Lately, Tennessee's offense has been suffering from a little bit of deja vu.

Not the good kind.

Early in the season, the Vols' offense brought back memories of its high-flying days of the 1990s.

But since rolling up 51 points and 383 yards of total offense in a victory over Georgia on Oct. 7, the Vols (7-3, 3-3 SEC) haven't topped either mark.

In fact, they've hit their magic number of 30 points just once over that stretch, in a 31-24 victory over South Carolina on Oct. 28.

They haven't tallied more than 400 yards of total offense since blowing out Memphis on Sept. 30.

Last week's performance against Arkansas looked a little too much like last season to junior quarterback Erik Ainge.

"It's kind of how it used to be a little bit for us around here," he said. "When we'd throw a ball, we'd drop it. When we were open, we wouldn't hit them. When guys were open and we had a chance, we'd miss a block. We weren't in sync, and we weren't doing what we've been doing all year."

In the 31-14 loss to the Razorbacks, Tennessee had just 266 yards of total offense and scored a season low in points.

The week before against LSU, UT's offense gained just 248 yards and accounted for two touchdowns and a field goal in a 28-24 loss.

"It really makes me madder than heck that we had to go through that without our best players being able to play," UT coach Phillip Fulmer said.

That will change when the No. 22 Vols travel to Vanderbilt on Saturday (TV: WVLT, 12:30 p.m.).

"The thing I want is for us to get our groove back," Fulmer said. "We're capable of being a darn good football team if we're playing on all cylinders."

Some of those pistons might be a little a dinged up, but they'll be in action Saturday against the Commodores.

Ainge looks and feels significantly better this week in practice, his first full week of work since suffering an injury to his right ankle against South Carolina.

Coker bounced back with 51 yards rushing on just nine carries last week at Arkansas after missing the last two games with a knee injury.

Those aren't the only ones who are game-ready, either.

Wide receiver Jayson Swain's ankle is vastly improved.

Fellow receiver Robert Meachem's light ankle sprain hasn't held him back in practice.

Tailback Montario Hardesty, who underwent offseason surgery to repair a torn ACL, says his knee feels the best it has all season.

"I'm hopeful we can look like the team we started the season with," Fulmer said. "When you got your best players out there, you're usually better."

The offensive line is banged up, with left tackle Arron Sears, left guard David Ligon and center Josh McNeil nursing minor injuries.

They have practiced all week.

Being on the field allows them to see in 3-D Vanderbilt's different fronts and blitzes, instead of just watching them on film.

And it helps them set an example.

"I think it would be very easy for Arron and I to miss some practice," Ligon said. "We're older guys, we've been here and we've played some. We're pretty banged up.

"But we both kind of realize we've got a lot of young guys on the offensive line, and we can't afford to sit around and look like the lazy old guys. We've got to show them how to work."

And in some ways, how to think.

Ainge said that offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe has preached the virtue of fighting through pain all week.

"It's just a mindset," Ainge said. "Obviously, if you can't play or practice, you can't play or practice. But if it's kind of on that curve, it's a mindset."

That mindset was in full view Wednesday, when all the Vols' significant offensive players worked out inside the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center.

For Coker, it was a beautiful sight.

"I think if we would have had some of our other players against LSU or Arkansas, things might have went a little differently," he said. "Guys are starting to get back healthy. Hopefully we get back in that groove we had at the beginning of the season."