With starting tailback Arian Foster suspended for the first half of Saturday's game at No. 11 Arkansas, Tennessee will turn to Montario Hardesty and perhaps LaMarcus Coker.

Coker, UT's leading rusher, returned to practice Monday with a protective brace on his injured left knee after missing the past two weeks.

"LaMarcus, hopefully he'll be back, we're not 100 percent sure of that," UT coach Phillip Fulmer said Monday.

Should Coker not be able to play, Hardesty and David Yancey would play at tailback for the first half.

Coker was UT's starter before being injured in a 16-13 victory Oct. 21 over Alabama.

The 11th-ranked Vols also will be without two reserves, fullback David Holbert and safety Antonio Wardlow, for Saturday's 7 p.m. kickoff (TV: ESPN2) because of their arrests early Sunday morning on alcohol-related charges.

Foster also was arrested.

Wardlow will be eligible to return for UT's final game of the regular season at home against Kentucky on Nov. 25.

Wardlow and Holbert will practice with the scout team for the duration of their suspensions.

Neither will travel with the Vols to Arkansas.

According to the Knoxville Police Department, Wardlow and Holbert were observed fighting with each other on Saturday night outside GoodFellas Sports Bar and Grill on Keith Ave.

Fulmer said there are no lingering concerns about the scuffle between the two teammates.

"It was silly and stupid," he said Monday evening before practice. "When male ego and alcohol mix, it's not a good thing. We had a great team meeting on Sunday night. The leadership on the team and everybody concerned did a great job dealing with it. Everybody made their apologies, and we're moving on."

Said senior offensive tackle Arron Sears: "The immature behavior of a couple of guys is certainly not representative of our team's focus and energy to do the right things on and off the field."

Senior defensive tackle Turk McBride echoed Fulmer's comments in a statement released by the university.

"Coach Fulmer has constantly reminded us to put our best foot forward in representing ourselves, our team and our families," he said. "Our focus is on our education, our social growth as men and our team. Coach will deal with this and we will move on to prepare for Arkansas."

Foster's suspension is the most significant on the field, especially with the status of Coker in doubt, as well as some lingering concern about the health of Hardesty.

UT's rushing offense ranks 93rd in the country and 10th in the SEC.