On the verge of a new season, Erik Ainge hopes Tennessee can avoid the problems he feels sabotaged the last one.

With No. 9 California headed to Neyland Stadium on Saturday, UT's junior quarterback feels better about team chemistry than he did this time last year as the Vols headed into what would turn out to be a 5-6 fiasco.

"I don't feel like we really bought in last year as a football team," Ainge said Wednesday.

"The defense bought in, but offensively last year, I think we had guys on the team, some of which are gone, who thought they knew the best way to do this or they knew the best way to get that done."

The disappointing result shouldn't have come as a huge surprise. Ainge saw early signs that things could go awry.

"I could kind of feel it before the season," he said. "... I think there was a little more than just confidence. There might have been cockiness, a little arrogance.

"You have to have that, but there's a difference between having a swagger and being overconfident. I think we might have had a little bit of that last year."

Ainge wasn't just pointing out others' shortcomings.

He admitted there were things he should have done differently, namely dealing with the ongoing quarterback rotation with Rick Clausen, who is now a graduate assistant coach.

"I think that the quarterbacks didn't handle things, Rick and I both, didn't handle things the best way they could have been handled," Ainge said.

"After I got taken out of the (season-opening) UAB game after throwing a touchdown, I handled it like a 19-year old -- an immature 19-year old, not like I would even now after a year of maturing or as an adult."

By all accounts, UT's practice efforts of offense have been far better this season because of changes brought about by new offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe.

"We're 20 years old," Ainge said. "If Coach Cutcliffe tells me to wear one cleat to practice, then I'm going to wear one cleat to practice because he's done it time and time again.

"I think just having that attitude has really helped us out."

UT's improved attitude has carried it throughout fall practice. Now, it's time to test the adjustments.

Kickoff is 5:30 p.m. (TV: ESPN) against a California team picked to contend for the Pac 10 title.

"They're very talented," Ainge said of Cal's defense. "They're not experienced at certain positions and we're going to have to take advantage of those spots.

"They haven't played in 90 degrees with 90 percent humidity. You always have to take that into consideration. I think that they're a great football team.

"If we go out there and handle our business, we should be fine."

Taking care of business will be quite a challenge. Cal returns eight starters and has three preseason All-Americans on its defense.

"They disguise their coverages well," junior wide receiver Robert Meachem said. "They do a lot of things to mess up the quarterback's train of thought, make him think they're in one coverage and they're in another.

"Sometimes they get an easy interception or a big play. The quarterback gets sacked a lot."

Ainge has heard plenty of questions about his performance last year. He followed up a strong freshman season with a disappointing sophomore campaign.

So, which Ainge will it be?

"I think I'll be better than my freshman year," the Oregon native said. "A lot of that was just running around and just making plays.

"As lucky as we got sometimes ... that's not how you consistently win football games."

UT coach Phillip Fulmer is ready for Ainge's third act as well.

"I'm as anxious as you are or anybody else is to see how Erik Ainge plays in the game," Fulmer said. "We all saw the outstanding potential he had as a freshman and we saw the struggles he had as a sophomore.

"Between the work that he's done and the maturity he's worked at and Coach Cutcliffe's guidance, I think he's made some significant strides."

"I'm anxious to see him play in a game and be productive in a game,"

Being productive to Ainge means not listening to critics.

Rather than being fodder for motivation, they're just in the way.

"I'm, for the most part, indifferent," he said. "If you're worrying about that stuff then you're not focused on what Cal is doing on third-and-10 in the orange area, which is the kind of stuff that needs to be in my mind right now."

One wouldn't expect that 5-6 is in Ainge's mind right now. It's surely a sore subject.

"We seldom bring up last season because we understand that we have more than enough guys back to do the things we want to do," he said. "We're more than talented. We just need to listen to the coaches, do what they tell us to do and really buy in."

Ainge has evidently bought in. The more pertinent question may be: "Does he believe in himself?"

"I think his confidence level is good," Fulmer said during Tuesday's media day. "I think he, like all of us, needs some success and to get out there and play football like he's capable of playing.

"We need to work -- and we are working like heck to make sure we don't put him in positions that he's not ready for.

"If you ask him, he's going to tell you, 'I'm confident and ready to go.' But you've got to do it out there on the field."