UT returns to SEC play Saturday against Arkansas as they continue their effort to win the SEC East. If the Vols win their remaining three games they will represent the East in the conference championship game. Saturday?s game brings together two teams that have won five out of their last six games.

The Vols are coming off a 59-7 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette, the biggest margin of victory in the last seven years.

On offense Arkansas is well known for its dual running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. The duo rushed for a combined 489 yards last week against South Carolina. Darren McFadden set an SEC single-game record with 321 rushing yards. UT?s focus this week has been stopping the run, and coach Phillip Fulmer said that this game will be decided by the offensive and defensive lines.

?In the Southeastern Conference, you have got to win on the line of scrimmage,? Fulmer said. ?We can not give up chunks of yards to these guys even though they?ve done that against almost every football team that they play.?

The Tennessee defensive line has already given up six 100-yard performances, including four 200-yard rushing games. Linebacker Jerod Mayo said Darren McFadden and Jones don?t need a lot of room to hurt the Vols defense.

?They do not have to have a big hole to bust a run for 80 yards,? Mayo said.

The Vols are also coming off one of their most impressive rushing efforts of the season as they had two runners break the 100 yard mark last week against Louisiana-Lafayette. Freshman Lennon Creer moved up the depth chart after the dismissal of LaMarcus Coker and rushed for a career high of 109 yards on seven carries. Lennon Creer showed his speed and his emphasis on finishing his runs according to coaches. Starter Arian Foster had his third 100 yard game of the season and has eight touchdowns in his last five games.

Offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe emphasized the running game for UT, but said it can only be done if the passing game is effective.

?In this league the team that runs the ball best usually wins? however, we?ve got to be successful throwing the ball to be able to run the ball,? Cutcliffe said.

The Vols could receive a boost in the passing game with the return of tight end Brad Cottam after a wrist injury. Cottam tried to apply for a second red-shirt year, but was denied by the NCAA. It is unknown how much Cottam will see the field against Arkansas, but Fulmer said that the tight end is ready to go.

Quarterback Erik Ainge will face Arkansas for the first time after sitting out last year?s game because of an ankle injury. Sophomore Jonathan Crompton came in as relief in the Vols 31-14 loss.

?It (Crompton playing) changed the game plan a little bit,? Cutcliffe said. ?He did a tremendous job, but he did not have a much water under the bridge, so that limited what he could do, and Arkansas did a great job taking advantage of putting pressure on them.?

Last week UT also had the chance to experiment with receiver Gerald Jones at quarterback for special formation plays. Coaches say that they would have tried this in a game earlier this season if Jones had not been banged up.

?Its just all a numbers game,? Cutcliffe said. ?Defensive people have gotten bigger and faster and consume the field so much better. If you take your thrower and make him a runner. You even the numbers up and that is what teams are looking for.

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