Tennessee' football program has long resisted change.

Such resistance is pointless.

UT's coaching change should make this a challenging recruiting season to remember.

UT' s coaches have long said that consistency among their staff is one of their most valuable assets in recruiting the nation's elite players.

Now, the Vols must overcome the loss of one of their own.

One of UT's coaching mainstays, offensive coordinator Randy Sanders resigned Monday.

Sanders, like most coordinators, isn't usually the primary recruiter for many of UT's premier prospects. He is, however, involved with most every offensive player that UT recruited during his tenure.

"At first I was kind of shocked with him just resigning in the middle of the season like that, but I also looked at it as a new beginning for the Tennessee program, too," said tight end/defensive end Michael Goggans of Benjamin Russell High School in Alexander City, Ala., who committed to the Vols in September.

"Bringing in a new offensive coordinator might change some things up on the offensive side."

Sanders' departure surely has UT's past quarterback recruits shaking their heads. He was responsible for the recruitment of all three of UT's quarterbacks.

Sanders was the driving force behind the recruitment of Erik Ainge and Jonathan Crompton. Sanders also recruited former Vol Casey Clausen. Younger brother, Rick Clausen then followed his sibling's path as a transfer.

The fathers have been quick to point out that Sanders was extremely important in their sons' recruiting decisions.

UT's best solution is finding an offensive coordinator as quickly as possible. Recruiting will hit full-speed during the third week of November.

UT will need to be ready. The ride won't be over until signing day in February.

Former UT coach David Cutcliffe has been a name frequently bantered about as a possible replacement for Sanders.

Cutcliffe's entrance would give the Vols something to hang their recruiting hats on.

His success and his ability to land such prospects as the Mannings (Peyton and Eli) speaks for itself. Cutcliffe's hiring could also have a calming effect on the program. Cutcliffe, more than any other potential candidate, could provide a smooth transition from the Sanders era to the future.

Fulmer and staff have said they're focused on 2005 and its final four games.

That's a given.

UT still must remember the 2006 class. The Vols have 10 committed prospects for 2006. UT isn't behind the pack but they need to pick up steam soon.

The Vols have only two official dates left during the season. Those games are against Memphis and Vanderbilt, where sparse crowds could be a sore site for recruiters' eyes.

Sanders' departure will have some negative ramifications. The key is to limit the impact. Damage control is of the utmost importance for the Vols.

If lucky, UT's prospects will think like Goggans. To him, change is an opportunity.

"I think the new offensive coordinator they're going to bring in probably will use the tight end a little bit more than coach Sanders did," said Goggans. "I'm just hoping the guy comes in and gets some things changed in there."

Change is the operative word. The result, and UT's response, has yet to be determined.