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QB starter not important now to Vols
By CHRIS LOW
Staff Writer
KNOXVILLE The buzz surrounding Tennessee's two freshman quarterbacks has been loud enough this fall.
Now, with the Sept. 5 opener against UNLV a little more than a week away, the suspense is getting more interesting by the day as Coach Phillip Fulmer decides whether Erik Ainge or Brent Schaeffer (they're listed in alphabetical order, mind you) will be his starter.
The reality is that it probably doesn't matter because they're both going to play. Nonetheless, Fulmer seems to be reveling in keeping everybody on their toes.
''The starter will eventually rise to the top,'' Fulmer said. ''Whether it happens in this game or five games or next season, it will eventually work itself out. Obviously, somebody will have to trot out there first.
''We may put them both in the game on the first play so they're both starters and let both of them line up in the shotgun and duke it out.''
''We'll just let them wrestle for it,'' offensive coordinator Randy Sanders joked.
Ultimately, Sanders said the decision will play out on the field.
''To me, it doesn't really matter who might take the first snap against UNLV because that doesn't mean they're going to take the first snap against Florida,'' Sanders said. ''It doesn't mean they're going to take the majority of snaps in the game.
''I think, right now, it's pretty certain both of them will play. Whether it's 50-50 or 60-40 or 70-30, that's still kind of up in the air.''
The Vols have never had a true freshman quarterback start in the opening game.
And while the historic significance of their battle isn't lost on Ainge and Schaeffer, they're too caught up in daily improvement to get caught up in the moment.
''I'm just taking it in stride,'' said Schaeffer, who has opened with the first-team offense in the last two scrimmages. ''I'm not overwhelmed. I'm just going to come out here and try to win.
''The players have helped us deal with a lot of the pressures. They joke with us and everything, but I try not to think of it as pressure. I think of it as playing football like we always have.''
Yesterday was only the second time since Media Day on Aug. 7 that Fulmer has allowed the freshman quarterbacks to speak with reporters.
At this point, Fulmer plans to keep all freshmen off limits to the media next week as well.
Ainge said there's absolutely no jealousy between the two.
''If one of us does play, the other needs to work 110 percent instead of 100 percent and push the other one,'' Ainge said. ''Then, you never know. I could start this year, and then Brent could start the next three years.
''If we're both there pushing each other, it will be an everyday battle and that will make us both better.''
Schaeffer conceded that having to learn so much so fast was daunting. He's only been on campus since the first of June. Ainge didn't arrive until the beginning of July.
''You have to be mentally strong to learn all the offense in such a short period of time,'' Schaeffer said.
''Sometimes I find myself maybe thinking a little too fast, and I have to just calm down and play.''
Fulmer has cautioned all preseason that they're going to be ''freshmen'' at times and make youthful mistakes. But he's also made it clear that ball security will be at a premium when doling out the snaps.
Ainge and Schaeffer both made too many mistakes for Fulmer's liking in Tuesday's scrimmage. Ainge said a big part of the problem was picking up the signals from the sideline.
''The main thing that got us was that we've been working off wristbands, and in games, you can't put everything on a wristband,'' Ainge said.
''So we were getting used to the signals. I struggled for about the first drive, and after that, settled down and got a lot better.''
Fulmer said the Vols' staff has ''kicked around'' a few ideas about how to most effectively use both quarterbacks.
''We won't go into the game with a huge package for them to manage and expect them to manage it,'' Fulmer said. ''That would be unfair. We didn't do that with Peyton (Manning) or Casey (Clausen). The rest of the team has to do their share.
''We'll try to call plays to their strengths whichever one of them is starting, whichever one is playing. We'll keep it within the framework of what they can manage.''
But as far as any grace period that might be allowed because of the youth of the quarterbacks, Schaeffer said thanks but no thanks.
''The players around us are looking to win regardless of whether it's a freshman or senior under center,'' he said. ''I just have to play like I'm a veteran.''
By CHRIS LOW
Staff Writer
KNOXVILLE The buzz surrounding Tennessee's two freshman quarterbacks has been loud enough this fall.
Now, with the Sept. 5 opener against UNLV a little more than a week away, the suspense is getting more interesting by the day as Coach Phillip Fulmer decides whether Erik Ainge or Brent Schaeffer (they're listed in alphabetical order, mind you) will be his starter.
The reality is that it probably doesn't matter because they're both going to play. Nonetheless, Fulmer seems to be reveling in keeping everybody on their toes.
''The starter will eventually rise to the top,'' Fulmer said. ''Whether it happens in this game or five games or next season, it will eventually work itself out. Obviously, somebody will have to trot out there first.
''We may put them both in the game on the first play so they're both starters and let both of them line up in the shotgun and duke it out.''
''We'll just let them wrestle for it,'' offensive coordinator Randy Sanders joked.
Ultimately, Sanders said the decision will play out on the field.
''To me, it doesn't really matter who might take the first snap against UNLV because that doesn't mean they're going to take the first snap against Florida,'' Sanders said. ''It doesn't mean they're going to take the majority of snaps in the game.
''I think, right now, it's pretty certain both of them will play. Whether it's 50-50 or 60-40 or 70-30, that's still kind of up in the air.''
The Vols have never had a true freshman quarterback start in the opening game.
And while the historic significance of their battle isn't lost on Ainge and Schaeffer, they're too caught up in daily improvement to get caught up in the moment.
''I'm just taking it in stride,'' said Schaeffer, who has opened with the first-team offense in the last two scrimmages. ''I'm not overwhelmed. I'm just going to come out here and try to win.
''The players have helped us deal with a lot of the pressures. They joke with us and everything, but I try not to think of it as pressure. I think of it as playing football like we always have.''
Yesterday was only the second time since Media Day on Aug. 7 that Fulmer has allowed the freshman quarterbacks to speak with reporters.
At this point, Fulmer plans to keep all freshmen off limits to the media next week as well.
Ainge said there's absolutely no jealousy between the two.
''If one of us does play, the other needs to work 110 percent instead of 100 percent and push the other one,'' Ainge said. ''Then, you never know. I could start this year, and then Brent could start the next three years.
''If we're both there pushing each other, it will be an everyday battle and that will make us both better.''
Schaeffer conceded that having to learn so much so fast was daunting. He's only been on campus since the first of June. Ainge didn't arrive until the beginning of July.
''You have to be mentally strong to learn all the offense in such a short period of time,'' Schaeffer said.
''Sometimes I find myself maybe thinking a little too fast, and I have to just calm down and play.''
Fulmer has cautioned all preseason that they're going to be ''freshmen'' at times and make youthful mistakes. But he's also made it clear that ball security will be at a premium when doling out the snaps.
Ainge and Schaeffer both made too many mistakes for Fulmer's liking in Tuesday's scrimmage. Ainge said a big part of the problem was picking up the signals from the sideline.
''The main thing that got us was that we've been working off wristbands, and in games, you can't put everything on a wristband,'' Ainge said.
''So we were getting used to the signals. I struggled for about the first drive, and after that, settled down and got a lot better.''
Fulmer said the Vols' staff has ''kicked around'' a few ideas about how to most effectively use both quarterbacks.
''We won't go into the game with a huge package for them to manage and expect them to manage it,'' Fulmer said. ''That would be unfair. We didn't do that with Peyton (Manning) or Casey (Clausen). The rest of the team has to do their share.
''We'll try to call plays to their strengths whichever one of them is starting, whichever one is playing. We'll keep it within the framework of what they can manage.''
But as far as any grace period that might be allowed because of the youth of the quarterbacks, Schaeffer said thanks but no thanks.
''The players around us are looking to win regardless of whether it's a freshman or senior under center,'' he said. ''I just have to play like I'm a veteran.''
