'Best case scenario'

Just a day after undergoing surgery to repair a partial cartilage tear in his right knee, the rain hardly suited his mood.

Nor UT coach Phillip Fulmer's.

"Fantastic news," Fulmer said. "Absolutely fantastic news. Couldn't have turned out better for everybody."

Ainge should be off crutches in about 10 days. Or he could be done with them by the end of the week.

He expects to be fully recovered by the beginning of May, a far better scenario than doctors originally thought when an MRI revealed a partial tear in his meniscus two weeks ago.

Those MRI results showed a bigger tear than doctors saw when they began operating Monday, which allowed them to remove only small part of the cartilage instead of having to repair it or remove the meniscus entirely.

"I didn't have to get my meniscus removed, but I didn't have to get it repaired," Ainge said. "It was kind of best case scenario."

And one that no one expected.

UT's team doctors had told him they could likely repair the meniscus, which acts as a shock absorber in the joint.

After meeting with the Boston Celtics' physicians for a second opinion (Ainge's uncle is Celtics general manager Danny Ainge), the outlook was the same.

No one thought a partial removal of the cartilage was a likely outcome.

"They told me not to get my hopes up for that," Ainge said. "But when I woke up that was the first thing they told me, and I was very excited."

So excited he made a groggy phone call to offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe to share the news.

"They felt really good about it," Cutcliffe said. "He was very pleased. We were very pleased. He's been unbelievably upbeat. He called me afterwards right as he was waking up. He was a little bit goofy, but other than that he's been all right."

With his rehab expected to take between three and six weeks instead of the eight to 12 weeks with a full repair, Ainge will be able to participate in voluntary workouts in May.

He'll be able to work with both UT's returning receivers and its new recruits to develop timing and help teach the offense before fall camp begins in August.

"It'll be really important to get in there during the summer," receiver Austin Rogers said. "We'll get to throw with him in May and June and July.

"It's really critical. We get our timing down during the summer."

Perhaps even better news is that Ainge's long-term prognosis is good.

If doctors had been forced to fully remove the meniscus, Ainge's mobility and the stability of the joint would have been adversely affected.

But by removing only a small part, he shouldn't have any ill effects, and the bonus of a shorter recovery time.

"There's definitely that risk if you remove it, but they took such a small portion of mine out that it won't affect me," Ainge said. "For the most part, there's no long-term consequences.

"We were fortunate and kind of got the best of both worlds."

That outlook even extends onto the practice field.

In the two practices without Ainge, sophomore backup Jonathan Crompton has been working with the first team offense.

Freshman Nick Stephens will get more practice reps, too.

"I think it's good for (Crompton), and good for Nick Stephens," Fulmer said. "Erik had had such an outstanding spring, that it's OK with me. I'm happy to see Jonathan get this much work."