All offseason long, Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer has talked about the importance of those few plays that make the difference in winning games.

On Wednesday, he delivered that message again in the hopes that it will sink in for some of Vols’ role players.

“We’re working with the second team and the third and understanding if we go four good plays and one bad one, that’s not good enough,” Fulmer said. “Assignment, techniques, fundamentals, just got to be more consistent.”

The apparent stumbling block isn’t physical ability, Fulmer said.

“We’ve got guys with really good potential that in a game, like against a California, a Southern Miss or a Florida would go in and stop a drive or give up a big play,” Fulmer said. “We’ve absolutely got to take a step from the mental toughness standpoint, the mental assignment standpoint to be in the right place and give (themselves) a chance fundamentally for success. That was the point of this morning.”

It’s point Fulmer isn’t really fond of making again.

Mental mistakes cost the Vols on a crucial third down play late in a one-point home loss to Florida.

In a four-point loss to LSU, the Tennessee couldn’t find enough plays to hold a 10-point lead in the second half.

“(Against LSU) you’ve got one or two plays that decided the ballgame,” Fulmer said. “We make it, we win the ballgame. Florida, we make it, we win the ballgame. Those are what we’re pushing for. It’s that close in this league. It’s that close when you play a team like Cal.

“If we melt like we did a couple times today, with a couple of people, then we’re going to give up big plays and stop drives or cause fumbles.

Fulmer specifically mentioned receivers and offensive line as positions where consistent production needs to rise to the level of physical talent.

Open Receivers: Wide receiver Josh Briscoe says Austin Rogers and Lucas Taylor have separated themselves from the pack.

But behind those two players, Briscoe says it’s still a battle for playing time.

“Me and Quintin (Hancock), Kenny (O’Neal), Brent Vinson, Denarius (Moore), we have to continue to make plays,” Briscoe said. “We’re all fighting for those last two positions. We’re going to rotate four or five receivers, however many we have ready. We just have to get ready for that and think, ‘That spot is mine.’ ”

What didn’t help, Briscoe said, was the number of balls thrown to the tight ends in Saturday’s scrimmage.

“When we watched film, we saw the tight ends was getting just as many passes thrown to them as they were us,” Briscoe said. “It kind of made us think, we got to go out there and make more plays than we have been.”

Knock on Wood: With injuries taking their toll elsewhere around the SEC, the Vols have stayed relatively healthy.

David Holbert, who suffered a torn ACL last Friday, is the only major injury so far in fall camp.

Linebacker Ellix Wilson injured his MCL, but is expected back by next week.

Fulmer said the Vols’ lack of injuries is a by-product of becoming a tougher football team.

“I told them the first day, and really it’s going all the way back to spring practice,” Fulmer said. “If you’re tough, you’re not going to get hurt. Sometimes there’s injuries you can’t help like David Holbert or something, but our team’s trying to show the toughness we’re looking for.”

Extra Points: The Vols will hold their final two-a-day practice Thursday, beginning shortly after 7 a.m. The NCAA allows just two such practices during fall camp. … After spending the first week and a half of camp working out on the outfield of Lindsey Nelson Stadium, the Vols will practice Thursday at Haslam Field, their dedicated outdoor practice field. … Tennessee has 10 practice dates (including a full scrimmage Saturday night and a kicking scrimmage Aug. 25) remaining before the start of game-week preparations for California.

Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.