Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer knew he needed a great quarterback, so the plan was to sign two and see which one panned out.

So far, both Brent Schaeffer and Erik Ainge have had great success.

So how is Fulmer to decide between them?

Simple: play both until it becomes clear -- if it becomes clear -- that one is distinctly better than the other.

The Vols' opener with UNLV Sunday night may or not be a cakewalk, but it's a game UT should win comfortably, thus affording an opportunity to experiment.

There are still questions about Ainge and Schaeffer that haven't or couldn't be answered on the practice field.

Fulmer and offensive coordinator Randy Sanders say it's hard to know how a QB will respond when placed in front of 100,000 fans and a national ESPN television audience.

To this point, Ainge and Schaeffer have shined.

Schaeffer has tremendous running skills, and is a better passer than some might think.

Ainge has prototypical size (6-6, 205) and sees the field well. When he releases the ball, it goes where he wants it to, and it gets there in a hurry.

Obviously, the freshmen quarterbacks have contrasting styles, both offering distinct advantages.

Schaeffer's scrambling affords him time to find a receiver or pick up the first down with his legs. Opponents will learn they need to assign a player to "spy'' Schaeffer, thus taking a defender out of pass coverage.

Ainge's arm strength and vision discourages defenses from loading up against the run. That's particularly true now that the Vols have legitimate deep threats at receiver.

Ainge and Schaeffer have plenty of things to improve on. But with the tremendous upside both have shown, it's not fair, nor wise, to judge until they've had a chance to show their skills under fire and gain experience.

Sure, it'll be a challenge for Fulmer and Sanders to devise a scheme that enables UT to play two quarterbacks with contrasting styles.

But by that same token, it will be difficult for defenses to prepare to play against both Ainge and Schaeffer. Just how many schemes and personnel changes will defenses need to control the multiple options Schaeffer and Ainge present?

Tennessee can spend each week this season grooming a two-quarterback system. Opponents, meanwhile, have just one week to prepare to play against it.

The bottom line is that UT needs to put the quarterback under center that gives them the best chance for success.

It could be Schaeffer with his legs, or it could be Ainge with his arm. One quarterback might work well against one defense, while another fares better against a different opponent.

Why not plan for both to be available?

Perhaps one quarterback will separate and play significantly better than the other. If that happens, there won't be any controversy.

But until both play, Fulmer's not in a position to make a decision. Using a two-quarterback system for UNLV isn't just the best answer; it's the only one.

Ultimately, it could prove to be a season-long twist that would make UT a formidable opponent to deal with.

Schaeffer and Ainge came to Knoxville to have an opportunity to play and win championships. It's possible both of those things can happen for both players.