No comparison.

Don't even try and compare Tennessee's 3-1 record in 2006 to the same 3-1 record it was sporting through four games in 2005.

UT coach Phillip Fulmer doesn't want to hear it.

"We have, and it's really obvious, much better playmaking ability than we had last year," Fulmer said Thursday. "We don't have to win a game 10-7."

The changes in UT's offensive production have been glaring.

A team that finished 2-5 in its final seven games of 2005, averaged 18.6 points and 326.3 yards per game.

The Vols of 2006 are averaging 29.8 points and 395 yards entering Saturday's game at Memphis.

"This team has a really good attitude," Fulmer said. "They've been very responsive and very unselfish.

"Hopefully, we'll continue on that path of improvement and build our depth where if you have an injury down the road, it's not going to kill you."

Fulmer and his staff have made a point not to mention UT being 3-1 and coming off of a big victory at LSU at this same point in the season a year ago.

"You don't live in the past," he said. "You don't live 10 years ago and you don't live in the future. You live in the present moment.

"You learn from the past, and that's how we try to approach it -- focus on today and get better today."

Where last season unraveled, Fulmer has seen many more UT teams get stronger as September and October rolled into November.

"If we can (focus on the present), things pay off a lot better for you," he said. "When we've had our good teams, we've improved as we've gone through the season."

Early Kickoff No Problem: The Vols have a 10 a.m. walkthrough at the Liberty Bowl today in preparation for Saturday's noon EST kickoff.

Fulmer said this team is past worrying about early kickoff times.

"It doesn't matter," he said. "We have so little say on game times anymore, it's almost ridiculous.

"TV is going to tell us, and we're going to play it. We try not to make a big deal out of whether we like it or don't like it."

Coker Responds Well: LaMarcus Coker heads to Memphis ready to make his first start as UT's No. 1 tailback.

"He has responded very well," Fulmer said of the redshirt freshman from Antioch. "Our young running backs act more mature on the field, with handling their business, than some we've had.

"They're pretty centered. Kurt (Roper, running backs coach) is a very demanding coach, and that has helped them.

"They're all fighting for that starting job right now; who's going to be the guy? That's a good situation for us. I wish we had that at more positions."

Fulmer also said running back Arian Foster is improving daily from his ankle injury, but he'll still be a gametime decision Saturday.

"He's much better," Fulmer said. "He's real close, but we'll just have to see.

"If it's something we need to do, he can help us and it's the right thing, a lot of that we'll see in warm-ups."

McBride Ready To Go: Turk McBride practiced during UT's indoor work and should be ready to start at defensive tackle.

He suffered a mild concussion last week against Marshall.

The Vols also are anxious to see what junior college transfer Walter Fisher can do since moving from defensive end to defensive tackle.

"I think he's a guy who is definitely going to push for playing time real soon," Fulmer said. "We'll see. I think he will play. How much? I don't know.

"We sure need somebody to come through there. That's why we put him there, because we think he can help us and help us quickly."

Demonte Bolden, another defensive tackle, missed practice to be with an ailing grandparent, but he was expected to rejoin the team before traveling to Memphis.

Raves For Colquitt: UT punter Britton Colquitt is No. 2 in the SEC and No. 6 in the nation with his 47.7-yard average.

Fulmer thinks the sophomore out of Bearden High School can get even better.

"I'm not surprised at how well Britton has done, and he's still a work in progress," Fulmer said. "He has fantastic ability."