In the Rebel Yell front office, concern over the readiness of tailback Priest Holmes is a painful and ongoing vigil. Not since the Bo Jackson injury, or maybe even since Elvis Presley first appeared on the prime time stage of the Ed Sullivan Show, gyrating his pelvis in a suggestive manner that caused network censors to squirm uneasily, has a hip been so meticulously monitored.

And little wonder. Holmes is hardly a one-man offense but, given his performance over a two-season stretch in which he was the NFL's premier all-around back, he certainly is the linchpin of one of its most explosive attacks. Since being plucked from the free agent bargain basement on Draft Day '01, the onetime EFFL afterthought has registered 4,456 combined yards from scrimmage, scored 34 touchdowns and earned a pair of Pro Bowl selections.

Fueling the angst surrounding Holmes, who missed the final two outings of the season and subsequently underwent surgery on his right hip, are a spate of disparate and clouded reports about his recovery.

While team president/owner Mark Saylor, agent Robert Lee IV and even Holmes himself, declare the star runner will be ready for camp practices, there seems no guarantee at this point. It could simply be blind faith (a commodity any guy named Priest is sure to possess in large doses), and not the latest orthopedic reports, doing most of the talking. Even optimistic coach Ashley Judd occasionally waffles, if one reads closely enough between the lines, on Holmes' status.

The Rebel Yell are well-coached, possess one of the most stable and able front offices in the league, have an offense capable of short-circuiting any scoreboard. But if The Priest isn't in the lineup, the Rebel Yell might not have a prayer of ending a Superbowl drought that has now reached six seasons.

Noted offensive coordinator Al Saunders last month: "Nothing against my wife and kids … but (Holmes) is the most important person in my life right now."