This week Tennessee wide receiver Josh Briscoe will deliver the same message to his teammates he did before last Saturday.

With everything lined up in the Vols' favor, Briscoe told his teammates just before they bowed their heads to pray that their table had been prepared inside Neyland Stadium.

"It's time to go out and eat," Briscoe said. "We ate this past weekend, and we've got four more weeks to eat."

Or be eaten.

At first glance, today's 4 o'clock homecoming game against Louisiana-Lafayette might seem like the perfect game.

The Ragin' Cajuns are 1-7, with their win coming against North Texas, another one-win team.

Today is the only respite in the final eight games from a wild SEC East race for the 24th-ranked Vols, who enter 5-3 after last week's overtime victory over South Carolina.

And Louisiana could prove ample preparation for Arkansas' SEC-leading rushing offense that visits next week.

"I think what it is is an opportunity to come out and get better," defensive end Xavier Mitchell said. "Arkansas has a great running attack, and Louisiana-Lafayette has one as well. So we're going to use this as a stepping stone to get better and make ourselves better for next week."

Defensive coordinator John Chavis would agree - with the first part of that statement, at least.

With Tennessee's defense giving up more than 400 yards and 31 points a game, averages that rank 89th and 85th in the country, respectively, Chavis isn't overlooking any games.

Or any plays for that matter.

"I hadn't even thought about it," Chavis said this week when a reporter asked if Lafayette would be good preparation for Arkansas rushing game. "Where we are right now, all our energy and focus better be on getting ready to play one play at a time."

At least offensively, the Ragin' Cajuns will give the Vols plenty of chances to focus on defense.

Quarterback Michael Desormeaux averages 110 yards a game on the ground running the Cajuns' option offense.

And Desormeaux's not just a quarterback. Last season, he played on punt block and coverage teams, as well as quarterback and defensive back in Louisiana's dime package.

Tailbacks Tyrell Fenroy and Deon Wallace each averages a respectable 5.7 yards per carry as well.

The Ragin' Cajuns don't exactly throw the ball like they did in the days when Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme and Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokely were featured parts of the offense.

But last week, the Vols' passing offense didn't exactly resemble its usual identity, either.

Quarterback Erik Ainge had admittedly the worst game of his career under offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe.

Last week, he completed 59 percent of his passes for 216 yards, his third lowest total since taking over the starting job full time last season.

And then there's the matter of personnel.

Sophomore Chris Scott will make his first start at left tackle in place of Eric Young, who on Sunday underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn quadriceps tendon in his left knee.

Sophomore Jacques McClendon will make his second career start at right guard, Scott's old position.

The Vols will be without starting defensive tackle Demonte' Bolden and backup tailback LaMarcus Coker. Bolden is suspended, Coker was dismissed from the team Friday.

J.T. Mapu will start for Bolden, but his absence strains UT's depth up front.

Walter Fisher is the only other defensive tackle who has routinely played.

The Vols are also stretched thin in the secondary after losing cornerback Marsalous Johnson to a torn meniscus.

That means a second start for DeAngelo Willingham and increased playing time for former Fulton High School standout Dennis Rogan and fellow true freshman Art Evans.

So while it's homecoming, a game the Vols have won by an average of 24 points under UT coach Phillip Fulmer, it's also a dry run.

After this week, the Vols can't afford to lose another game while controlling their fate in the SEC.

Keep winning, and the road to Atlanta for the SEC championship game is smooth and paved.

"We understand that," Ainge said. "Now does that mean we're going to play better than we've ever played for four games straight? I don't know. Things happen.

"But I know we're going to prepare and we're going to go to practice and do all the things we can do leading up to each Saturday to be the best we can be."

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

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.