Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge made two lasting impressions at the Georgia Dome on Dec. 1.
One impression was made on a large, loud and unforgiving crowd. The other was made on a less-passionate, smaller audience, whose angst was related to its impending deadline, rather than the scoreboard.
But before Ainge throws his last pass on behalf of UT football, the second impression is worth noting.
Ainge had an awful fourth quarter in the SEC championship game against LSU. He threw two crucial interceptions in Tennessee's 21-14 loss.
The favorable impression was made later, after most of the crowd had left the Georgia Dome.
There was nothing spectacular about it. In fact, it was routine.
Ainge showed up for the post-game press conference. He showed up and answered questions just as he did after every other game in his senior season.
But this wasn't like every other game. This was his worst game, and it will leave a lasting memory with every UT fan.
Ainge will be remembered as the quarterback who threw two fourth-quarter interceptions in the SEC championship game.
I will remember him a little differently. I will remember him as the quarterback who threw two fourth-quarter interceptions in the SEC championship game, then showed up to talk about it.
He didn't make excuses. He didn't stumble for words. He handled the situation far better than many professional athletes would have.
Dave Hooker gave Ainge an "F" in the News Sentinel report card for his play against LSU. And I concurred. But as I watched Ainge's post-game performance on the television monitor in the press box, I gave it an A-plus.
Does that make him a great quarterback? No. But it makes him a stand-up guy. And it's an indicator of the progress he has made in his four years and 36 starts at UT.
Two years ago, Ainge might have been affected adversely by the kind of finish he had in the Georgia Dome.
Now, I wouldn't be surprised if he responded with one of the best games of his career against Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1.
If you blame Ainge for losing the SEC championship game, then you also have to give him most of the credit for UT making the championship game - or even making a bowl game, for that matter. Against Vanderbilt, he helped UT overcome a 15-point deficit by completing 12 of 15 passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. In the four-overtime victory against Kentucky, he threw for an SEC-record seven touchdowns.
Ainge has had plenty of highs and lows in his four-year career. Given his success, he probably has been subjected to as much criticism as any quarterback in school history. And like any other classic drop-back passer at UT, he will suffer in comparison to the school's marquee passer, Peyton Manning.
Nonetheless, maybe another Manning comparison is in order.
In Manning's last two seasons at UT, he completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 7,106 yards, 56 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.
In Ainge's last two seasons, he has completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 6,010 yards, 48 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.
That's not to imply Ainge is in Manning's league. Other than Tom Brady, who is?
But the comparison helps put Ainge's career in perspective. I came up with another Manning comparison during the SEC post-game press conference.
As good of a quarterback as Archie Manning was, he was just as outstanding after games. Playing for the lowly New Orleans Saints for the large majority of his NFL career, Manning never shied away from addressing his or his team's shortcomings. He sat there at his cubicle in the Superdome and did his best to explain what had gone wrong. No matter how repetitive the questions became, Manning invariably maintained his patience.
Ainge didn't have to stay at the SEC championship post-game press conference so long. But he delivered a Manning-like performance while he was there.
And it's worth remembering.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.
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Comments » 52
StallionVol writes:
Good article. These character points are often missed in CFB. I hope Ainge finishes strong and I wish him well.
Hunter writes:
Adams of course loves him because he handed Adams's beloved Tigers another SEC championship. John, PLEASE go write for the Baton Rouge Advocate and leave Knoxville.
However, Ainge IS the primary factor for our even getting to the championship game. He will look great at the Combine in Indy and go on the first day without question. Best of luck, Erik.
kemvol writes:
One of the better articles John has written. Eric Ainge, while not great, deserves more credit than he will ever get.
abrown#232236 writes:
Ainge was somewhat of an enigma -- and personality-wise he was not easy to get a bead on. He did mature before our eyes, and became mentally tough and a guy that could come back from adversity. After his freshman game at UGA, I'm sure we were all ready to anoint him, and a mere season later at LSU, to crucify him. The truth, as usual, ends up in the middle. Not sure what he was thnking on those throws, but he has stood tall when the chips were down many times this year. Lets give him some love as he enters the lifelong fraternity of ex-Vol QB's.
DennisVols writes:
We may never know how good a QB Ainge might have been. If you take into account the damage done during the '05 season by a OC who didn't have a clue and a coach who refused to put a stop to it before it was too late.
Coach Cut. did wonders for Ainge and one might wonder just how good he could have been if he did not have to come from so far back. I remember his Freshman year and 90% of us where amazed at the talent we saw.
I wish him the best in what ever career path he choses.
Hixson_Vol writes:
Ainge saved UT's porous defense time and time again. I am truly thankful for all that he has done.
bobbyutvol writes:
well said very good young man
Mr_Brownstone writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
hdhurst writes:
In evaluating Ainge, I have put his UT career into two different era's...(His freshman year was just a primer, it showed us his promise). Era 1 was when he was thrust into an unfortunate situation to never find a rythmn or confidence to lead the team. After uniting with Coach Cut, the 2nd Era, this is the real Ainge. For those of you who criticize his "perceived" lack of not being able to take a hit, you completely ignore what he was taught..get rid of the ball if there was nothing there. Granted, with one more solid year (and receivers who could catch or run routes correctly), he would have honed his judgement skills even more and been our Heisman candidate, I have no doubts. When I measure his success at UT, I look at Era 2. While he was not perfect, neither was Manning in the latter 2 years. He just happened to have his worst game (of the Coach Cut era) during the SEC champ. game. I do agree with Adams...I truly believe Ainge will put on a show in his last UT game. Good luck, Erik. I wish you all the luck at the next level.
DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu writes:
Good stuff on a good kid headed for good things, John. Thanks.
And thanks, Erik, for giving your all for the Big Orange. You'll always be a Vol.
We wish you the best.
Hunter writes:
Just to clarify - NOT an Ainge hater. I AM a John Adams loather, though. Have been for years....
jbc writes:
I have grown up in Knoxville. Been around campus through the years and come into contact with various athletes, playing pickup sports, out in real world, etc. I have seen the arrogantly walking out in front of traffic, and some other things over the years that to some degree has made me sort of indifferent about their teams and the athletes that have gone pro.
A couple years ago Eric Ainge and I passed on the sidewalk somewhere I cannot recall. No one else was around. He politely looked me in the eye and said hello. No big deal, just like it should always be done. Based on the impression I quickly formed I will probably always support him and have an interest in how he is doing.
stroker writes:
I like ainge ,think he is a great athlete and believe he can go on to a good career at the next level. However he will have to improve on the kind of failures that "cost the Vols the SEC championship" in his own words.
wisonsinvol writes:
I hate to give Adams credit, but he is due on this one. Good article and good observations. We remember to well the points given up on that first interception that won the game for LSU. We forget too quickly that we should have won this game against the best defense we played in a long time. The simple fact is that Erik got us there, ran the offense efficiently, checked to the right plays most of the time and leveraged a very simple dink and dunk option to rack up some impressive numbers from both a yardarge and point perspective. Coach Cut worked wonders for a kid that had lost his way under the 2 qb system he had his first two year.
Most volunteers thank you Erik - for your leadership, your character, your class and your abilities. We would really like to see your best in your last.
Justis...interesting words you have created there. Awful analysis and very, very far from being anywhere close to accurate. But it is the Christmas season, so I do have to congratulate you on working your way through school with your two jobs. Based on your sentence structure and grammar, you probably had a tough time maintaining your grades.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Ainge was a warrior. He got us there. The most chilling reminder of the SECCG was Xenon, CB for LSU-"We knew exactly what they were going to do with that formation" after his interception.
Chilling. Doomed play from the start. Ouch!
DarthVol writes:
That kid deserved better than what he got.
CrankE writes:
(Thought cloud over Adams head) Ainge is such a stand-up guy that I think I'll write a column about him.
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22 days later.
glockjockey writes:
Ainge is average at best.A dink and dunker QB.
gohawks1 writes:
Thanks, Erik, for your time here at UT. The CG aside, you developed into one of the top QBs the Vols have had in a long time. I expect to see you playing on Sunday soon. Good luck, young man. Glad you chose TN for your collegiate experience.
Now go out with a fury and run up and down the field on those Badgers.
BadgerFan writes:
IPOrange: "Now go out with a fury and run up and down the field on those Badgers."
Hey, don't take it out on us! We're worried enough about stopping Ainge and the Vols. We've got DB's out with injuries, and we figure that at the rate Tennessee allows sacks, we won't get one against you guys unless Ainge throws 159.3 times in the Outback Bowl!
southernACmavs writes:
THANK YOU ERIC AINGE FOR BEING A VOL
gohawks1 writes:
BadgerFan - I'm not falling for that one! You guys have a good running attack on O, and the best way to defend that is to keep the Badger offense on the bench longer. It should be a good matchup, even with the injury situation. Keep in mind that we have several players who won't be on the field because of ineligibility issues.
beachdvs#623175 writes:
Long after Erik is gone from UT and you're reflecting on his legacy, just think about his running down that Bama corner after the interception in the 2006 game. If one play exemplified a true team player and a courageous heart, it's that one. Go get those Badgers, Erik!
waterskier3#226480 writes:
ainge is average at best... kind of like casey.... saved us from some losses but contributed to losses in big games...... he will not go in the 1st round because he has one mental flaw..... he never seems to get mad and want to win so bad nothing is going to stop him... those are traits the best qbs have and not sure ainge has that..... he might show it in the nfl but at ut the only big game he's won against a top tier team was fla and he split time with another qb to win....
glad he's a senior but feel sorry for crompton 3 oc in his career... hard to mature under that situation....
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Don't worry, BadgerFan. With our yards-per-attempt average, it will take us about that many throws to complete, oh, I don't know, two drives(;-P)! You are missing DB's, but we will be missing our best receiver, not to mention two important run-stoppers. We'll show up, and we'll try to play hard (some of us, some of the time, anyway), but try not to trample us too bad. GO VOLS!!!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Bagderfan- good post. I know I'll have time to run to Pizza Hut as long as some of your drives will be. You aren't 3rd in the nation in T-O-P for nothing.
Our defensive game plan will be to try and confuse you as to whether to take the open 7 yd curls or the 5 yds off left tackle. See, gonna take some thought. You have gained no advantage against our "D" with suspensions. We're at the bottom of the SEC but we can play with heart - i.e. SEC CG.
Hope I can get up in time to see the kickoff. We need someway to put you behind at least 14-0 so we can unveil our prevent defense. We know how to run it, too. All said, should be interesting! Vols -31 Badgers - less.
Welcome to Tampa. Bring some summer sausage. Go Vols.
murrayvol writes:
Good column John.
After watching Ainge meltdown in the 05' LSU game and beyond, I wondered if his next stop might be a psychiatrist's couch. And from there to the scrap pile of qbs with unrealized potential. Given what he's had to work with in 07' I think he's done well. Maybe not so hot in the SECCG 4th quarter but s--t happens.
As others have said, I hope he's saved the best for last.
oldorange writes:
Good article......It should make us remember that there is more about going to a university than just sports. Living your life with character instead of being one is a great example.
mmaz writes:
Almost everybody seems real quick to poo-poo Erik's stats and comparisons to Peyton. But even though I too believe Peyton was a head better QB overall than Erik is at this stage, Erik's got better wheels, AND, who knows what his 64.5% would have been if our receivers had been the same caliber as Peyton's even for one year, much less all the past three- and esp this year early on. Of course, I also believe the QB gets too much credit and too much blame in general - the receivers make or break the stats.
I really hope Erik has a superb bowl (in fact, I think he should against this Wisconsin) because I think he can be an NFL QB. His mind and arm are in that league.
Mike (UTK '66) in NC
ctownvol writes:
Beachdvs- Great point! That play showed me just how gritty this kid is. I became a huge Ainge fan after seeing him on that play. Good luck Erik. Some of us really do appreciate your contributions to the Volunteers through the years.
thesavageorange writes:
The problem is Erik played very well as a frosh.He was adlibing, making soething out of nothing , and slinging it downfield.We all expected him to be the next coming.The worst thing to happen was 05.Once Cut came back all Ainge did is what he was told.I think we will find(next year)that the reason this was a dink & dunk offense was b/c of the WR position.They have done a good job, but none are Meach,Stallworth,Price etc...Let's say Kippy gets the OC job(A WR GUY),don't be surprised if Jones/Moore Are the 1-2 guys , and Taylor/Rogers go 3-4.Cut says Erik has what it takes to be a pro, and I tend to believe him.Cut has seen the best , and worst at UT & Ole Miss.I guarantee you Cut told himself when Shuler left"I hope he can make it in politics".Thanks Erik.You did the best w/ what you had.
thesavageorange writes:
BadgerFan :I have talked to a couple of Badger fans on here.You guys are nothing but class.(you have no idea how nasty it gets between sec schools)Believe me when I say we are very worried about this game.SEC schools are made to stop speed.OSU played right into UF's hands last year.We stop the run we win.We don't and the drive/flight back to Wisconsin won't seem so long.Let's just hope injuries are not a factor.
TommyJack writes:
Man, the Adams bashing is interesting. As I've said before, anyone even questioning anything TN is branded a traitor. You guys need to dig up old Tom Siler..now there was a writer that never questioned TN. I think Adams does an excellent job...Remember...a column is opinion. Wear the blinders, stay the course. Work like heck.
1volk-nowi-tall writes:
Funny how we see things as we want to see them when the facts are hitting us in the face. Plasticman and probably many other posters( I only read his post) are saying that Ainge shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as Manning and then go on to say that Ainge couldn't win the big one. As good as Peyton was and is he was known at UT as the one who couldn't win the big one. It usually takes more than one player to win the little ones let alone the BIG ONE. Ainge had very little help this year and this team was terrible on third down plays. When the opponent faced a third and long they made it too often. When UT faced a third and short they made it too few times. Yes Ainge has had good success as a quarterback at UT. It will be interesting to see if he is successful at the next level. I find it difficult to expect quarterbacks who have no scrambling ability to be able to overcome the difficulties created by the lack of a running game. We have lacked a running game for several yesrs. This team had very few short fields to work with due to the defense not creating many turnovers on the opponents side of the fifty. All things considered Ainge was about as good at winning the Big One as Peyton was.
ncvol17 writes:
Those of you who bash Ainge's off the field demeanor must want Miami like thugs on the field.. As ole John Majors would say join the 'legions of the miserable'
TNPilgrim writes:
Perhaps after Ainge finishes his career with the Arena League he'll have a future in broadcasting.
movol77 writes:
StayTheCourse (aka TJ), you say the same thing on every post you make. You epitomize "stay the course." You are fulfilling your own definition of mediocrity. All you do is mock the coach.
TommyJack writes:
movol77: Pound the rock.
londonvol writes:
Good article, John, I respect your opinion, Ainge was the QB of record this past year. He was the guy, so Good Luck in the future as he goes on with his life. I just heard a great story, if you want to hear God laugh ask if he cares about pro sports.
philfan writes:
All of this is interesting, but when is the KNS going to open a discussion about the Outback Bowl? The game is just a few days away and still little talk about this very important game.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
TJ, we are very close to the doldrums, then the malaise, then "Its football time in Tennessee"
Well, that's a stretch with Ward long gone! But you can count on the doldrums and malaise. Has my new rock came in yet? I'm still awaiting the reply from Whitelighning on the K Kreme promo. Sooo much potential. Merry Christmas. Much good will.
We've almost officially forgotten the Badgers. Mere speck on the horizon.
TommyJack writes:
PD: I'll have my staff call your staff re the rock. Beating the Badgers is a tall order. Curious to see which TN team shows up.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
justisiscumin
you are really, really off-base. Ainge made mistakes on reads in the 4th quarter. Had nothing to do with his 'ability'. Had everything to do with the play calls and the checks. Even the LSU corner admitted they recognized the down/distance and UT's set.
As for Cutcliffe leaving, and the recrtuis. You can bet your last penny that Cutcliffe was up front with Fulmer. The things you or the press may insinuate are ludicrous.
I'm no CPF apologist, but I just think at times we as fans are getting way, way over the top on this phooey. CPF has more or less run a stable program at UT for years and years. We've had two liegit shots at NC's (won one of them), and would have had sevearl more chances with a playoof system.
Look around the SEC and show me any more consistancy. It doesn't exist, not over the tenure that Phil has. He's gotta reinvent the program a bit, but it is time as fans that we realize that this constant b!tching and bashing is harmful, not helpful.
TommyJack writes:
mparker12: respect your position. But I think the constant female dogin and bashing is helpful, not harmful. The "stay the course" crown would let the program deteriorte to nothing..all without a whimper. IMO
leedsvol2007 writes:
mparker12, You say it well.
Ainge was picked trying to make something happen. It happens to all quarterbacks. Brady, Manning, Montana, Unitas, Namath, Young are any other great quarterback you can name has had the same thing happen. Not that he is in that category but he certainly is the best quarterback we have had at Tennessee since Peyton.
Ainge will rebound.
GoVols!
Ralph_Crampton writes:
GO VOLS WIN THIS BOWL GAME...C'MON GUYS.
TommyJack writes:
leedvol: Not sure I agree re Ainge best since Peyton. There may have been TWO better than Ainge riding the pines during the CG game. Old Phil and Cut are loyal to a fault. Same 2 will be riding same pines in bowl game.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
TJ one thing you correctly pointed out is that is totally unchallengeable is his caste system. The dragon of desperation will have to raise its mighty head several times before geting noticed and maybe not then.
Phil would have been a great naval captain. He truly would have went down with his ship. USS Working Like Heck.
Who was the best QB? Debateable with surrounding talent figured in. Remember the Dewey Warrens and Bobby Scotts, field generals all. Peyton, of course and our favorite Jim Bob Cooter. Believe he got a TD pass in.
That said, remember the fellows with the red W's on their helmets, anyone?
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Tdtn - what did Santa bring you for Christmas? I know you behaved some of the year, surely.
oneg8r writes:
Someone posted earlier (don't feel like looking for it) why fans from other schools are on this site. Tell you the truth, it's funny too watch all of you VOLS tossing verbal jabs at each other. Your suppose to be together in all of this, it makes me laugh. Your program is in trouble. Your gonna finish low in recruiting, coaches are bailing out, you had some luck with some wins and the luck ran out during the SECCG. You talk about your defense showing up and playing with some heart, they mades some hits (they also gave up around 480 yards). Coach Cut leaving will be good for you, trooper leaving hurts really bad. Good AC and recruiter. Good luck with your bowl game, go SEC.
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