Adams: Ainge makes biggest play on defense

The second comeback was a nine-play, 70-yard drive that overturned a four-point Alabama lead and gave the Vols a 16-13 victory. It was all about execution.

The first comeback took seconds instead of minutes. It was all about effort.

And it contradicted anyone who ever said Ainge isn't a running quarterback.

His run began with a pass -- an awful pass by his own admission.

The pass near the UT sideline was intended for Bret Smith. It was caught by Alabama cornerback Simeon Castille, who was quickly off and running on a 60-yard sprint that seemed destined for the UT end zone in the last four minutes of the first half.

When you throw a pass as disastrous as that one, the mourning period usually lasts a couple of seconds, even for a veteran quarterback. But Ainge didn't have that much time to spare. He grieved a fraction of a second before beginning pursuit.

"No way I'm gonna catch him," Ainge thought. "But I'm going to try."

He didn't just run. He planned his run.

His marker was an end zone pylon. Neither he nor Castille made it that far.

Ainge knocked Castille out of bounds at the UT 8-yard-line. The first tackle of the junior quarterback's career loomed larger four plays later when Alabama settled for a Jamie Christensen field goal.

It was three points instead of seven points. It was the difference in winning and losing.

"That was the biggest play of the game," UT cornerback Jonathan Wade said.

Imagine that. In a game of defense, the biggest tackle was made by a quarterback.

And no one appreciated it more than his teammates, not all of whom were surprised by how fast their 6-foot-6 quarterback ran to save a touchdown.

"I knew Erik was fast," UT offensive guard David Ligon said, "but I didn't know he was that fast. That boy can run.

"When we run 110s in preseason, Erik is among the leaders of the pack. He's in shape."

Asked about Ainge's speed, UT place-kicker James Wilhoit said with a smile: "He's a little faster than (former UT quarterback) Casey Clausen."

The play was more about hustle than speed. And it was just as significant as any touchdown pass Ainge has thrown, according to Wilhoit.

"He's had a lot of accolades the past few weeks," Wilhoit said of Ainge, who leads the SEC in passing. "That play was as important as throwing a couple of touchdown passes."

Ainge threw 14 touchdown passes in UT's first six games. He didn't throw any against an Alabama defense that gave up 302 yards passing but also intercepted three passes.

"They did a good job of changing things up and giving us looks we hadn't seen before," Ainge said. "It took me longer to adjust than I would have liked. We would have our moments, then we would turn the ball over."

Robert Meachem, UT's leading receiver, had an interesting take on his quarterback's early struggles. He said Ainge was too excited.

"When he's calm, he's just about unstoppable," said Meachem as he sat next to his quarterback on the post-game dais. "When he gets excited, he thinks he can make every throw."

Ainge was both calm and confident before UT's game-winning drive.

"I told our guys, 'If there is anyone out here who doesn't think we can score, then go get a sub because we're going to score,' " Ainge said.

But the touchdown UT scored moments later was no bigger than the one Ainge saved in the second quarter.