KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- No. 4 Tennessee's defensive approach against the option Notre Dame uses is what the Vols call "assignment football."

What defensive coordinator John Chavis doesn't want to see is his players putting their assignment too high on the priority list. The Vols defense relies on speed and can't afford to wait a beat before reacting.

Chavis says it can't be any different Saturday night when the 24th-ranked Fighting Irish (5-3) visit Knoxville.

"We're going to be aggressive," Chavis said. "There may be times we stay at home, but we won't be there very long. If you sit back and let them dictate, it's going to be a long night."

Chavis said the Vols, who remain the only Division I-A team in the country that has not allowed a rushing touchdown, are just as concerned about Notre Dame's inside rushing game as they are the option. Freshman tailback Julius Jones gained 146 yards against Navy last week, the most for a Notre Dame freshman since 1975.

"It's not all option," Chavis said. "If you approach it that way you'll get wore out. What they like to do is hammer you between the tackles."

Notre Dame averages 206 yards a game on the ground and 233 yards a game in the air behind Jarious Jackson, whose passing efficiency rating is ninth best in the nation.

"You have to defend the quarterback. He'll make some plays. We just have to make more plays," said Vols coach Phillip Fulmer. " We'll have to stop their inside run. They do a really good job with their power game. Add the option, all their perimeter game and the passing game, and they make it tough to defend."

The Vols are sixth in the country against the run, allowing 79 yards a game.

On the other side of the ball, the Irish have given up 135 yards a game on the ground and 226 a game in the air, leading to 23 points a game.

"Three hundred and sixty-one yards a game is not that much, really," said Tennessee offensive coordinator Randy Sanders.

Tee Martin's assessment of the Notre Dame defense: "Every one of those guys is good. It'll be a test to execute our offense. If you don't they can take the ball away and score points on you."

Notre Dame will be on the road for the first time since Sept. 11, and coach Bob Davie says the Irish are looking forward to it.

"We played a lot of good teams from a lot of different parts of the country this year. I know our players would agree that Tennessee is the best team we've played," Davie said. "They're the defending national champions and have won 20 straight at home. They get your attention."

After an up-and-down year in which the Irish have rallied to win four straight after starting 1-3, the trip to Knoxville is a chance to prove they can play with anybody, Davie said. He also noted that recognizing the opportunity and making it a reality are different things.

"There have been 20 teams in a row go down to Knoxville and try to do the same thing; a lot of good SEC teams, and it would have done the same thing for them as well," he said. "With anybody that can go into Knoxville in front of 107,000 people and beat them there it would do a lot. So obviously it would do a lot for us as well."