Offense finds more weapons

Quarterback Erik Ainge called it an attitude adjustment.

Offensive lineman Vladimir Richard called it a desire to "man up."

However you want to phrase it, the University of Tennessee offense was able to forget about the agony of 59-20 in "The Swamp."

The result was a 48-27 romp past Arkansas State at Neyland Stadium on Saturday night.

"I thought the offensive line did well," Ainge said after going 27-of-39 for a career-high 334 yards and four touchdowns. "Third-and-short was a lot better and a lot of that goes to the offensive line.

"The running backs did a better job of not tip-toeing and putting their shoulder down. It's really just an attitude thing."

For the fourth game in a row, the offensive line didn't give up a sack.

The difference this time is the Vols were able to run the ball, something they didn't do against Florida last week.

"Looking at the numbers from the Florida game (21 carries, 37 yards), we knew we were a better offensive line than that," Richard said. "We know we can run it. We have physical guys to do it.

"We manned up and owned up after that loss. We didn't have our heads down and we just came back to work and took the next step."

Taking the biggest step - and possibly showing a sign of things to come - was LaMarcus Coker.

The sophomore running back had his first 100-yard game of the season after spending three weeks of the preseason suspended for violating team rules.

Coker finished with 101 yards on 15 carries with one rushing TD. He also occasionally lined up in the slot and caught two passes for 49 yards, including a 25-yard TD catch.

"We felt all along LaMarcus was one of our best weapons," UT offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe said. "He has tremendous speed, catches the ball well and he'll continue to grow in that package.

"He brings a lot to the table and I thought tonight he looked like the LaMarcus of old and he makes a significant difference."

Coker's big-play ability is especially appreciated by Richard and the Vols' offensive line.

"As a lineman, you want to see those big plays," Richard said. "You can grind it out. But when you've got Coker, you know he might go 3 yards, 7 yards and then burst one for 80.

"We just go out every play blocking to give our guys an opportunity to take it to the house."

Tennessee finished with 30 first downs, the most since 34 against Kentucky in 2004.

The offense piled up a season-high 523 yards against a team that had taken Texas to the wire.

One of the happiest guys in the post-game locker room was wide receiver Lucas Taylor.

He just continues to make plays and lead a receiving corps thought to be a possible weakness coming into the season.

Taylor had seven catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns. It was his third 100-yard receiving game of the season and the two scores were the first two TD catches of his career.

"My first two touchdowns," Taylor said. "That felt really good and I've just got to continue to work."

Taylor's having the kind of start he expected, whether the fans saw it coming or not.

"It was my expectation because everybody was looking forward to me filling in the shoes of Robert Meachem," he said. "That's a big part of it, just going out there and making plays and getting the chances.

"The confidence part comes in at practice and making the plays."

One of Taylor's biggest fans is Cutcliffe.

"The first thing you think is how happy you are for him because he's a great young man and a humble young man," Cutcliffe said. "The famous story of him rushing for 500 yards in high school, you saw a little of that tonight.

"I was proud of him and he'll continue to make more plays."