Erik Ainge’s little finger is giving him more than a little trouble.
Tennessee’s senior quarterback did not throw during the 30-minute portion of Tuesday’s practice that is open to the media because of a jammed pinky finger on his throwing hand.
However, Ainge said it would take a more significant injury to miss the season-opener Saturday when the No. 15 Vols play at No. 12 California (TV: WATE, 8 p.m.).
“It’s just a jammed finger,” Ainge said before Tuesday afternoon’s practice. “I’m ready to play whether I get every snap in practice. I’m ready to play.”
Ainge said he injured the finger Monday during handoff drills with the running backs.
UT coach Phillip Fulmer said that Ainge injured the finger Monday while taking a snap from center.
“We’re going to give him a couple days off because it is pretty darn sore for him,” Fulmer said. “Hopefully it will be fine for the game. If not, Jonathan Crompton will be ready to go, and we’ll go from there.”
While Ainge’s finger was almost fully wrapped during Tuesday’s workout, he spent at least some time throwing Tuesday before practice and finished out Monday’s practice after suffering the injury.
“I’ve already thrown a considerable amount (Tuesday),” he said. “No reason to just go out there and beat something up for four days. I’m ready to play. Coaches and teammates all know I’m ready to play.”
Despite throwing some Tuesday, Ainge said he’s not exactly sure exactly how the injury could affect his ability to throw the ball.
“I’ll see going out there,” he said. “I don’t know exactly how it’s going to affect me. It might not affect me at all, it might affect me a lot. I really don’t know.”
Crompton and Nick Stephens figure to get extra work while Ainge rests his finger to prevent any further injury.
Crompton, a sophomore, played the majority of last year’s LSU game and all of the Arkansas game in November with Ainge sidelined.
UT lost both games, but Crompton was a combined 27-of-58 for 357 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.
The pinky is just another on a list of odd injuries Ainge has suffered during his UT career.
As a freshman, he suffered a separated shoulder on the final play of the first half against Notre Dame.
Last season, he missed all but three series of the LSU game and all of the Arkansas game after injuring his ankle on a late fourth-quarter quarterback sneak at South Carolina on Oct. 28.
Even the circumstances surrounding the announcement of Ainge’s injury were unusual.
Fulmer — usually guarded when it comes to revealing details of injuries — mentioned Ainge’s finger on his own during the opening statement of his weekly press conference Tuesday morning.
When asked about the injury later, Fulmer said, “We’ll just have to see how sore his finger is, but we’re going to be careful with that to make sure he’s ready to go when we get out there Saturday.”
Tennessee still has four days remaining before Saturday’s kickoff — and that’s a blessing, Ainge says.
“It’s frustrating, but we’ll adjust,” Ainge said. “It’d be different if it happened on a Thursday or Friday walk-through as opposed to a Monday practice. Hopefully, God-willing, everything will work out.”
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.
© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!
Neyland Renovation nearly complete
UT signees
NCAA selection process for th…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 114
marc_ash#231781 writes:
are you kidding me? Why in the world is anyone even getting close enough to him for him to jam his pinky?
Limited in practice hu? Hope this isn't an omen!
thevol writes:
Not good news. I jammed my middle finger 2 months ago and it still hurts to shake someones hand. Hopefully it won't effect his throws. Crompton might "be the man" sooner than expected. Go Big Orange!
Volchaz writes:
Better now, than on Friday..... Could it be a smokescreen?
inquiry writes:
you don't use your pinkie to throw, cut it off and put him back in there.
BahamaVol writes:
That is one injury prone dude...somebody with QB experience, how much "zip" will that take off his throws? If they need me to suit up, I'M READY! Go Vols
givm7 writes:
What do you guy suppose that the coaches instruct Ainge to do in order to avoid this minor and unpredictable injury??? Stand around, don't take any snaps, and watch Crompton the other two QBs take reps all week? Come on guys, coaches can't prevent this type of thing. I suspect he jammed it one of two ways: 1. Taking a snap and he got lazy with his hand position, or 2. He hit one of his own lineman during the follow-through after throwing a ball in practice.
Ainge will be fine. They'll could tape the pinky to the ring finger, take more snaps in the shotgun, etc.
givm7 writes:
sphs_vol
You're completely wrong about the pinky. The middle finger then the first are the last thing to touch the football. The way the hand rotates to throw a spiral (turns inward at the release) the pinky is actually the first finger to come off the ball.
bigbluevol writes:
He also could have hurt it by catching a ball that someone tossed to him. He could have banged it on a car door. He could of hurt it in a number of ways. I know we love to scapegoat the coaching staff, but come on. Life happens. We can't put him in a bubble. Everyone relax. He'll be fine Saturday. The adrenaline will overcome any lingering pain.
Sheepscape writes:
Suck it up. He'll play and play well.
GreerVol22 writes:
yeah baby! Wait until Coach Cutt puts both Ainge and Crompton in on the same play.... 4 wide outs 2 QB's and a game time suspension lift of Coker who lines up at TE. Figure that one out Tedford!.......but on the other hand CR has a point. Were probably screwed.
bigbluevol writes:
We're definitely not screwed. No one will even be able to tell during the game.
givm7 writes:
eVOLution
Thanks for the supportive comment.
Isn't it amusing to read comments like the poster above who was about to bust a gut over this? Then you read a bit further and see that he is so uninformed about throwing technique you just laugh out loud.
bigbluevol writes:
I have followed Fulmer. According to the Chattanooga Times Free-Press blog, Fulmer is checking with the trainer to see if Ainge can practice today. As for the ankle, they said all along last year that it was bad, but he would try to play against LSU and they'd have Crompton ready. Ainge wasn't on the field for the kicking scrimmage, in all likelihood, because he's not a kicker. And, as poorly as we've returned kicks lately, I don't think he was a viable option there. It's all going to be ok. Ainge will play and throw well.
Bigger_Al writes:
@#&*!
andy112382#209793 writes:
How badly jammed is it? How much is he throwing in practice? It just says he is limited, doesn't say he can't practice at all. He has a few more days to rest it as well, I've had plenty of jammed fingers playing basketball and wrestling and was able to get back to using it with no problems within a few days. We aren't given enough information here to freak out as some on here already are. He will be fine, but even if he isn't, the good news is that the #2 & #3 qbs got most of the work in spring and a lot in fall. GO VOLS!!!
bigbluevol writes:
Why not announce it? It doesn't matter. He probably figured that in this day and age, if he didn't announce it, it would get out and people would think he was hiding something. Either way it starts a phooey storm, doesn't it? Maybe that was his goal.
bigbluevol writes:
No, we don't need that info. We're fans. They owe us nothing. We're not doctors, trainers, coaches, teammates or families. For crying out loud, it's not all doom and gloom. It's not a conspiracy to keep the world uninformed. It is what it is: jammed pinky. He should be fine Saturday. As I said, the adrenaline will overcome any lingering pain. Chill out.
bsvolfan#325031 writes:
Crompton better spend this week w/ the attitude that he is the man in practice. The whole team needs to rally around him and help him out. You can't assume the worst at this point, but you have to prepare for it.
As far as CR's comment about the season being over...everyone also thought the season was over in 98 when Lewis tore up his knee. Granted, it wasn't the QB position, but injuries don't have to ruin a season. Hopefully that extra work for Crompton in the spring will pay off if he has to take the field vs. Cal.
BahamaVol writes:
I just want some more darn information. Like Andy said, how bad is it? I've jammed my finger and been fine, but I've jammed my toe and been unable to walk. When those five digits all have to work perfectly to perform, or to thread it between two cornerbacks, it seems like it could be a significant injury.
bigbluevol writes:
I can't believe we're comparing a torn ACL to a jammed pinky. That's not remotely the same. No one should be saying the season's over. Mountain out of mole hill, much?
misterorange writes:
For the Cal game does this injury matter so much that some people on this site are ready to skip the season? I hope that these people don't throw in the towel this easily when bad things happen in their own life.
misterorange writes:
My appologies CRVol. I must have taken you out of context.
bigbluevol writes:
First, I'm not saying they don't need to pay back fans with a product on the field. However, the owe that I'm talking about it is injury information. I believe we have all we need to have about this particular injury. Mass injuries can ruin a season. Major injuries can ruin a season. Neither of which is happening in this case. My point is that he has a jammed pinky. He'll be fine. Don't try to make something more out of it. That's it. Other sites reporting that he won't practice at all probably contain reports from people who say things like, "My brother's friend knows a guy who interns in the training room on Mondays and he says Ainge is really hurt." I'll trust reporters like the ones on here and at the Chattanooga Times Free-Press.
bsvolfan#325031 writes:
Well it could be a big mountain if he ends up having major problems with it. UT's first 3 games will all be tough. If there is a break in his had...which could mean 6 weeks...we are looking at him not returning til Georgia.
BahamaVol writes:
What do you mean for the Cal game? They are ranked 12th nationally and it is the first game of the season...I hope we are not overlooking Cal. I am not ready to throw in the towel for the season, but when you quarterback is injured, it is certainly something more interesting to discuss than Travis Henry's 16 kids. Personally, every game we play is important to me. I'm probably going to get fired for spending all day on this board reading about Tennessee Football, so it better be worth something!!!
bigbluevol writes:
They didn't say it was broken. The article said jammed. That's it. If it's broken, that would be a bigger deal. Fulmer didn't say that though. He seems confident with the injury's status. He hasn't said anything like he did when Martin or Cottam got hurt.
misterorange writes:
I am not the eternal optimist, but it's my opinion that the offense will be fine regardless of the outcome of "Pinkygate." I think early in the season you will see an offense that is going to be similar to the 2000 season. That was with Joey Mathews at quarterback. We will run the ball alot more effectively this year than we have since 2004(Riggs/Houston). I think we will do a lot with the play action, as well as quick screens to the wide receivers. These are the easiest plays to install to get the ball into the hands of our gifted atheletes.
Agent_longball writes:
Maybe this was part of the "Inside Work" Fulmer was talking about during the kicking scrimmage? Ainge was nowhere to be found.
bigbluevol writes:
What would Ainge need to do at a kicking scrimmage? Honestly. Maybe he was in the bathroom.
BOASoldier writes:
Holy phooey the sky is falling hurry everyone grap the oh Sh@t bar and hold on this is going to be a shaky one ... it's a freaking finger not a neck, not an arm. Could it affect him? Why yes and so could a bad case of jet lag or diarhea (had it but can't spell it) come on people take a deep breath and say GO VOLS
SCVOLFan writes:
Ainge is a tough cookie...he will be fine. Lets not throw in the towel just yet. And even if he does have issues with the finger....Crompton is exactly "chopped liver"
Gooooooooooooo Vols
SCVOLFan writes:
isnt "chopped liver"...... .. .sheesh, hate it when I cant type
Go Vols
BahamaVol writes:
Pinky Gate...Now that's funny. If we could just kick the damn pig skin off already, I'd be fine. GO VOLS
bigbluevol writes:
First of all, everyone thought Ben Martin was seriously hurt. Fulmer, Hubbs, Lowe, your mom, everyone. It turned out that wasn't the case. I do think that Ainge's pinky is just jammed. Fulmer doesn't hold out about injuries unless he cites privacy laws. That's when you know it's serious. Anytime he plays that card, it's not good. Or he thinks it's not good. He's not doing that here. We're going to be fine. Ainge will be fine.
marc_ash#231781 writes:
This information is nothing a few beers can't take care of.
BOASoldier writes:
I'll head to TDTN house and he can make fun of me .... I'm a youn one and love being childish ... and I can throw down too !!!! just like the Vols will on Cal little finger or no little finger
GO VOLS !!!!!
misterorange writes:
bigbluevol. My mom actually told be that she thought Ben Martin would be ok if he just took a little robatusin and got a good nights sleep.
bigbluevol writes:
Regardless of if Hubbs was first to report that, it doesn't mean he knew prior to the surgery. That's my point. Not unless he has MRI vision, which wouldn't have helped because the MRI didn't accurately show the injury, hence the surgery. Initially, everyone was concerned it was his ACL. That's my point.
rockytopking20 writes:
well phooey. this really figures what luck we have at UT. Everyone else needs to step up and play a 150% harder. Dont let this get us down Vol nation we are still going to play good. GO VOLS!!!!
BahamaVol writes:
sjt18...maybe TDTN spent a few more nights at the Carousel than the Tap Room and is a little bit sensitive if you know what I mean.
bigbluevol writes:
Oh CRVol, you've bested me with your logic. You've written sentences that I can't even understand. You win.
andy112382#209793 writes:
Wow, can everyone else feel the big orange fever in the air or what?!? It must be game week! Only then would there be some many comments about a jammed finger, a pinky at that. Lets all be this fired up for each game this season! GO VOLS!!!
wuwh_08#331952 writes:
Ainge will be fine if he sparys some Windex on his pinky.
Let us not be so negative CRVol and many others. Things will be just fine. We recruit other QBs for just this reason but let's not let this get out of hand. This is just an initial report.
GO Vols!!!
raymond.hix#348997 writes:
Guys, the season isn't over until the vols loose to FL, lol.
Carl writes:
W.W.P.D.
wuwh_08#331952 writes:
I appoligize CRVol I had to go back and read some posts you are not being negative. Thanks for the positive reinforcement that you can only take this as face value. "My daddy always said Believe nothing that you hear and half of what you see" You are in line with that expression thanks.
Go Vols!
raymond.hix#348997 writes:
I'm more concerned about the punter having a pulled leg!
BahamaVol writes:
I just talked to Phillip Fulmer...He said that they rubbed a little dirt on it and everything is going to be fine. LET'S GO BIG ORANGE!!!
tennvol writes:
This article reported exactly what Fulmer said during his press conference today, which I listened to on the Sports Animal. If anyone is reporting anything different, it's pure conjecture.
BOASoldier writes:
Hey now no more about CR ... I don't like the guy (well not most of his posts anyways) but in this one he is saying wait for the facts before freaking out and don't take any story released at face value until the smoke clears... I actually agree with him ... and he stated he was kiddin in his first two posts anyways .... Dang!!! it's gotta be football time in Tennessee there is a whole lot of Testosterone in the air ... heck the women are startin to grow chest hair ... wait a minute nope those are Golden Bears
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.