At some point you'd think Tauren Poole would start looking like a freshman.

Surely the star running back from Stephens County High School in Toccoa, Ga., can't keep turning in sensational scrimmage plays and impressing Tennessee coaches with a diligent work ethic beyond his years.

Surely the pressure of the college game and/or college life will eventually get to him.

Maybe not.

"He just keeps getting better and better," running backs coach Stan Drayton said. "The more reps he gets the stronger he tends to run the football.

"We just keep piling on the information and he keeps eating it up. He's a student of the game. He loves to play it and I'm real satisfied with his effort. Hopefully he keeps it going."

Poole put up a modest stat line during Saturday's scrimmage, 14 carries for 38 yards and two receptions for 12 yards, but showed dynamic flashes, especially on a twisting, multi-tackle-breaking 22-yard run behind UT's second-string offensive line.

"He has the ability to put his foot in the ground and make a vertical cut," offensive coordinator Dave Clawson said. "Tauren is really good at seeing leverage on a block and ... hitting the thing north and south and not bouncing things laterally and losing yards or running out of room."

Perhaps that is Poole's most surprising attribute. At just 5-foot-10 and perhaps close to his 200-pound listed weight, Poole seems most comfortable running between the tackles and absorbing contact.

"He's starting to play fast now," Drayton said.

Poole almost certainly wouldn't be in this position had it not been for his early entrance at UT. Poole enrolled in January to get a head start on his football career.

Now Poole is battling for playing time with sophomore Lennon Creer, the speedy tailback from Texas who had 70 yards on nine carries on Saturday.

Creer, however, fumbled the ball following a jarring hit from freshman reserve safety Prentiss Waggner.

"That was a good hit on Lennon, although he should have had it higher and tighter," head coach Phillip Fulmer said. "We don't ever accept a fumble."

For Poole to be a factor in games and not just scrimmages, he'll have to prove he can help protect quarterback Jonathan Crompton. If there's one shortcoming of Poole's game, it's pass protection - for now.

"He's got to get better at it," Drayton said. "He's not afraid. There are times when he's a little overaggressive.

"There's a point in time in protection when you have to be patient. He doesn't quite have that timing down. That takes time."

UT's coaches have no reason to think Poole won't eventually pick up pass protection. There's so much confidence in Poole that Clawson is already thinking of ways to utilize the emerging freshman.

"He's doing things that we need to create a role for him," Clawson said. "Whatever that is, we've got to find a way to get him on the field."

Tough Spot: Clawson admitted that preparing an offense without his expected full complement of tight ends has been challenging. The Vols are still waiting on a decision from the NCAA on transfer Brandon Warren and junior Jeff Cottam has been slow to recover from a broken leg suffered in spring practice.

That leaves freshman Aaron Douglas, who is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, and sophomore Luke Stocker, a standout performer in spring practice.

"Luke Stocker is a tremendous tight end and we need to develop some depth there," Clawson said. "At the same time we have to develop a plan to play without a tight end. That's the challenge."

The Vols relied heavily on two-tight end sets last season, and they'd likely do the same in 2008 with a full stable of tight ends. However, with the issues at tight end and emerging fullback Kevin Cooper, more I-formation could be an option.

Off And Running: UT's top four tailbacks - senior Arian Foster, junior Montario Hardesty, Creer and Poole - averaged 4.45 yards per carry in Saturday's scrimmage.

"We wanted to run the ball tonight and move the line of scrimmage," Clawson said. "It's one thing to say it and another thing to do it."

The Vols certainly did it at times, just a week after struggling to run the football in their first scrimmage.

"Our defense presents enough problem that it's a challenge every day," offensive line coach Greg Adkins said. "It looked like there were some good things that happened out here.

"You should make the most progress from the first to the second scrimmage. I thought we had a good week of practice, period."

Injury Report: Defensive tackle Chase Nelson was released from the hospital Friday after undergoing successful repair of a torn patella tendon in his left knee.

According to a UT release, head athletic trainer Jason McVeigh remains hopeful the junior can return as early as next spring, but expects a full recovery in time for 2009 fall camp.

Sophomore defensive end Chris Walker suffered a groin injury and freshman H-back Austin Johnson suffered an ankle injury in Saturday's scrimmage. Neither injury is thought to be serious. Both are expected to return within a week, according to Fulmer.

Young Ones: Fulmer said he expects to play eight to 11 newcomers - transfers and freshman - this season. Freshman offensive lineman Preston Bailey from Montgomery Bell Academy has been one of the latest to impress.

"Bailey has really come on at offensive guard," Fulmer said.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.