MEMPHIS -- After 15 minutes of football Saturday afternoon, junior linebacker Ryan Karl wasn't sure if he'd get to test the showers in the Liberty Bowl locker room.

Tennessee's defense needed just six plays to stop Memphis on two drives and help the Vols to a 3-0 lead after the first quarter.

"I was joking saying I wasn't even going to have to take a shower after this game," Karl said. "It's a big-time difference feeling this. Just getting three-and-out, three-and-out, three-and-out and being able to do that felt real good."

And it felt even better after the 15th-ranked Vols' 41-7 victory Saturday in Memphis.

It felt better because the Tennessee defense got the equivalent of a day off.

Or at least a split shift.

In UT's previous four games, the defense was on the field for more than 60 plays.

On Saturday, it held the Tigers (1-3) to just 37 plays.

"That was huge," linebacker Marvin Mitchell said. "We had a lot of three-and-outs today. You can always wear a good defense down by keeping them on the field. We were able to get off the field and save our legs and our energy."

The Tigers didn't get a first down until the second quarter, and they finished with five.

Most impressive, though, was the way Tennessee's defense was able to get off the field.

Six times the Vols, now 4-1 heading into next week's game at No. 9 Georgia, forced Memphis to go three-and-out.

The Tigers' longest drive of the day lasted eight plays and ended in a punt.

Last week's point of emphasis was making sure the Vols finished off an opponent late.

This week's was making sure the defense got off the field.

"Against Marshall we only gave up seven points, but we gave up a lot of long drives," said Karl, who finished with five tackles. "A big point this week was to come out and stop them on third and short and get out of drives and get the offense on the field."

Memphis scored its only touchdown late in the fourth quarter after the Tigers scooped up a fumble by running back Ja'Kouri Williams at the Vols' 21-yard line.

Freshman receiver Duke Calhoun scored on the next play, preventing UT's first shutout since it blanked Vanderbilt in 2003.

Still, Saturday was a major victory for a defense that came in ranked No. 81 in the country against the run and No. 66 in total defense.

Those numbers will surely improve after Tennessee held Memphis to 42 yards rushing and just 121 yards of total offense.

The Tigers' run game wasn't helped by tailback Joseph Doss, who was suspended for the first half after he was late for a team meeting.

Doss, who had 77 yards last year against the Vols, finished with 13 yards on five carries.

Still, the Tigers' 121 yards on offense was the lowest for a UT opponent since Fresno State gained 117 in 2003.

For Mitchell, that's a definite step in the right direction.

"Tennessee's a good, defensive-based school," said Mitchell, who led UT with six tackles. "And that's one of the things we try to get done, stop the run, have a good defense and everything will follow."

Karl hopes the Vols can have similar success against the Bulldogs next week in a key SEC East game.

"Georgia's going to be a really tough team," he said. "It's going to be a lot better competition, nothing against these teams, but they're going to try and run the ball at us, power it at us. We're just going to have to come out like we did today and prove we can stop it."

Tennessee got plenty of help from the offense, too.

The Vols wracked up 566 yards of total offense and held the ball for 37:22 - nearly 15 minutes longer than Memphis.

That meant UT's defense had plenty of time to soak up the Memphis sun.

And watch more football than they played.

"I'm very happy with it," said safety Jonathan Hefney, who picked off his second pass of the season to end Memphis' second and final drive of the third quarter. "I like to be on the field, but if the offense keeps the ball the whole time, I'm happy with that, too."

So was defensive coordinator John Chavis.

"The offense did a tremendous job of keeping us off the field," he said. "They had some extended drives.

"To be quite honest with you, it's kind of fun watching that part of the game."