Is there a secret weapon in Tennessee's passing game?

James Wilhoit hauled in a 26-yard touchdown pass when UT's coaches decided to call a fake field goal during Saturday's scrimmage at Neyland Stadium. The senior kicker was uncovered near the sideline as he waited for the pass thrown by holder Casey Woods.

"I wish he would have led me a little more," Wilhoit quipped.

Wilhoit has caught some passes before in practice but never in a full speed scrimmage. Wilhoit said the play could help slow down the rush from opposing teams if UT's coaches decided to call the fake in a game.

That doesn't mean Wilhoit is holding his breath.

"I'd be shocked," Wilhoit said when asked if UT might run the play in a game. "That would probably be the highlight of my career."

Wade On Ainge: Jonathan Wade was no friend to Erik Ainge.

Wade, a senior cornerback, often visits with the junior quarterback to catch a bite to eat or talk strategy. That friendship didn't stop Wade from intercepting a pass from Ainge and nearly hauling in another Saturday.

"I know Erik and Erik knows me," Wade said. "We speak a lot off the field.

"He likes to know about things from a defensive perspective and I like to know about things from a quarterback."

The on-field familiarity between the two players surely comes from countless hours of practicing against each other. The history benefited Wade on Saturday.

Ainge's first errant pass was dropped by Wade. The second wasn't.

"It's one of those days," Wade said of Ainge's struggles. "Who's to say that the next scrimmage he won't bomb me three times?"

Wade's ability to bounce back from the drop and make a big play could be proof that the once erratic player has matured.

"You have to have a short memory," Wade said.

Taylor's Take: Receivers coach Trooper Taylor said his players should have been more consistent. Taylor cited sophomore Josh Briscoe and senior Stanley Asumnu for minor mistakes, such as game awareness and pre-snap alignments, respectively.

Taylor also said Briscoe's blocking needed to improve.

The receivers' most egregious error was turned in by senior Bret Smith. Taylor said Smith had a chance to break up an interception thrown by Ainge to Wade.

"He had a chance to make a play and he let the DB jerk him around and intercept the ball," Taylor said. "The quarterback has to have confidence that you're not going to let him throw an interception."

The most impressive play of the day for the wide receivers was a leaping touchdown catch by senior Jayson Swain. The pass could have easily been intercepted but Swain pulled it away from the defender who was positioned in front of him.

"Great players make great plays and that's what he is," Taylor said.

Taylor said there is a three-way battle for the final two spots in UT's five-receiver rotation. Briscoe and sophomores Austin Rogers and Lucas Taylor are all fighting for playing time.

Taylor was thought to be firmly entrenched in the top four.

"Lucas dropped a bit," Taylor said. "He's got to be consistent. We can't have peaks and valleys."

Mobile Men: UT's offensive linemen were noticeably more mobile when it came to downfield blocking. Saturday's practice was the first open to the media this fall.

"There has been some progress," offensive line coach Greg Adkins said. "We are a little bit more mobile."

Arian Foster said it's all about UT's lighter lineman, who have been focusing on finishing blocks, getting downfield, and picking up additional defenders.

"There's definitely more explosion," the sophomore tailback said.

Anthony Parker has put quite a move on fellow sophomore Ramon Foster. Barring a setback, Parker looks as if he may have locked down the starting right guard spot.

Parker took all of the first-team snaps. Foster worked with the second team. He was expected to be the starter when fall camp opened.

Junior Michael Frogg took the first snap of the scrimmage and practiced the majority of the time with the first team.

Redshirt freshman Josh McNeil practiced with the second team at center.

Versa-Turk: Turk McBride said he expects to start the season at defensive end after being moved there from defensive tackle. The senior said he has no preference between the two positions.

"It makes me feel valuable," McBride said. "But I'm going to put the team in front of me no matter what happens."

McBride is still wearing a cast on his right hand as he recovers from offseason thumb surgery. McBride said he broke the cast Saturday forcing trainers to rewrap the brace.

McBride said he hopes to have the cast removed later this month.

"Who knows?" he said. "I might have re-damaged it today."

MIA: Senior fullback Cory Anderson, sophomore tailback Montario Hardesty (knee) and redshirt freshman Slick Shelley (abdominal surgery) did not practice.