Adams: Brown looks more appealing than ever : govolsxtra.com

Bryce Brown has been hurt from head to hip this preseason. His eligibility is being scrutinized by the NCAA.

But neither issue was a factor when the freshman running back got the football in Tennessee's scrimmage Saturday afternoon at Neyland Stadium.

He got the ball only four times. That was enough for the fans who hadn't had a chance to size up the most celebrated signee of UT's 2009 recruiting class.

And with each carry, you could see why UT is appealing the NCAA's undisclosed ruling. Never mind that running back is one of its deepest positions. It doesn't want to lose Brown for even one game.

There was a theme to Brown's four runs. On each one, the defense went backward on contact. His longest gain was 12 yards, but his 5-yard touchdown run provided the most compelling video. After being hit at the line of scrimmage, he maintained his balance and headed for the right pylon. He broke another tackle before stepping into the end zone.

UT defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin offered commentary for the rest of the staff through the phone lines.

"I was on the phone (saying), 'The bad news is we looked bad on that play,' " Kiffin said. " 'The good news it was Bryce Brown. And he's on our team.' "

Defensive line coach Ed Orgeron was similarly impressed.

"He's physical," Orgeron said. "He's a big back with speed, who kind of reminds me of LenDale White that we had at USC.

"Yeah, I think he is faster (than White). He's very explosive."

Brown is starting to remind me of someone else.

This marks the 20th anniversary of running back Chuck Webb's debut as a redshirt freshman at UT. He only played one full season, suffered a severe knee injury the following year, and never made it in the NFL.

But in the 1989 season, he was spectacular. He rushed for 294 yards against Ole Miss and gained 250 more against Arkansas in the 1990 Cotton Bowl. Those still rank as the top two single-game rushing performances in UT history. He finished the season with 1,236 yards and a per-carry average of 5.9 yards.

UT's Jamal Lewis was a bigger, faster back than Webb; given his success in the NFL, a comparison might seem silly. But Webb was a more relentless, versatile runner at UT.

The defense never knew what it might get from him - sheer speed, a sharp cut or pure power. He could punish defenders as well as elude them.

Brown might not be as compact as Webb, but he has demonstrated similar running versatility in preseason camp. He has beaten the defense around the corner, busted through defenders in the middle of the line, and made the kind of moves in the open field that can turn a 15-yard gain into a 50-yard play.

As Allen Iverson would point out, "It's practice; it's not a game." But I'm starting to get the same feeling about Brown as I had about Peyton Manning, Heath Shuler, Carl Pickens and Webb before they ever played a game. And they did OK.

I almost forgot to mention: Brown wasn't full speed Saturday.

"He was questionable," UT coach Lane Kiffin said. "We warmed him up, thought (he was) about 85 percent. So we gave him a little bit of action."

And he gave them something in return. He gave them more incentive to win their appeal.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.