OrangeCrush18
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By CHRIS LOW
Staff Writer
KNOXVILLE True freshman quarterbacks aren't supposed to hit their third or fourth option for 32 yards on a critical fourth-and-6 play against Florida.
They're not supposed to feel pressure coming as naturally as Erik Ainge seems to. They're not supposed to be able to put the ball in such tight spots as Ainge, and they're not supposed to carry themselves with the poise of a four-year starter every time they step into the huddle.
''He's really down to business, so calm and collected,'' Tennessee senior offensive tackle Michael Munoz said. ''I was amazed that he was telling some of the wide receivers what to look for in some of their routes.
''I was like, 'How old is this guy?' He's beyond his years.''
Ainge, who leads the SEC in passing efficiency and ranks fourth nationally, is taking it all in stride. He clearly has been the Vols' more effective quarterback the last two games, but that doesn't mean he's laying claim to the job.
He said he wouldn't have a problem if Brent Schaeffer were to start again this Saturday against Auburn, although Coach Phillip Fulmer said yesterday that he has yet to make that decision.
''There's definitely competition, and it's definitely still a race,'' said Ainge, who's 23-of-35 for 357 yards and five touchdowns in his last six quarters. ''Right now, we're both playing simply because one of us hasn't completely proven ourselves over the other one. It's hard for a team to prepare for both of us.''
Ainge said the Vols' offensive line and the skill players around him were the reason it has looked so easy for him.
''When you have an offensive line playing like ours, it's almost like a 7-on-7 tournament out there throwing the ball,'' said Ainge, who has not been sacked. ''I know that's going to change when we play Auburn and Georgia, but I've had a lot of time to throw the ball.''
Ainge said he has looked forward to facing the Auburn defense since reading an article about the Tigers' linebackers a year ago in ESPN the Magazine.
To this point, Ainge said defenses haven't blitzed him that much. He expects that to change against Auburn.
''Their corners are pretty good, and I think their secondary thinks they're pretty good,'' Ainge said. ''That can be good, and that can be bad. They're big, strong physical people. But I think we have the best receiving corps one through eight in the country, and they haven't faced a team like us yet. LSU is good, but all their receivers are young.''
While some have been surprised at how much success Ainge has had this early, he's not.
''I don't think throwing the ball, running around and moving in the pocket is something I'm ever going to have to worry about,'' Ainge said. ''It's more, 'Am I throwing it to the right guy?' With each week, the defenses get more complicated and will start gearing it more toward me and will start playing different coverages trying to fool me.
''The faster I can start to pick that up every single play, and I can pick it up a lot, but the faster I can pick it up every single play will determine my success.''
So far, Ainge said Florida was the only team that really tried to get into his head during the game. But he knows more of the mental warfare is coming.
He said a couple of the Florida linebackers used some colorful language on a third down-play.
''They were telling me they were going to blitz and come get me,'' Ainge said. ''We had a screen called, so I kind of smiled and was like, 'All right, come get me' and threw the ball out there and made a first down.''
Ainge said the game has slowed down considerably for him since the opener against UNLV. He also has noticed a difference in the coaches' confidence in him and what plays they call.
''He's walking around with that swagger you like your quarterback to have,'' said senior center Jason Respert, one of the Vols' team captains.
Although they don't spend much time together away from the field, Ainge said he and Schaeffer share a mutual respect and that there's no jealousy.
The only appeal to starting, Ainge said, would be that he hasn't done it before.
''The fact that it says Schaeffer is 3-0 (as a starter), that kind of stuff really doesn't bother me at all,'' said Ainge, whose parents have made the trip from Hillsboro, Ore., to see him play all three games and will be in Neyland Stadium again on Saturday night.
Fulmer said his rationale for who plays will continue to be pretty simple: Whoever plays the best will play the most.
''I'm not getting all caught up in (who starts), and I wish you guys wouldn't, either,'' Fulmer said yesterday to a large media contingent. ''I don't know why it's such a big deal. We've got an exciting thing going on. I like the way it's happening and I think most of the people do that follow Tennessee football.''
Staff Writer
KNOXVILLE True freshman quarterbacks aren't supposed to hit their third or fourth option for 32 yards on a critical fourth-and-6 play against Florida.
They're not supposed to feel pressure coming as naturally as Erik Ainge seems to. They're not supposed to be able to put the ball in such tight spots as Ainge, and they're not supposed to carry themselves with the poise of a four-year starter every time they step into the huddle.
''He's really down to business, so calm and collected,'' Tennessee senior offensive tackle Michael Munoz said. ''I was amazed that he was telling some of the wide receivers what to look for in some of their routes.
''I was like, 'How old is this guy?' He's beyond his years.''
Ainge, who leads the SEC in passing efficiency and ranks fourth nationally, is taking it all in stride. He clearly has been the Vols' more effective quarterback the last two games, but that doesn't mean he's laying claim to the job.
He said he wouldn't have a problem if Brent Schaeffer were to start again this Saturday against Auburn, although Coach Phillip Fulmer said yesterday that he has yet to make that decision.
''There's definitely competition, and it's definitely still a race,'' said Ainge, who's 23-of-35 for 357 yards and five touchdowns in his last six quarters. ''Right now, we're both playing simply because one of us hasn't completely proven ourselves over the other one. It's hard for a team to prepare for both of us.''
Ainge said the Vols' offensive line and the skill players around him were the reason it has looked so easy for him.
''When you have an offensive line playing like ours, it's almost like a 7-on-7 tournament out there throwing the ball,'' said Ainge, who has not been sacked. ''I know that's going to change when we play Auburn and Georgia, but I've had a lot of time to throw the ball.''
Ainge said he has looked forward to facing the Auburn defense since reading an article about the Tigers' linebackers a year ago in ESPN the Magazine.
To this point, Ainge said defenses haven't blitzed him that much. He expects that to change against Auburn.
''Their corners are pretty good, and I think their secondary thinks they're pretty good,'' Ainge said. ''That can be good, and that can be bad. They're big, strong physical people. But I think we have the best receiving corps one through eight in the country, and they haven't faced a team like us yet. LSU is good, but all their receivers are young.''
While some have been surprised at how much success Ainge has had this early, he's not.
''I don't think throwing the ball, running around and moving in the pocket is something I'm ever going to have to worry about,'' Ainge said. ''It's more, 'Am I throwing it to the right guy?' With each week, the defenses get more complicated and will start gearing it more toward me and will start playing different coverages trying to fool me.
''The faster I can start to pick that up every single play, and I can pick it up a lot, but the faster I can pick it up every single play will determine my success.''
So far, Ainge said Florida was the only team that really tried to get into his head during the game. But he knows more of the mental warfare is coming.
He said a couple of the Florida linebackers used some colorful language on a third down-play.
''They were telling me they were going to blitz and come get me,'' Ainge said. ''We had a screen called, so I kind of smiled and was like, 'All right, come get me' and threw the ball out there and made a first down.''
Ainge said the game has slowed down considerably for him since the opener against UNLV. He also has noticed a difference in the coaches' confidence in him and what plays they call.
''He's walking around with that swagger you like your quarterback to have,'' said senior center Jason Respert, one of the Vols' team captains.
Although they don't spend much time together away from the field, Ainge said he and Schaeffer share a mutual respect and that there's no jealousy.
The only appeal to starting, Ainge said, would be that he hasn't done it before.
''The fact that it says Schaeffer is 3-0 (as a starter), that kind of stuff really doesn't bother me at all,'' said Ainge, whose parents have made the trip from Hillsboro, Ore., to see him play all three games and will be in Neyland Stadium again on Saturday night.
Fulmer said his rationale for who plays will continue to be pretty simple: Whoever plays the best will play the most.
''I'm not getting all caught up in (who starts), and I wish you guys wouldn't, either,'' Fulmer said yesterday to a large media contingent. ''I don't know why it's such a big deal. We've got an exciting thing going on. I like the way it's happening and I think most of the people do that follow Tennessee football.''
