Less could turn out to be more in 2006 for Tennessee's offensive line.

At least that's what position coach Greg Adkins is hoping for as the line takes a leaner, meaner approach in his first year overseeing the unit.

The line has carried a different goal into this year's off-season program — to lose weight and get in shape.

"I'm not asking them all to be lean and not very strong," Adkins said Friday on The Sports Page on The Sports Animal. "We're just trying to cut down some body fat and trying to be a little bit faster.

"The things it will help us with, hopefully, will be out on the perimeter in the screen game and then when we ask our guys to pull and block on the second level."

UT's head strength and conditioning coach Johnny Long told The News Sentinel last month the Vols were one of the leanest-looking teams he'd seen in a while. Adkins said he's pleased with what he's been able to observe.

"As they've been coming by and visiting about academics," he said, "I've gotten a chance to see a bunch of them and certainly they're looking good.

"It looks like they're doing a lot of the things I've asked them to do."

Adkins has his work cut out for him. He's at least greatly relieved that Arron Sears decided to stick around for his senior season rather than test the NFL draft.

Adkins, who replaced Jimmy Ray Stephens after a 5-6 campaign in 2005, said having the 6-foot-4, 338-pound Sears back will significantly help the unit.

"It's huge," Adkins said. "Arron is the leader of our group up front and the most talented guy that we have.

"I certainly did not want to go into the season without him. Arron is a very good football player and I look for really good things out of him this fall."

A departure by Sears would have felt like déjà vu for Adkins. Tight end Jason Witten bypassed his senior year for the NFL in 2003, Adkins' first season at UT as tight ends coach.

"That wasn't so good either," Adkins said.

For the offensive line to be successful, someone other than Sears will have to emerge.

Adkins said he will first look to players who have been there before. He said sophomores Ramon Foster and Anthony Parker and senior David Ligon saw time last year and must take another step this year.

The line is still far from set. Adkins said that will happen soon after practice starts next month.

"We'll see how it shakes down when it comes down to August," he said. "We're not totally solidified on who are going to be our guys at this point. We'll get to that very quickly when two-a-days come."

Adkins said he expects to see junior Steven Jones, who won most improved honors on offense in the spring, compete for playing time.

"Steven is a guy that for whatever reason has slowly developed," Adkins said. "A lot of different things go into the reason that a lot of kids seem to have a new spark on life. Steven showed that this spring."

Josh McNeil and Chris Scott are two highly touted linemen from UT's 2005 signing class who redshirted last year. Adkins said both will be counted on this year.

Scott has shown flashes of the stardom he promised when he arrived from Lovejoy, Ga., a year ago, Adkins said.

"That's one of the things that we talked very candidly about when spring practice was over," he said. "There were some things there he did very well but there were some things that he was very limited on. Hopefully the things that we talked about, as some of his weaknesses he has taken this summer and worked on them."

Adkins said juniors Eric Young and Michael Frogg also figure into a group of about nine on which he will rely.