Anthony Anderson hates playing football in front of small crowds.

It's a good thing, because the Austin-East senior and Tennessee commitment will have nearly 105,000 fans cheering him on when he takes the field at Neyland Stadium next fall.

"No, sir, I won't be nervous at all. I enjoy playing in front of big crowds," the 6-foot-2, 180-pound receiver said.

Anderson knows Shields-Watkins field well enough. When the Roadrunners ran out of the tunnel Friday night against Powell in the annual K.O.C. Kick-Off Classic, it marked Anderson's fourth jamboree under the Neyland lights.

But this time was a little different — this time he knew he'd be back next year in orange and white.

"It's going to be an honor to play in Neyland Stadium," Anderson said. "I never thought as a freshman that'd I'd be playing for UT — not at all. I always wanted to play for UT; it has been my favorite team since I was little. It's my dream come true."

That dream will have to wait if only for the time it takes Anderson and A-E to make a run at the Region 2-3A title. Last season, A-E went 7-5 under first-year head coach Kwayu Graham, falling to eventual state champion Livingston Academy in the second round of the playoffs. Four of the five loses were by a combined nine points.

Anderson said that won't happen this season.

"Things are going to be a lot different," he said. "We start with Red Bank (on Aug. 18), and we beat them last year but there are teams we owe. We owe Karns (one-point loss), we owe Webb (four-point loss), and we owe Kingston (one-point loss)."

It was just one quarter, but A-E started on the wrong foot against Powell. The Roadrunners lost 6-0, and Anderson never quite found the holes he needed to break loose.

There was, however, the occasional flash of athletic brilliance — a cut back here, a juke there — that obviously caught the attention of coach Phillip Fulmer and the Vols. But when it came time for the halftime punt, pass and kick contest, Anderson could be found not catching but kicking the football.

"I'm used to doing everything," said Anderson, who spends time at wide receiver, defensive back and serves as the team's punter.

But admittedly, he's looking forward to less responsibility as a Vol.

"Doing one thing probably won't be that bad," he said. "I won't be tired as much either."