The fullback position is one of little fame and is one where the role goes to the forgotten man. Freshman Channing Fugate fits that category and fits that role just fine.

Fugate was a forgotten guy in the recruiting process. He was the often times forgotten mid-term enrollee and up until a suspension to senior Kevin Cooper, Fugate's freshman year appeared headed to special teams obscurity.

But after getting his first start a week ago, Fugate's poised to be a factor the rest of the season as the Kentucky native is slated to start ahead of Cooper, who returns from suspension Saturday night.

"Yeah, it did a little bit," Fugate said when asked if he was surprised he was still starting. "I just tried to go in there and play my hardest and see where it goes from there. I hope the coaches can see now that me and Coop (Kevin Cooper) can both get the job done, which makes the position that much better.

"I thought my first year, I would come in and relieve Coop (Kevin Cooper) a little bit and finish some games. Then this opportunity came and I am trying to make the most of it. I never thought it would be right here, right now."

Perhaps not, but as offensive coordinator Jim Chaney noted after Wednesday's practice, Fugate simply did too many things well to keep the Jackson, Ky., native off the field moving forward.

"I thought he played a wonderful ballgame for a true freshman on the road starting his first ball game," Chaney said. "I was really impressed. I was really pleased with him. It's always disappointing to lose a ballgame, but I think we all understand that in loss and defeat there can be some good and bad things. I thought Channing's performance was a bright spot in the ball game.

"I thought his physical play, his energy, his awareness. He looked liked he belonged. He looked like a fullback. When we got loose somewhere he was there to back us up. I just think he played with a lot of good instincts and a natural fullback."

As Fugate, who had his first career reception at South Carolina, prepares for his second start, he admits things are a little more relaxed this week.

"It's been a little bit easier. Last week, I was a little bit unsure how I would do in there," said the 6-foot-2, 244-pounder. "When I saw that I could go in there, compete and do good, it gave me a lot more confidence.

"It was crazy with my first start. I just tried to get ready all week and help the team as much as I could."

While Fugate realized Saturday that he can play in the SEC, he's quick to point out that he is a long way from arriving in his college career.

"I have to work on my blocking a little bit. I think I can help catching some balls out in the flat. I think I have the size and strength to be a good blocker," Fugate said. "I feel like it's easier to block in the pass game. In the run game, you actually have to move the defender to open up a running hole. In the pass game, you have to just keep them from getting to the quarterback. The run game is a little bit tougher."

The other thing that Fugate sees tougher is practice. In fact, he found Saturday's game to be easier than what he went through last week.

"I felt like the game felt easier than practice. In practice in a lot of drills the defense knows what you are doing. In a game, your adrenaline is pumping and it's a lot more fun to go play a game and go in there and just try to smash people."

It's something the no-longer wide-eyed freshman hopes to do more of Saturday night in his second career start.