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Ainge learns quickly
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
RACHEL BACHMAN
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Despite being a quarterback at Tennessee, Erik Ainge is not yet a household name. The Knoxville News-Sentinel spelled his name "Eric" and "Erick" in various parts of its newspaper Monday.
From Our Advertiser
Yet after his smooth, solid performance coming off the bench in a 42-17 victory over UNLV on Sunday night at Neyland Stadium, Ainge got a taste of the stardom that could await him.
"(Sunday) night, we were walking to get something to eat," Ainge said Monday. "Two guys came up and were shaking my hand and, 'Oh, Erik Ainge. How you doing?' One of them put his arm around me and was trying to take his picture with me. And the other one was trying to get my cell phone number so we could hang out.' "
Be careful with your wishes, right? Most of Ainge's have come true.
He chose Tennessee over a slew of West Coast programs in part because of the Volunteers' rabid fan base. Already it is getting difficult to run out for a meal undisturbed.
Ainge wanted the chance to play early in his career. He played Sunday as a freshman, splitting time with Brent Schaeffer, who became the first freshman in Tennessee history to start a season opener.
"I think it helped me, actually, not starting," said Ainge, who played for Glencoe High School. "I think it really benefited me. Just because I didn't have to go out. . . . I think the first drive, we fumbled. Sometimes first drives are like that."
Ainge's poise beyond his 18 years has helped him reach his lofty position. But he still is young enough that his parents came to his dorm room after the game with food and cookies. His mom brought along clippers and gave him a haircut.
"They said they were really proud of me, and not just for the football game," he said. "They said they were proud to see their son out there."
By Monday afternoon, Ainge was back at Tennessee's athletic facilities, working out and going to meetings. He wore bright orange shoes, workout clothes, sparkling stud earrings and a rubber band on his right wrist.
"My uncle Danny and Dan Majerle, when they used to play for the Suns, back when I was 7 or 8 or something like that, they used to wear rubber bands on their wrists for good luck during basketball games," Ainge said. "I was 7, and so I copied them. I've kind of done it ever since."
In many other areas, he has been an original. While state-of-Oregon stars such as Joey Harrington and Derek Anderson stayed home to play for Oregon and Oregon State, Ainge chose the dazzling lights of the Southeastern Conference and the tradition of Tennessee, owner of six national titles.
Ainge struggled at first, improvising his way through seven-on-seven drills as he learned the offense. He credits offensive coordinator Randy Sanders with preparing him to play.
Ainge and Schaeffer beat out senior C.J. Leak and junior Rick Clausen to earn "co-starter" status last month. On Sunday, the freshmen scored touchdowns -- Ainge threw for two and Schaeffer ran for one and threw for one -- and completed well over 50 percent of their passes.
Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said he could not have been happier with the quarterbacks' performance.
"We'll stick with both as long as we're winning and both are performing," Fulmer said.
Still, like many people with choices, Ainge acknowledged he considers what might have happened had he opted to play in the Pacific-10 Conference. He said Oregon and Oregon State did the best jobs of recruiting him.
"I definitely think about that a lot, like, 'Had I gone somewhere else, would I do this good? Would I do better?' " Ainge said. "Like when I was watching the Oregon State game when they were playing LSU, I was thinking, 'What if I had gone to Oregon State?'
"And they run a great program, so obviously if I would have gone somewhere like Oregon State, I would have been in a good situation, too. But it's just, you go to Oregon State and you don't get treated like you do down here. Like, The Sporting News magazine came out and stuff like that. Oregon State runs a great program. It's just a little more big-time over here."
Big, as in the third-biggest stadium in the country. Yet Ainge was as blithe about his first time playing in Neyland Stadium as he is about the quarterback situation.
"Some people are like, 'There's going to be 107,000 people. What are you going to do?' " Ainge said. "But they're all cheering for you."
In the fourth quarter Sunday, the freshman quarterbacks stood on the sideline -- Ainge with the smooth arm and quick release, Schaeffer with the accurate throws and blazing speed. They agreed that their goal was to win a national championship ring during their time at Tennessee, no matter who was starting.
Yet Ainge is competitive, and he acknowledged another goal.
"I'd love to start, obviously," he said. "But in time, that will come."
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
RACHEL BACHMAN
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Despite being a quarterback at Tennessee, Erik Ainge is not yet a household name. The Knoxville News-Sentinel spelled his name "Eric" and "Erick" in various parts of its newspaper Monday.
From Our Advertiser
Yet after his smooth, solid performance coming off the bench in a 42-17 victory over UNLV on Sunday night at Neyland Stadium, Ainge got a taste of the stardom that could await him.
"(Sunday) night, we were walking to get something to eat," Ainge said Monday. "Two guys came up and were shaking my hand and, 'Oh, Erik Ainge. How you doing?' One of them put his arm around me and was trying to take his picture with me. And the other one was trying to get my cell phone number so we could hang out.' "
Be careful with your wishes, right? Most of Ainge's have come true.
He chose Tennessee over a slew of West Coast programs in part because of the Volunteers' rabid fan base. Already it is getting difficult to run out for a meal undisturbed.
Ainge wanted the chance to play early in his career. He played Sunday as a freshman, splitting time with Brent Schaeffer, who became the first freshman in Tennessee history to start a season opener.
"I think it helped me, actually, not starting," said Ainge, who played for Glencoe High School. "I think it really benefited me. Just because I didn't have to go out. . . . I think the first drive, we fumbled. Sometimes first drives are like that."
Ainge's poise beyond his 18 years has helped him reach his lofty position. But he still is young enough that his parents came to his dorm room after the game with food and cookies. His mom brought along clippers and gave him a haircut.
"They said they were really proud of me, and not just for the football game," he said. "They said they were proud to see their son out there."
By Monday afternoon, Ainge was back at Tennessee's athletic facilities, working out and going to meetings. He wore bright orange shoes, workout clothes, sparkling stud earrings and a rubber band on his right wrist.
"My uncle Danny and Dan Majerle, when they used to play for the Suns, back when I was 7 or 8 or something like that, they used to wear rubber bands on their wrists for good luck during basketball games," Ainge said. "I was 7, and so I copied them. I've kind of done it ever since."
In many other areas, he has been an original. While state-of-Oregon stars such as Joey Harrington and Derek Anderson stayed home to play for Oregon and Oregon State, Ainge chose the dazzling lights of the Southeastern Conference and the tradition of Tennessee, owner of six national titles.
Ainge struggled at first, improvising his way through seven-on-seven drills as he learned the offense. He credits offensive coordinator Randy Sanders with preparing him to play.
Ainge and Schaeffer beat out senior C.J. Leak and junior Rick Clausen to earn "co-starter" status last month. On Sunday, the freshmen scored touchdowns -- Ainge threw for two and Schaeffer ran for one and threw for one -- and completed well over 50 percent of their passes.
Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said he could not have been happier with the quarterbacks' performance.
"We'll stick with both as long as we're winning and both are performing," Fulmer said.
Still, like many people with choices, Ainge acknowledged he considers what might have happened had he opted to play in the Pacific-10 Conference. He said Oregon and Oregon State did the best jobs of recruiting him.
"I definitely think about that a lot, like, 'Had I gone somewhere else, would I do this good? Would I do better?' " Ainge said. "Like when I was watching the Oregon State game when they were playing LSU, I was thinking, 'What if I had gone to Oregon State?'
"And they run a great program, so obviously if I would have gone somewhere like Oregon State, I would have been in a good situation, too. But it's just, you go to Oregon State and you don't get treated like you do down here. Like, The Sporting News magazine came out and stuff like that. Oregon State runs a great program. It's just a little more big-time over here."
Big, as in the third-biggest stadium in the country. Yet Ainge was as blithe about his first time playing in Neyland Stadium as he is about the quarterback situation.
"Some people are like, 'There's going to be 107,000 people. What are you going to do?' " Ainge said. "But they're all cheering for you."
In the fourth quarter Sunday, the freshman quarterbacks stood on the sideline -- Ainge with the smooth arm and quick release, Schaeffer with the accurate throws and blazing speed. They agreed that their goal was to win a national championship ring during their time at Tennessee, no matter who was starting.
Yet Ainge is competitive, and he acknowledged another goal.
"I'd love to start, obviously," he said. "But in time, that will come."
