Ainge wants to end with a win

Then a 2005 Tennessee football season of discontent can finally be put in the history books.

A part of Ainge would like nothing better than to forget the entire scenario leading up to and around a disappointing season.

"There's a part of you that wants that, but at the same time you want to end with a win," UT's sophomore quarterback said. "You want to get '05 behind you and start new next season, but it'll make everything a lot easier if we can get out of here with a win."

The Vols (4-6, 2-5 SEC) get that chance in their season-finale 12:30 p.m. Saturday (TV: WVLT) at Kentucky (3-7, 2-5). It will be the earliest end to a Tennessee season since 1988.

Ainge is expected to get the start after senior Rick Clausen sprained his left knee on the final play of a 28-24 loss to Vanderbilt last Saturday.

Clausen, still limping, was back on the practice field Tuesday in a limited role.

Fulmer said the senior could be available by Saturday after an MRI didn't reveal any significant damage to the knee.

"We really came out a little bit fortunate on that," Fulmer said. "It's better than we first suspected it might be.

"He's still listed as questionable, but we're more optimistic he might have a chance to play."

Coaches will continue to keep an eye on the progress of Clausen, but the plan right now appears to be starting Ainge for the sixth time this season.

The quarterback carousel involving Ainge and Clausen has been a constant study in frustration for basically everyone involved.

"It's tough for a coach when he has a fifth-year senior (Clausen), who has made those mistakes and isn't going to make those same mistakes," Ainge said. "It's tough to ride it out with a sophomore and I understand that.

"Obviously I would have liked to have just played through them, but that's a tough position for a coach."

Ainge reaffirmed he has had no thoughts of transferring and looks forward to an expected spring quarterback competition with redshirt freshman Jonathan Crompton.

"I'm not going to leave Tennessee," Ainge said. "I'm anxious to see who we're going to hire (as offensive coordinator)."

David Cutcliffe, former UT offensive coordinator and Ole Miss head coach, has been offered the job.

Fulmer said on Tuesday no announcement would be made before the Kentucky game.

"I don't know," Ainge said. "If it is, he obviously knows how to coach quarterbacks.

"He obviously knows how to get them ready to play here, how to get them ready for the next level and how to win football games. If it is him (Cutcliffe), that would be great for this team. If it's not, there are a lot of other good guys out there we could get as well."

Asked what he's looking for in a new coordinator and Ainge was clear.

"That he knows how to coach quarterbacks," he said. "It would be nice if we got someone who had a similar view of offense or a similar way of doing things."

Ainge has struggled through most of his sophomore season, completing 40.8 percent of his passes (49-of-120) with seven interceptions and three touchdown passes.

"All quarterbacks when they're going through their maturing process, they're going to make mistakes," Ainge said. "When Peyton Manning was here, he threw balls where everyone went, 'Aahh, who was he throwing that to?'

"Every quarterback is going to make mistakes."

This year's numbers are a stark contrast to a freshman season when he threw for 1,452 yards and completed 55.1 percent of his passes for 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

For now, all Ainge can do is chalk up 2005 as a season of hard-knock lessons.

"I will understand that nothing is ever set in stone," Ainge said. "You've got to go out there and get better every day and you can't take anything for granted.

"I think this team thought we were real special early. Whether that's what hurt us or not, we'll understand to take it one game at a time, one quarter at a time, one play at a time. That's what we're going to head to after this season."