Inquoris "Inky" Johnson has read about and heard about Tennessee's storied football rivalry with Alabama, but his first-hand experience is minimal.

That will change Saturday when the Vols play the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Johnson, a sophomore from Atlanta, is expected to get his first career start for the Vols in place of injured cornerback Jason Allen.

"I don't know if I'm going to start yet for sure, but I've been working on it," Johnson said Tuesday at UT's media day. "We've been battling out there (for the starting job), me and Roshaun (Fellows). It's been fun, but whoever goes out there, we'll be ready for them."

Johnson will be thrust into a pressure-packed situation against the Vols' biggest rival.

Alabama (6-0) is ranked No. 5 and has aspirations for SEC and national titles.

Tennessee (3-2) is reeling, its title hopes all but lost with a 27-14 loss to Georgia on Oct. 8 at Neyland Stadium.

Johnson knows what he's getting into.

"I like it. I just accept it as a challenge," Johnson said. "That's how I do everything. I just take it and just go out there and play and have fun."

Johnson has five tackles this season - three in the Georgia game in which Allen was injured late in the first half. He has played in all five games this season and was used as a kick returner early in the season.

Johnson knows some of the history of one of the SEC's greatest rivalries.

"I read certain things about it and I see it's a lot of history behind this game, but I take every game as a big game," he said.

His older teammates have told him plenty about it.

"It's a hard-fought game, it's a battle, it's a war," Johnson said. "Just go out there and have your mind right and be ready."

Johnson says last Saturday's open date helped the Vols get their minds right after the Georgia loss.

Like most of his teammates, Johnson returned home to relax during a long weekend. The Vols worked on fundamentals before taking a three-day break from football last weekend.

"The off week helped us a lot," he said. "Fundamentally, it helped us get back on track and just get our minds right and get the loss out of our system and get ready and get prepared for Alabama."