Tennessee men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl is anxious to take advantage of what amounts to a head start.

Thanks to a change in NCAA rules, Pearl is allowed two hours a week to work with his team in the preseason.

All the better to put the control in the "controlled chaos" Pearl plans to put on display this season.

This week was Pearl's third installment of team work.

"Prior to this year, you could only work up to four guys at a time,'' Pearl said. "This has changed what the preseason is. I can get my hands on the guys a bit more.''

Pearl said the rule change isn't only good for him -- it's also good for college basketball. In fact, Pearl anticipates the men's game's practice allotment will go up from two to four hours a week next season, matching the standard for women's college basketball.

"One of the challenges for the NCAA is to make rules so that we don't exploit the student athletes,'' he said. "But one of the reasons you see so many Europeans get drafted into the NBA these days is they're not working two hours a week -- they're working eight hours a day.

"Really, I think it's ridiculous I can't work with my team more. If I had more contact with them, I'll do a better job maintaining them academically and socially.''

Last week Pearl suspended Jemere Hendrix indefinitely for a violation of team rules. The 6-foot-8 forward was charged with possession of marijuana and driving without a license on Aug. 13 in his hometown of Covington, Ga.

Pearl has yet to announce how long Hendrix will be suspended, but a source in the basketball community said he'll likely sit out the first exhibition game, at the very least.

Pearl said the suspension hurts Hendrix now as much as later.

"It's open season for positions,'' Pearl said. "Here's hours of instruction he could be getting, but because he's suspended he's missing out and falling behind.''

Hendrix was projected as a potential starter, but now others have an opportunity to step up.

Junior Major Wingate has been so impressive in offseason workouts that it appears he'll find a spot in the starting lineup.

"I'd say it will be difficult to keep him out of the starting lineup,'' Pearl said. "Major has a lot of ability; he just needs to be more productive. I really think he's gotten himself into a good position.

"I've been pleased with his effort and consistency.''

Freshman Ryan Childress has benefited most from Hendrix's suspension in terms of the repetitions he picked up.

Pearl said his first few looks at the Vols have revealed a team that's anxious to get better -- and a team that really needs to, if it's going to have any shot at earning an NCAA bid.

"I have a little better idea of what to expect from them,'' Pearl said. "The key for them is to find a way within the framework of our offense where they can score.

"Right now they're trying to find out where they're supposed to go, where they're supposed to screen and when they're supposed to score. Those reads take time.''

Pearl said the base defense will be easier to learn but perhaps just as hard to perfect.

"I run simple stuff,'' he said. "For example, we'll run a 1-2-1-1 full-court press, but every team we play will break that press differently, so we have to learn to defend the different press sets.''

Pearl was on the road recruiting earlier this week, making stops in Indianapolis and the tri-city region of Flint, Saginaw and Bay City in Michigan.