If you look no deeper than the Tennessee depth chart, the possible loss of tailback LaMarcus Coker hardly seems devastating. After all, he’s only second team.

But Coker’s value to the UT football team is best measured in his stats, rather than his status on the depth chart. He’s second to no UT tailback in speed, and that’s a valued commodity in this offense.

An offense that’s seemingly short on playmakers can ill afford to lose a tailback who made more plays than any other UT running back last season. Of course, maybe Coker, isn’t lost. Or, if he is, maybe he will be rediscovered before the season opener against Cal.

Indefinite suspensions are like that. You just don’t know. A week, a month, who knows?

Coach Phillip Fulmer’s decision Tuesday to suspend Coker was as vague as most suspensions in some regards, but when he alluded to a “medical situation” that has been ongoing, it gets more complicated.

In the past, Coker’s name often has appeared in the same sentence with “coach’s doghouse,” which implies a multitude of shortcomings but provides little clarity. Is it a matter of academics, or did he fail another test outside the classroom?

The potential impact of losing Coker is not so vague. It’s painfully apparent to a team which looks capable of winning the SEC East in a best-case scenario but has enough vulnerabilities to finish fourth in a worst-case scenario.

The suspension on the first day of contact drills also reminds you how quickly and drastically a team’s depth can change in a day or two. In fact, a position of strength can become one of weakness almost overnight.

UT began preseason drills last week with more experienced depth at running back than any other team in its division. In less than a week, one of its top three tailbacks has been indefinitely suspended and another, Montario Hardesty, already has been slowed by a hamstring injury. Since Hardesty missed all but two games of his freshman season because of a severe knee injury, any other injury is magnified and the question of durability is raised.

You often need three running backs to withstand an SEC season. Suddenly, UT has Arian Foster backed up by one question mark after another. Then you wonder if true-freshman Lennon Creer — a prize recruit from Tatum, Texas — is ready for SEC football.

But a position that appears to be unraveling one day can quickly come together, too. Fulmer said he expects Hardesty to be fine by Saturday. And who’s to say Coker’s absence will extend into the season?

Academics and drugs most often come to mind when you hear “indefinite suspension.” There’s nothing vague about either one. For example, the punishment for failed drug tests depends on the number of occurrences as well as the perceived potency of the drug. When a student-athlete fails a second drug test for marijuana, he is suspended until he completes a counseling program under UT’s revised program.

A quick return for Coker won’t alleviate all the concerns. You can’t help but wonder about the “medical situation.” There’s also the track record to consider. He was held out of practices leading up to the Outback Bowl for disciplinary reasons.

As you weigh those concerns, you also should remember how quickly Coker can change the course of a game. Last year, his first college pass reception turned into a 48-yard touchdown against Florida. He had an 89-yard touchdown run against Marshall and an 87-yard touchdown run against Alabama. His first carry against Penn State in the Outback Bowl was a 42-yard touchdown. He also had a 40-yard kickoff return, the longest of the season for UT.

Foster, who runs with more power, might have established himself as a superior — and certainly more dependable — all-around tailback. But Coker offers a faster change of pace.

Remember how speed from other sources impacted UT’s 2006 season opener against Cal. Hardesty scored on a 43-yard run, and Meachem converted two short passes into 42- and 80-yard touchdown plays.

The Vols lost Meachem early to the NFL. They don’t need to lose Coker early to something else.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.