Hefney is Vols' big gain

The Tennessee junior free safety isn't short on the ability to make plays.

He's third on the team with 52 tackles -- one behind linebacker Jerod Mayo. He has a team-high three interceptions, and he's the Vols' most effective punt returner.

Sometimes it's hard to believe Hefney packs it all into to such a small frame.

Senior linebacker Marvin Mitchell is one of those who takes issue with the tape measurer.

"He plays like he's probably 6-4 out there," Mitchell says. "He's constantly running around making plays out there."

And making jokes.

"We could be on the field during the game or in the huddle cracking jokes, he'll just make you smile," fellow safety Demetrice Morley says. "When you're in the game, you don't want to be too tense. Hef's always the type of person who just keeps you loose."

Except for the time Hefney made Morley tighten up, if only for a minute.

Against Marshall, in Morley's second start of the season, Hefney screamed at Morley in the huddle.

"How you going to let that guy just run past you?" Hefney said.

"I was like, 'What guy?' " Morley recalled.

There was no guy, just Hefney having a little fun.

"Hef just keeps me on my P's and Q's," Morley says. "I love playing with Hef. We just have so much fun out there."

Morley has so much to learn from Hefney, too.

At 6-2, Morley has a frame more suited for safety. What he doesn't have is Hefney's experience.

No one else does.

Hefney's been a starter since the second game of his UT career.

He's hardly been off the field since, not that it's anything new.

In high school, Hefney started 56 games. That topped the previous school record of 55 set by Chris Hope, who is a strong safety with the Tennessee Titans.

After being named to the freshman All-SEC team in 2004, Hefney switched from cornerback to safety.

Because of his size, he's better suited as a corner. Truth be told, that's where he'd rather play.

But Jason Allen returned for his senior season in 2005 to play at cornerback, which moved Morley to safety.

He handled the switch with a shrug and a smile. In fact, he was so good at safety that the No. 8 Vols (6-1, 3-1) moved free safety Antwan Stewart to cornerback after Inky Johnson's season-ending injury against Air Force on Sept. 9.

"It doesn't bother me," he said. "I like to play corner, but whatever the team wants me to do. I can roam around, go free."

Hefney, undoubtedly an optimist, pauses before adding this next bit:

"I really don't get touched in the game unless I tackle somebody," he said. "I can see (cornerbacks) Jonathan Wade and Antwan (Stewart) and them trying to catch their breath and gasping for air.

"Me and Demetrice just be back there smiling because we haven't been touched the whole game."

Only Hefney is taking a few more licks these days -- mostly from punters.

Last season, he was the Vols' full-time punt returner. Last week, his sporadic time there became full time.

He responded with six returns for 104 yards. Returning punts are just one more place for him to have fun.

"I have fun," he said. "I like doing everything. If they'd let me play offense, I'd do that too. I just like to be out there. I like having the ball."

But he's not a fan of getting tackled by the punter, as he was twice against the Crimson Tide.

"Both times, when I got tackled, I was just seeing the punter left," he said. "I'm thinking, 'I got to make a move.' My body wasn't reacting the way I wanted it to."

If Hefney gets a chance to return a punt against South Carolina (5-2, 3-2) on Saturday (TV: ESPN, 7:45 p.m.), bet on him to beat punter Ryan Succop.

Growing up in Rock Hill (S.C.) High School, Hefney was a star on a 15-0 state championship team.

In fact, he won that title in Williams-Brice Stadium.

Partly because of some academic troubles, though, the Gamecocks barely showed more than moderate interest on the recruiting front.

Carolina's loss was UT's gain.

"He was a Tennessee fan, sort of, best I remember," UT coach Phillip Fulmer said of Hefney's recruitment.

After he signed with the Vols, Hefney took a year at Hargrave Military Academy to get his academics in order before enrolling at UT.

"I knew it was mostly my grades," Hefney said. "But it was their loss. They passed up."

Bet they wouldn't do it again.