David Ligon has a two-fold message for all the doubters.

Keep it coming and just wait.

Tennessee football's senior guard/center loves the fact people are already cringing over a lack of production in last Saturday's scrimmage.

"Keep the doom and gloom coming," Ligon said Tuesday. "It's almost like, as a team, we like being looked down upon.

"We never really ever do well when we're ranked preseason."

Ligon backed up his argument with some pretty solid data.

"I want to say the National Championship year (1998) they were ranked something like 15th going into that season," he said. "Then 2004, we go to the SEC championship game and we weren't picked to win anything."

That's where the "just wait" part of Ligon's philosophy came out.

"Your own fans, you want them to like you," he said. "In that sense, I would say to those guys, don't worry.

"We're working hard. We're working our butts off, and if they could see the way we come out and practice, I think they'd feel a lot better."

Tennessee's offense is gearing up for Saturday's Orange and White Game at 2 p.m. at Neyland Stadium, knowing there's a lot to prove.

The last scrimmage left a lot to be desired with the first-team offense being kept out of the end zone.

"I thought we picked up some of their run stunts and their blitzes fairly well," Ligon said. "We weren't perfect. Passing-wise, we could have done some better things protection-wise.

"We did all right, but it definitely wasn't spectacular."

UT coach Phillip Fulmer had the same kind of analysis after watching film.

"We're not consistent (offensively)," he said. "If you just do the things that you're supposed to do -- throw it, catch it and make the easy catches -- make the 3- and the 4-yard runs, the other things will happen for you.

"Big plays will come. A good athlete will break a tackle, or make a catch, or you'll return a punt or block a punt."

In other words, everything that didn't happen during last year's 5-6 run.

"We're stopping ourselves," Fulmer said. "When we work, and we get consistent, we'll have a chance to be the kind of offensive team we want to be."

The teaching curve is a big one this spring.

The line has been totally revamped. Senior tackle Arron Sears, the lone returning starter, has been limited all spring rehabbing from an injury and likely won't play in the Orange and White Game.

Depth in the line is a major concern, but Sears echoed Ligon's be-patient attitude.

"It's no concern," Sears said of worries about the line. "We're going to go through the summer and get everybody stronger mentally, physically and get everybody conditioned.

"We're going to come back and be good in two-a-days."

For now, Sears is just taking on the role of advisor and mentor to some of the younger linemen like sophomores Ramon Foster, Anthony Parker and Cam Mayo, along with freshmen Josh McNeil, Chris Scott and Malcom Rawls.

"That's on my back," Sears said. "I'm a senior.

"It's time for me to be a big brother to these young guys, just like the older guys like Anthony Herrera and Michael Munoz did for me when I got here."

With running back Arian Foster not participating this spring (shoulder rehab), and Montario Hardesty (knee) extremely limited, Sears thinks the summer and fall workouts will be a truer indication of where the Vols stand offensively.

"I'm not worried at all because there are a lot of guys who aren't in there," he said. "We've still got this whole summer to get bigger, stronger, faster and look at the new stuff coming in (from offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe).

"We'll get that down and we'll be OK."

It's just a matter of time, according to the players.

It's just a matter of time and consistency, according to the coach.

For now, it's a waiting game.