Video
Audio
- Podcast: Dave Hooker talks about Erik Ainge's pinky problem and all of Cal's trash talking with Jonathan Hefney and Jerod Mayo.
- Phillip Fulmer talks to the media about QB Erik Ainge's broken finger.
- Dave Hooker interviews TE Chris Brown.
- Dave Hooker interviews MLB Jerod Mayo.
- Dave Hooker interviews TE coach Matt Luke.
- Dave Hooker interviews OL coach Greg Adkins.
- Dave Hooker interviews RB Arian Foster.
Erik Ainge’s pinky finger went from jammed to broken Wednesday, but Tennessee’s quarterback didn’t change his plans for Saturday’s season-opener at No. 12 California (TV: WATE, 8 p.m.).
Ainge is still expected to play, despite the fact X-rays revealed a broken pinky finger on his throwing hand, UT coach Phillip Fulmer said following Wednesday’s practice.
“I’m not concerned about being able to play and being ready to play,” Ainge said. “You never know. You’re always one play away. Anything could happen, but right now I feel confident that I’ll be ready to play.”
Ainge’s finger is expected to be healed in 3-4 weeks, Fulmer said.
Fulmer said that Ainge threw the ball well during Wednesday’s practice, but that sophomore Jonathan Crompton will be ready in case Ainge is unable to play effectively at Cal.
“He (Ainge) is going to play,” Fulmer said. “He’s thrown, it looks he’s going to be able to throw fine. I appreciate him showing the toughness to get back out there.
“If it doesn’t work out great, then obviously Jonathan will have to be ready. And we have the utmost confidence in Jonathan getting the job done.”
It’s much the same way Fulmer and the Vols handled Ainge’s ankle injury last fall.
Ainge had limited practice time leading up to the LSU game on Nov. 4 and played only three series before giving way to Crompton. Ainge then missed all of Tennessee’s trip to Arkansas the following week before returning against Vanderbilt and finishing the season as UT’s starter.
Against LSU and Arkansas, Crompton was 27-of-58 passing for 357 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.
Tennessee lost both games.
Ainge, who suffered the finger injury in Monday’s practice while taking a snap from center during a handoff drill, said before Wednesday’s practice that his finger felt OK.
“It’s feeling good,” he said. “What I do in practice, what I did (Tuesday), what I do today and even what I’ll do tomorrow isn’t necessarily a reflection of how it’s feeling. Right now I feel good, and we’ll make that decision as we go, whether it’s (Wednesday) at practice or tomorrow at practice or Friday workout before the game.”
It is unclear exactly how much Ainge threw Wednesday, although Fulmer and receiver Josh Briscoe said his passes looked good.
“It was the same as it’s been,” Briscoe said.
The only thing that changed on Wednesday was Ainge’s injury report.
When a reporter asked him if his finger was broken early Wednesday afternoon, Ainge replied, “Nope.”
After practice, Crompton said he learned that Ainge’s finger was broken Tuesday, the same day Fulmer first told the media of Ainge’s injury.
“It wasn’t this (Wednesday) afternoon,” Crompton said. “It was sometime (Tuesday). I don’t even know when it was.”
The injury to Ainge’s pinky has less of an effect on his throwing than it does his ability to grip the ball, he said.
An injury to the middle finger or index finger would be more significant because those fingers stay on the football longest, although the pinky does play a role in his ability to grip the football.
Fulmer said Ainge “threw it well” on Wednesday, pointing out that his quarterback finished practice Monday after initially suffering the injury.
“There’s half a dozen broken hands out there, fingers and things,” Fulmer said. “I think he’s showing the toughness. Just how much it will affect his throwing ability, that’s the question.”
Ainge gave his answer earlier Wednesday.
“The issue is, am I going to be able to be as effective as I need to be to win the football game?” Ainge said. “I believe that answer is yes.”
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.
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Comments » 108
BOASoldier writes:
In other news: The sun came up today and will probably go down sometime around night fall. Sorry just scratching for news
Volchaz writes:
This is good news. Interesting he is deferring to coach fulmer, he is a senior captain, right?
andy112382#209793 writes:
Hey, the less the other team knows about what to expect, the better. I like the fact that much of the fall was closed sessions and so we only had a small amount of reports and info on what to expect out of our offense and WRs and so on. It makes me look forward to saturday even more, if that is even humanly possibly!!! GO VOLS!!!
Agent_longball writes:
This only puts doubt in our own teams minds. Do you think Cal will be fearful of Mama Crompton's little boy?
tigervol9802 writes:
I've probably jammed, at minimum, 7 of my 10 fingers at some point in my life, some multiple times. I have yet to have one that would have this much impact 5 days later.
There's something to be said for too much media coverage.........
vol4jesus writes:
Get off it Agunt_longball. If ewe don't like Jonathan then thats your choice. Last time I looked he wasn't so little either. They can look and see LSU tape and he did pretty good for not having played much. Lets support the VOLS!!! All of them!!!
BOASoldier writes:
Doubt isn't put in the teams mind they see him at practice and they know first hand what is going on ... we'll be fine and the team knows it ... I can't wait I am tired of the phooey being spoken of my Cal.
atlorange writes:
I hope I am wrong, but it seems like they are creating excuses before they even lose. Coker suspended, Ainge 'hurt'. Again, I really hope I am wrong. I have a bad feeling about this game, and I wonder if Fulmer does as well.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
See, we can all get along!!
CoverOrange writes:
This is game week, I'm more worried about Ainge practicing against the similated Bear defense and getting the timing down with everyone else. His hand maybe be fine, but is his head ready and are the receivers on the same page with him?
Second, regarding what tests had been done "the quarterback deferred to Fulmer". So did any enterprising young reporter then turn to Fulmer and ask? Is that the next article to be written?
orangebloodgmc writes:
I kind of like that we are leaving the status vague; that's not dishonest. We don't have to say. I hope its making Cal staff drop what they were doing and scramble to study more closely tape of the LSU and Ark games, and then after that, Ainge ends up playing, close to 100%. Works for me.
ElizabethtonvolnNC writes:
What's in the box..What's in the box?? the suspense is killing me! Enough already with the pinky....just kick the #$*& ball!!
givm7 writes:
Hey SPHS_Vol
Remember yesterday when you said this was a huge deal because the pinky is the last finger to come off the ball? Remember how me and others disputed this, because, if your hand is attached to your arm in a normal fashion, the index and middle fingers are the last to come off the due to inward rotation of the wrist.
You replied as follows: "First digit, last digit, depends on the thrower", which makes absolutely no sense.
Did you see the paraphrased comments in this article from Ainge today??? Here they are:
________________________________________
The injury to his pinky has less of an affect on his throwing than it does his ability to grip the ball, he said.
An injury to the middle finger or index finger would be more significant because those fingers stay on the football longest, although the pinky finger does play a role in his ability to grip the football, Ainge said.
________________________________________
So, as I tried to explain yesterday, this likely won't significantly affects his ability to throw the ball. It could affect him in terms of receiveing the snap and handling the ball on handoffs and in the pocket.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
sjt18, I don't consider to be an expert but would gladly share my thoughts. The biggest difference between Ainge and Crompton is that Ainge knows where every receiver is going and that Crompton looks to throw at a certain point on the field. This has nothing to do with ability but everything to do with experience. To defend Ainge, you cannot play too tight because he can anticipate better where the receiver will go. In the Arkansas game, the corners jammed our receivers right away and this thru off the timing for Crompton to throw to a set area. You can see that later in the game, he was starting to adjust but it takes experience to fully understand it.
jweaver3#395614 writes:
You have to wait at least one day for the swelling to go down so the X-rays can pick up hairline fractures. The center exchange will be the worst part of a little finger. It will not bother his throwing at all!!!
We will be fine.
GO VOLS!!
TXVOLSFAN
Teresa writes:
I hope this isn't the start of some really bad luck...Colquit, Coker and now Ainge.
Did you know that if the article is also on the front page, comments there don't show up here? I do now.
mdvol writes:
Who is the trainer and the doctor on the team this year? Can we get one FREAKIN' diagnosis right the FIRST time? It appears KNS should refrain from all articles regarding injuries until the THIRD, FOURTH, or FIFTH opinion.
bpvol#216873 writes:
I agree with the posts about the running game and its importance, more so if Ainge is not 100% and Crompton is forced to play. But, I would not expect Crompton to be as effecient both with new WR's and operating in the no-huddle offense as Ainge.
Assuming;; more reps as first team QB helped develop timing with the young WR's and running the team in Cuts no-huddle allowed Ainge to be more profecient overall.
Last concern; no one has mentioned the fact that we have new Db's and the highly touted QB of Cal along with their WR's with world class sprinter speed...(as noted by the roaming Sporting News reporter) may be a challenge...
FatherVol writes:
jray, thanks for the basketball comment! I've been waiting for days for someone to mention the coming basketball season. LOL
vol4jesus writes:
Ah yes the eternal optimist surfaces once the bad news is out....Shreveport...now that is optimism. Is the sky falling yet? Auntie Em I want to go home. You know that banker gave me a $100 bill and it was wrinkled. Who cares that he gave it to me . Don't ewe see it was wrinkled. Whats that? I have $100 more than I did? Wow I never thought of it that way. Perspective goes a long way. Not saying don't be realistic..just don't jump out the window at the first sign of not so good news.
FireFulmerNOW writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
volfaninchattanooga writes:
Unbelievable. We have more injuries than any team in the NCAA. By the time he recovers the season will be over as we will be 1-2 with a loss to Florida. I just cannot believe how snake-bit our football program is.
utallvol writes:
We'll I don't think we were going to throw the ball deep on every play. All we have to do is play TENNESSEE FOOTBALL and run the ball. Remember last yr. we didn't throw deep against them much Meachem's 5yd slants that he took to the house was how we won. All spring and summer long we preach run the ball run the ball. what happen to that talk. I'm just as worried as anyone out there but we have enough talent in Crom to win the game Go VOLS!!!!!!
mikes70gto writes:
Look for Crompton to play the no huddle offense,a duel threat q.b. would work good at this.By the way a pinky is only used in the snap of the ball,after that it is the first finger used in throwing,that is good.
tenacjim#211887 writes:
On a brighter note, I picked up Lindy's College Basketball preview magazine today and UT is ranked 3rd!!
RangerForSix writes:
Coach Fulmer and Cutcliff worked on the '2-minute drill' and the 'no-huddle offense' so much in camp, for a very good reason. It's a better 'O' to throw from, the QB has a second more, and since we practiced it so much, we can run effectively from the 'no-huddle', the entire game, and spank Cal.!(the shot-gun, with a Veteran passing QB, almost the entire game, is a great idea!)
You know, just like Clemson did to us in the 2004 bowl game. Heck, when Ainge settles into the game, like he'll do, CAL will be in trouble. It's not a knee, arm, thumb, ankle, shoulder, back or any thing else, it's a sore pinky.
Let's just say 'U.T.'s pain management regimine' and 'Erik's mental toughness', will definately raise his Pain threshold a lot, for the game. With college football adrenaline, I bet he doesn't feel a thing, once the game starts.
"WHAT'S A PAINFUL PINKY? IF YOU'RE A 'BIG TIME COLLEGE QB' AND A FOUR YEAR STARTER.
LET'S START CALLING HIM 'ERIK THE BRAVEHEART'! His pinky will BE SORE SOME, BUT HE'S STILL GOING TO LEAD US TO 28-31 PTS., against CAL!!"
Ya got to believe a tough, honorable man can play in pain, even if that's a foreign idea to some...And I don't mean practice reps. Right now, that would be very stupid! 'VOLS win' and Ainge throws 2-3 touchdowns. Foster and Hardesty will run for over 200 yards together. 3-4 receivers will make a catch and so will our T.E.'s and running backs! "Our Defense will 'stuff their run' and then, we'll get people into CALS. QB's face and body, all night long! Go VOLS...believe...we're the huge under-dogs; (-: NOT!!!
agentorange writes:
Here's the pattern: Cutcliffe says Foster to start...then Vols reveal Coker is out. Article about Crompton ready to be the man...Vols reveal Ainge is hurt. Crompton very well may start at Cal. I would not be surprised in the least. At least he has a road start under his belt. Time to crank up the D and the running game big time.
DaveVol writes:
A lot of over reaction in these posts. Anyone remember Brett Favre with his broken index finger? It can be done you just have to gut it out. If Ainge is a winner he will. If not the next man has to step up. Frankly an over rated team from the pacifier 10 doesn't bother me, we will run the ball down their throats! These are the same type comments from last year prior to the Cal game.
Einstein writes:
The Main Issue is Win the FOOTBALL GAME!!!
Vol43 writes:
Guys, we're gonna be fine. The football team is ready and well prepared. After this victory maybe people like CRVol will find another place to vent.
DaveVol writes:
No, I don't think so vol43. As long as people respond to him , he will post. I just skip over his posts. Much like I do a John Adams column.
vol4jesus writes:
Turning to those in the know. The article on sportsouth getting vol coverage did not state when this would start. '07 or '08? help please
DaveVol writes:
Does anyone have any word on Mapu's progress?
andy112382#209793 writes:
Wow, how many different reports can you hear, first it is jammed, second it is jammed and xrays came back negative, and I just heard on ESPN during their 25 hour countdown that there is a small fracture, this just says broken!
Which one is it?!?!?
Well, if he is throwing and throwing just fine than I will not worry about it. It sounds like he will play and we shouldn't see a big difference on his play unless someone comes over and steps on his pinky, which would be a problem even if it wasn't already hurt. So lets go to Cal, beat them and beat them good, and move on! GO VOLS!!! Can't wait!!!
Regulator writes:
As many others have said, there should be no impact on his ability to throw the ball. Snap exchange and hand-offs could be an issue, particularly if he were to jam it again. Let's hope he can hand the ball off with his left hand, if need be, he should be using his left hand for hand-offs/runs to his right anyway. They could go to the shotgun as well. As I remember, McNeil's shotgun snaps had an arc to them, as opposed to being line drives.
Regulator writes:
I would anticipate his injury to be a fracture. Fracture of the fifth metacarpal, to be more exact. Usually, most complete fractures, or breaks if you will, also will be displaced, making diagnosis much easier. By the information we've been provided, that doesn't appear to be the case, leading me to believe that it is simply a crack in the bone. This is also supported by the anticipated recovery time reported of 3-4 weeks. At least we don't have Charlie Weis reporting on the injury. "While I will neither confirm, nor deny that we may or may not have a quarterback who does or does not have an as of yet, undertimined injury, I can assure you that this quarterback, if he were injured, would know who he was, and that his unknown/undetermined backup may or may not also be aware of an unknown/undertimined injury to the undetermined starter. And if they don't know this, they are brain dead."
orangebloodgmc writes:
Rangerforsix mentioned shotgun; might be better than taking hard snap up under center?
Meanwhile, it seems not cool that KNS took our afternoon comments from earlier version of the article, and put in front of them the updated evening version of the story about the broken finger. Makes some of us sound even dumber than we did before. Oh well.
Regulator writes:
And I must be brain dead for not being able to spell UNDETERMINED.
DaveVol writes:
Fine bc enjoyed your comments. Very funny!
m_conrad_0311#638488 writes:
I don't really see that there is much difference between a hairline fracture (broken) phalange and a jammed one. Both are going to be swollen and sore. His throwing ability may be hampered by both to the same degree, so it doesn't really differ either way. The swelling will go down with both. Though, if it is truely broken it has the potential for continued aggrevation, thus taking longer to heal. By the time Florida rolls around, Ainge may have a whole new throwing style? Maybe he can beat Teblow at his own game?
andy112382#209793 writes:
bcmelton - by any chance have some med school under your belt? Nah, good post. I am glad it is at least his pinky and not his middle finger for instance, I 'jammed' my middle finger a few years back right before I had a basketball game, played with it tapped up and it hurt like heck, was limitied quite a bit, the next day in school, as the day went on it kept changing to different shades of purple, finally I had it xrayed and it was fractured around the knuckle. That kept me out of commission from weight training for a few weeks. Though, people at school at least had fun asking me to make a fist seeing how I had a splint on my finger down to the hand, so couldn't put my middle finger down.
I think he will be fine and we will still beat Cal. They sure have hyped it up on ESPNs 25 hour countdown show tonight! They also mentioned how Cals defense will struggle this year due to replacing so many guys, hope they are right, at least for the first game of the year! GO VOLS!!!
Regulator writes:
Nah, just a lowly ol' medic.
cwisenhower#637741 writes:
Medics are underrated. Vols win with broken pinky. Yay Vols.
thevol writes:
Got to give it to you CR you called bullsh&% on the report and you were right. Still don't think it is a huge deal. I am very comfortable with Crompton or Ainge. Sometimes injuries make you suck it up and focus more. We will see what kind of man Ainge is this game. We still win going away. Go BIG Orange!
OldNumber7 writes:
The biggest issue from this is the center-QB exchange. I bet if anything fumbles and dropped passes are the killer Saturday. Tennessee has become a model of inconsistent play. The inconsistency has been prevalent in all scrimmages this year - it will continue through the season. The reason receivers drop balls is because their mind is not conditioned and disciplined to the task at hand, a reflection of coaching. I'm bettin Sunday's paper says "if we hadn't dropped this"...or "if we hadn't missed that". Can you tell I'm real confident in this team's ability to show up?
mikeinknoxville writes:
the x-ray was done just after the injury but kept quiet until after fulmer's donation..timing is key
dkerr#270212 writes:
I'm reminded of the time back in 63, when Coach tried the same tactics but failed miserably. Such is life. I feel bad for Ainge. It's his moment to shine.
bigbluevol writes:
Well, I guess I have to eat crow about it just being jammed. However, my overall point that he will be fine remains in tact. He will still be able to throw. He's practicing and adjusting to that this week. It's different than if it had happened in the course of the game. He's got plenty of time to adjust. The only thing that could be problematic would be handling the snap, but that's solved in a number of ways. He can change his hand placement or, in all likelihood, utilize more shotgun. Jammed, dislocated, or severed, it's going to be ok. The pinky is the most affordable injury on his throwing hand he could sustain. It's going to be ok. With the game adrenaline, he won't feel much pain at all.
BOASoldier writes:
Name that tune: "It's the end of the world as we know it ... oh ... It's the end of the world as we know it, AND I FEEL FINE" Still not worried.
BOASoldier writes:
www.volunteertv.com check it out .. the videos are good and the interviews speak volumes for the team ... injury or not this is a focused ball team ... although this will be a tough game .. I am confident that we will win.
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