True freshman Dennis Rogan has spent his Tennessee football career answering questions.

First, he proved he could get academically eligible without a prep school stopover.

The 5-foot-10, 182-pounder then proved he was big enough to stake a claim for playing time at an SEC school despite a late-summer start to his first season.

Now, Rogan's proving to be a key player in the Vols' march toward the SEC championship game after a 25-24 comeback victory over Vanderbilt in Neyland Stadium on Saturday.

The former Fulton High School star soared into a starring role when he sparked the Vols' winning drive with a shifty 45-yard punt return.

"You never know what would have happened if we would have had those other 40 yards to win," quarterback Erik Ainge said. "We could have gone three-and-out, had to punt and might not have won the football game."

Rogan wasn't available to reporters, as per UT's freshman media policy. But UT was willing to release a statement from the former high-school-star-turned-senior-day savior.

"I took my chances and tried to outrun the first guy," Rogan said of his decision to bounce the return outside. "I beat them to the wall and followed my blocking."

With UT clinging to a one-point lead in the closing moments, Rogan fought through two kick-return blockers to stop Vanderbilt's D.J. Moore just as Moore was about to break into open field at the UT 42.

"To be the safety and get the guy on the field at the end was an incredible effort by him," Vols' coach Phillip Fulmer said.

Fulton head coach Buck Coatney didn't seem surprised that Rogan showed up in such a clutch situation. Why should he? Rogan was key in leading Fulton to three state titles.

"The thing about Dennis is he's been in some big-game situations - not as big a crowd as this - but some pressure situations," Coatney said.

Coatney said he could tell from his end zone seat that it was just a matter of time until Rogan made a play.

"Just give him a little bit of a crease," Coatney said. "He took advantage of it."

Spread Thin: UT went with a rare five-receiver, no-back offense during its second possession. It was the first time UT has run that package this season.

It worked for three first downs but bogged down after reaching the Vandy 24, after which a field-goal try was no good.

"We don't just make that crap up," Fulmer said. "We think it's going to work. It was out of respect to Vanderbilt's defense and also a way we could out-athlete them in open spaces."

Receiver Austin Rogers said UT decided to use the package after seeing how much success Florida had against Vanderbilt with the same approach.

"It really spreads out their zone," the sophomore said. "There's a lot of holes in it."

The five-wide was on the shelf when Vandy counteracted it with an unforeseen blitz package.

"They surprised us with the pressure they gave us," UT offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe said.

From that point forward, the Vols relied on a four-receiver package to spread the field and kept a back in for protection.

Up Front: Sophomore Vladimir Richard played most of the second half in place of starting right guard Jacques McClendon.

Richard has played extensively this season, but mostly at left guard. Richard has regularly been inserted in the second or third quarter but usually has given way to the starter in the fourth.

"The momentum was going and I didn't want to make a change," offensive line coach Greg Adkins said. "It has nothing to do with what Jacques did or did not do."

Reload: The Vols pulled out the G-Gun midway through the fourth quarter, trailing 24-16. The Commodores weren't ready for the package and called timeout when Gerald Jones lined up at quarterback.

On the ensuing play, the G-Gun was holstered. Ainge came back in at quarterback and completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to Rogers.

Bowling: Representatives from the Capital One (Orlando, Fla.), Outback (Tampa, Fla.) and Chick-Fil-A (Atlanta) were in attendance.

Friendly Ghost: Nobody despised Vanderbilt more than the late George Cafego, the former UT All-American and long-time kicking coach. Inevitably, several folks invoked a supernatural reference to the dramatic ending as the Commodores' game-winning field goal try barely missed.

"Coach Cafego, we felt like his presence was out there," said Fulmer, "pushing that thing, and made it hit the goal post."

Injury Report: UT didn't suffer any serious injuries against the Commodores.

Defensive tackle Demonte' Bolden aggravated a turf toe injury he suffered last week in practice. Offensive lineman Ramon Foster broke his right thumb in pre-game drills, but played. Defensive end Xavier Mitchell suffered a stinger in his left shoulder but returned to the game.

All are expected to be available against Kentucky on Saturday.

For Kicks: Daniel Lincoln admitted he thought it might not be his day when a field-goal attempt hit the upright after missing his first extra point of his career.

"What more? What else can go wrong?" the freshman recalled thinking.

That didn't matter when UT needed him to kick a 33-yard field goal to take the lead.

"I'm just blessed to have that opportunity to come back," he said.

Troop's Troupe: Receivers coach Trooper Taylor said he tried to pull Lucas Taylor out of the game.

"He was not coming out, toe or not," Taylor said. "Erik (Ainge) wanted him in there."

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.