Inky Johnson doesn't exactly look the part.

He's 5-foot-9. He's 167 pounds.

In street clothes, he's about as intimidating as a Napoleon Dynamite's brother, Kip.

Then you put Johnson on a football field and everything changes.

"A lot of people might look at me, and look at my size, and not think I'm physical, but that's part of my game," Johnson said. "I stick my head in there. I've got that heart."

He'll have to if Tennessee's secondary wants to continue surprising people in 2005.

Johnson and former starter Roshaun Fellows are battling to see who replaces injured All-America candidate Jason Allen at cornerback.

"I didn't want to get playing time with Jason going down," Johnson said Wednesday. "I was playing in the Mustang package, but another person has to step up and I have to take on a different role.

"All of us are going to have to step up, not just one person. We're all going to have to take on the role of a leader, all of us as a unit."

Allen, out for the season with a hip injury suffered against Georgia, remains a leader, but it's his on-field leadership which will be missed most.

Johnson has tried to go to school on Allen's style and techniques.

"I watch film on Jason and I talk to him daily to get pointers," Johnson said. "We have a lot of conversations about how to play corner and how to play certain players.

"We watch film together and he gives me certain tips on certain things. He helps me out a lot."

Johnson came through with three tackles and a fumble recovery when thrust onto the field Saturday against the Bulldogs.

Fellows, who lost his starting role to Jonathan Wade at the other corner sport earlier this season, had one tackle.

"Inky and Roshaun are competing to see who is going to be the guy," UT coach Phillip Fulmer said. "I'm comfortable with both of them."

Coaches have taken a look at true freshman Demetrice Morley at corner. Both safeties, Jonathan Hefney and Antwan Stewart, are former cornerbacks. Antonio Gaines is another option.

"Roshaun started most of the year last year," Fulmer said. "He's probably not playing as fast as I'd like him to right now. Inky has just waited for his opportunity. He has practiced well and did a good job against Georgia.

"Neither one of them is Jason Allen, but injuries happen. As the year goes on you find new guys you hope step up and help us."

Fellows started at corner opposite Allen early this season, but Fulmer is still waiting for the sophomore to regain some of the confidence he displayed as a Freshman All-American.

"He doesn't seem quite as aggressive right now as I'd like to see him, or as he was at times last year," Fulmer said. "When you've got competition, you've got to fight back.

"I don't want him to sit back and take the role, 'I got beat out.' I hope he'll compete."

Having an off week to prepare for Alabama is a blessing for the secondary.

The Crimson Tide offense is doing a lot of what Tennessee would like to be doing.

Fulmer said in a perfect world the Vols would be 5-0, rushing for 200 yards a game and passing for 200 yards a game.

Alabama just happens to be 5-0, passing for 230 yards per game and rushing for 172 yards a game.

Quarterback Brodie Croyle is a senior leader for the Tide and facing a Vols' team absent Allen is appealing.

Johnson and Fellows just want to make sure there isn't too much of a drop-off.

"I've just got to come out to the practice field every day like we're in a game," Johnson said. "Against the scout team, I have to prepare myself every play and every situation like I'm going up against Alabama."

On the field or off, Allen's presence will be felt.

"We were just going out there trying to win the game for him," Johnson said of the second half of Tennessee's 27-14 loss to Georgia. "We know how he approaches the game and we tried to approach it the same way."