Nevin McKenzie

KNOXVILLE — One of the University of Tennessee’s most important starting position battles may be its most ironical.

Adam Myers-White, the nation’s No. 12 high school free safety prospect in 2005, is competing against Nevin McKenzie, the country’s No. 4 junior college defensive back prospect in 2007. That’s right, two highly recruited safeties are battling for the starting strongside linebacker spot in their final seasons of eligibility.

“You’ve got two seniors competing for the same spot — that’s kind of unusual,” Vols coach Phillip Fulmer said. “It will be a heck of a battle. I don’t think either one of them’s going to blink.”

Neither player thought he’d move from the secondary, but Fulmer told them they could be slow safeties or fast linebackers.

“That made the decision easier,” Fulmer said.

Undecided starting positions almost always create fierce competition, especially for seniors.

“You don’t come here to wait around, but some things don’t work out that way,” Myers-White said. “You’ve just got to be patient and when your opportunity comes, you’ve just got to run with it.”

Both players are listed at 6-foot-2, 215-pounds, though Myers-White looks a littler taller and McKenzie a little thicker. Regardless, both still look like safeties — not that UT defensive coordinator John Chavis has ever had a problem with small linebackers.

“I would have liked to play safety, but I’ll do whatever the coaches ask,” said McKenzie, who did not complain during his midseason position switch last year. His physicality got him considerably more snaps than Myers-White at the position last season. McKenzie finished with 35 tackles and 2.5 sacks — two coming in the SEC championship game loss to LSU, which he left early with a small ankle fracture. He missed the Outback Bowl victory over Wisconsin and was limited in spring practice with the injury.

McKenzie came to UT with a reputation as a fierce hitter and he hasn’t disappointed in that department.

“Nevin’s never had a problem hitting people,” Fulmer said. “He’s found his spot there at Sam linebacker that fits him. He’ll have to get back into it, because he’s missed a little bit. But I don’t have to worry about him hitting anybody.”

Myers-White came to college with immense hype following an invitation to the prestigious U.S. Army high school All-American game in San Antonio. The Ohio native has barely made an impact on the field with just 24 tackles in 33 games, but his consistency in every other area convinced Fulmer to let him represent the defense in July’s SEC Media Days.

“I’ve worked hard, and like anybody else, I just hope it pays off in the end,” said Myers-White, who had five tackles on defense and 10 on special teams last season.

Myers-White said McKenzie has already locked up one linebacker spot in Chavis’s “Mustang,” long-yardage package. But the biggest prize — the starting job at a position that Fulmer said runs the defense — is still open.

“But there’s times when we can get both of those guys on the field, as we scheme around our personnel,” Fulmer added.

The players seemed timid when asked who would win the job, and both firmly deflected those questions to the coaches. All-SEC junior weakside linebacker Rico McCoy remained in a neutral position.

McCoy joked about playing a 3-4-base defense with four linebackers.

“There you go,” McCoy added. “That’s the answer. Play them both.”

Coaches are hoping that competition will give them at least one SEC-caliber player at a crucial position in Chavis’s scheme. Both former safeties should shine in pass coverage, but the better every-down player will stay atop the depth chart.

“It’s going to be fun,” Myers-White said. “It’s a great challenge for both of us. We’re both going to have a great year.