Depth chart to be tested against Memphis

It's November. And after two months of collisions, Tennessee is looking deeper down the depth chart than ever when Memphis visits Neyland Stadium Saturday night.

Injuries, however, aren't the only reason the Vols will be short-handed in a 7 p.m. (TV: ESPNU) kickoff against the Tigers.

Freshman free safety Janzen Jackson is expected to sit this one out for a violation of team rules although coach Lane Kiffin said he won't address Jackson's reported suspension until after the game. Jackson was selected SEC freshman of the week for his performance against South Carolina last Saturday.

Herman Lathers will be the third starter at middle linebacker, a job that has sent Nick Reveiz and Savion Frazier to the sideline with season-ending knee injuries.

Kiffin didn't specify the contingency plan for free safety, although sophomore Prentiss Waggner and freshman Darren Myles are the likely candidates to replace Jackson.

Lathers, a redshirt freshman, and true freshman Nigel Mitchell-Thornton are bracketed at middle linebacker. The "Mike" backer calls UT's defensive signals.

"It's an adjustment,'' said safety Eric Berry, "but at the same time, Coach Kiffin has been saying that everyone is a starter.

"If you're the second-team guy, third-team guy, you're going to be practicing like a first-team guy.''

The defense also will be without senior cornerback Marsalous Johnson, who injured his thumb in a 31-13 win over South Carolina last week. Brent Vinson is the leading candidate for the nickel-back situations in which Johnson played.

Dennis Rogan and Art Evans remain the starting cornerbacks.

Backup defensive end Gerald Williams is questionable, but the Vols hope to have starter Chris Walker back at the other end. Willie Bohannon started in place of Walker (sore back) last week,

Ground Broken: UT held a ground-breaking ceremony Friday afternoon for the new $39 million football complex. The four-story, 132,000-square-foot facility adjacent to the Neyland-Thompson Complex will include new locker rooms, a players lounge, equipment and meeting rooms, coaches offices, a two-story weight room and training and hydrotherapy rooms.

Fullback Routes: When Austin Johnson and Kevin Cooper each scored on touchdown passes last week, it was the first TD reception by a UT fullback since Cory Anderson in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, 2005, a span of 59 games and more than 3,700 offensive snaps.

The last time two different UT fullbacks caught TD passes in the same game was Oct. 30, 2004, when Chris Brown and David Holbert did so in a 43-29 win over South Carolina.

On Guard: Kiffin said he didn't think either Cory Sullins or Vlad Richard played especially well at left guard against South Carolina. The job was open during practice during the week, as were several other position battles.

Homecoming: Wins are supposed to be a foregone conclusion on homecoming but the Vols have sent the alums home grousing two of the past seven years.

No. 1-ranked Miami dominated 26-3 in 2002, a case of poor scheduling by UT. Wyoming shocked the Vols last year, 13-7.

Memphis has served as homecoming opponent eight times, including the Tigers' three most recent visits: 1999, 2001, 2005.

Bearden Pipeline: Memphis kicker/punter Matt Reagan prepped at Bearden High School, following in the punting footsteps of former Vols Dustin and Britton Colquitt.

QB Derby: Memphis is on its third starting quarterback of the season. Will Hudgens, a sixth-year senior, has started the past three games.

Arkelon Hall started the first two, then was benched in favor of Tyler Bass. Bass got three starts before being injured.

"Will's been here 14 years,'' quipped Memphis coach Tommy West. "He's as old as I am.''

Quick Hitters: Eric Collins and Brock Huard call the game for UT's debut on ESPNU. . . . Memphis is rested, idle since an Oct. 27 loss to East Carolina. . . . All-SEC center Bubba Miller (1992-96) and All-America kicker Ricky Townsend (1972-74) are this week's Legends of the Game.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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