora, Miss. He's the team captain and the guy who made a couple of All-American watch lists this season.

Haralson is the guy sitting at No. 3 all-time in career tackles for loss at UT. He has 40.5 since 2002, ranked behind only Little (53) and the late Reggie White (51).

"I still love my four years at Tennessee," Haralson said of the frustrations faced this season. "I'm going to go out playing hard.

"I came in playing hard and I'm going to go out playing hard. That's the mindset of all of us seniors. We're going to finish this season up strong and try to get a win over Notre Dame."

His bookend, Hall, is the guy who wasn't recruited by every big-name school in the country.

He's a 6-3, 260-pound end out of Chattanooga McCallie. He didn't start his first game with the Vols until the Cotton Bowl last season.

Hall came into his senior season as the unknown entity of a defensive line led by Haralson and tackles Jesse Mahelona and Justin Harrell.

"We knew about J Hall," Haralson said. "Coming into the season, you probably knew about Jesse, Justin and myself, but we knew Jason could play, and he's playing great for us right now."

Just ask South Carolina. Hall had seven tackles, three for a loss, a forced fumble and two sacks against the Gamecocks last week.

"Hopefully, we've meant a lot to this defense," Hall said. "Parys and I complement each other really well.

"We're two different styles of defensive ends. He's a great pass rusher and gets up the field a lot. I stay more along the line of scrimmage and try to take care of things. He's been a great player for years and I feel like I'm coming into my own."