On the same day that Erik Ainge tied a Tennessee record by throwing four interceptions, an ESPN commentator predicted Ainge would one day be the first player taken in the NFL draft. It should be noted that Dave Norrie made the prediction before Ainge completed four passes to Auburn safety Junior Rosegreen in UT's 34-10 loss to Auburn on Saturday night.

It also should be noted that Norrie is the same commentator, who, a week earlier, said voters shouldn't have moved UT up and Florida down in the top 25 polls after officiating blunders contributed to the Vols' last-minute 30-28 victory. But one absurd assessment didn't necessarily lead to another.

Ainge had an awful game against Auburn. So did his teammates.

Yet nothing that happened against Auburn diminishes Ainge's potential. Who else would you rather have leading your offense for four years?

Ainge is 6-foot-6 with a strong arm and an NFL-like release. What happened against Auburn doesn't change that.

Even fans on the lunatic fringe can figure it out. So coaches shouldn't feel compelled to make excuses for Ainge or Brent Schaeffer, UT's other talented freshman quarterback. who also struggled against Auburn.

UT offensive coordinator Randy Sanders had the best intentions when he defended Ainge's lackluster performance against Auburn. But to blame an interception on a rain that wasn't even detectable through a press-box window? Please.

Sanders said after the game that a drizzling rain caused a pass to slip out of Ainge's hand. On the next play, Ainge was overly cautious and didn't throw the ball far enough. An interception resulted.

That's more information than you need. Even if Sanders, who is unusually candid for someone in his position, was merely trying to provide a detailed explanation, it came across as a heavy-handed excuse from an overly protective quarterbacks coach.

You can't call plays, which Sanders does, without thick skin, which he has. Quarterbacking requires a similarly thick hide, but you already knew that. And so does even a freshman quarterback.

As well as Sanders has prepared the two freshmen for the challenges of SEC football, I'm sure he has helped condition them to the inevitable scrutiny and criticism that accompany the most challenging position in sports.

UT coach Phillip Fulmer has made Schaeffer and Ainge available to the media on a limited basis. That was OK in preseason. It's not OK now.

Never mind whether a starting quarterback is a fifth-year senior or a first-year freshman. He's the leader of the offense. And a leader has to be accountable in good games and bad.

Ainge and Schaeffer, who weren't made available to the media after Saturday's loss, already have proved they are mature for their age. If they can handle the pressure of performing in front of 107,000 fans at Neyland Stadium and a national television audience as well, they're certainly capable of answering a few questions about their performance. And now that they're a month into their college season, they should be as available to the media as the rest of UT's prominent players.

Don't think of it as helping the media. Think of it as helping your quarterbacks.

Players like Ainge and Schaeffer come to a school like UT to develop as a player. So did Peyton Manning.

As a freshman, he wasn't shielded from media criticism - or the criticism of coaches for that matter. For example, after a close loss to Alabama, Fulmer said his true-freshman quarterback made the wrong read on a crucial pass play.

Manning learned to handle the media as well as a defense. Maybe Schaeffer and Ainge can do the same.

So hold the excuses and don't hold the freshmen back.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.