The inability to hit the big play has frustrated Tennessee's offense from opening day of the 2005 football season.

To hear Erik Ainge tell it Tuesday, hitting some little plays might go a long way toward beating Memphis on Saturday (TV: Pay-per-view, 2 p.m.) as the Vols (3-5) begin their bowl-or-bust stretch run.

"This week,'' the sophomore quarterback said, "we're going to be a lot more physically gifted, we're bigger, we're stronger and we're faster. We probably outweigh their defensive line by 50 pounds with each lineman.

"So we need to go out there and be real physical this week.''

Translation: pound the rock.

Rely on the running game and make Memphis (4-4) stop it.

But that's only part of the less-is-more strategy.

Ainge and head coach Phillip Fulmer were singing the same tune: If the deep ball isn't there in the passing game, think short.

Ainge threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter of a 41-21 loss at Notre Dame last Saturday, foiling a happy ending after UT had battled back to a 21-21 tie.

Fulmer said Ainge should have avoided some throws downfield and used his safety valve, a dump-off pass to a running back.

"We've got a lot of lay-offs,'' Ainge said, "and that's the thing I've kind of gotten away from.

"I've been trying to make stuff happen down the field if we're behind. If we call a (downfield) route I have it in the back of my head that we need to hit this. That's not what I've been taught.

"A lot of times I was trying to stick something down the field and we had something open short.''

Fulmer won't commit to going with Ainge all the way against Memphis. He would prefer it work out that way, but knows Memphis defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn will present a complex array of formations designed for confusion.

"With all the different looks,'' Fulmer said, "it helps to have a veteran sitting there available in Rick Clausen.''

While Ainge's short game needs attention, the Vols certainly wouldn't mind hitting a long ball or three to loosen up the defense.

It's been the missing link in Tennessee's offense.

"That would make all the difference,'' said Ainge.

Ainge can only shake his head when he watches videotape of the big plays and he and receivers connected on last year.

This year the deep routes have been in the deep freeze. Ainge has overthrown open targets and receivers haven't been making catches when the ball is there.

"It's on the receivers and the quarterbacks equally,'' Ainge said.

Ainge said he sees the field better this year. The game has slowed down for him. He's handling protection calls better.

And yet the plays that were being made last year fall into the near-miss category.

"Maybe it's just been a season of inches,'' he said, "and we're just two inches deep on everything.

"What I see is they (the receivers) will go up and make the play this year, but this year their foot is two inches out of bounds.

"His foot would have been in last year and this year it's out. I would have thrown it two inches shorter or he would have lunged forward and caught it last year.

"This year it's not happening.''