It's official.

Erik Ainge was deemed "100 percent" healthy by Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer after the Vols practiced indoors on Thursday and that he will start Saturday at Vanderbilt.

"Erik has done fine," Fulmer said of Ainge's work this week coming off of ankle injury. "He's right at 100 percent.

"We'll just be a little bit careful with him and try to be smart with what he does."

Ainge suffered the ankle injury late in the fourth quarter against South Carolina on Oct. 28.

He tried to play on the ankle against LSU, but was pulled after three series and was replaced by redshirt freshman Jonathan Crompton for the rest of the LSU loss and all of last week's 31-14 loss at Arkansas.

"I think he is very eager to get back," Fulmer said. "I think he knows the football team needs him.

"Not that Jon has done poorly, but (Erik's) the more experienced player and has done a really good job for us."

Fulmer said he knew as early as Monday that Ainge would return to the starting lineup this week.

"He was much better Monday after not playing on it and not practicing much on it last week," he said. "I'm really happy about the results of what he has gotten done this week.

"We've just got to do a great job of protecting him."

Ainge is 15-5 as a starter and still ranks second in the SEC in passing yards per game (247.0) this season.

Fulmer believes the junior was due some postseason recognition if the ankle injury hadn't slowed him down.

"Personally, I think he was headed for some all-conference kind of honors," Fulmer said, "or close at least, if he hadn't gotten hurt."

Rust is another potential concern since Ainge has missed the last seven quarters of action.

"I'm hopeful we throw it and catch the way we were capable of throwing it and catching it before he was injured," Fulmer said. "You always wonder about a little time off, how sharp he'll be, but if practice is any indication I'm very encouraged."

Reynolds Traveling To Vandy: Defensive end Antonio Reynolds is on the travel roster and will make the trip to Vanderbilt for the 12:30 p.m. EST kickoff.

Whether he plays or not with a sore neck is still to be determined.

"He's questionable," Fulmer said. "We're going to take him and we'll see."

If Reynolds can't go, sophomore Robert Ayers and redshirt freshman Wes Brown will combine to fill the void.

"Ayers gives us more speed and actually Wes probably gives us more quickness than even Antonio did," Fulmer said. "That part's a plus (when facing a running quarterback like Vandy's Chris Nickson).

"Ayers will get in a wrong gap or some of those things sometimes and that'll mess you up."

Fulmer admitted he had been pushing Ayers the past couple of weeks to become more consistent.

"I told him a couple of weeks ago I wished he had reached the level of play that we hoped he would back during two-a-days," he said. "He has just been too inconsistent."

Parker Pain: Sophomore guard Anthony Parker missed practice earlier this week but is good to go against Vandy.

"Anthony's fine," Fulmer said. "Anthony had a little headache. Offensive linemen aren't supposed to have headaches."