[bigboydan]

I don't think this injury will be as big as it is really, but never the less I thought I'd post it in case you guys might have missed it.

Vols QB Ainge hurts finger in practice

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published on: 08/28/07

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer knows the margin between victory and defeat can be small — maybe as small as his quarterback's little finger.

Injury-prone senior Erik Ainge jammed the pinky on his throwing hand taking snaps on Monday, Fulmer revealed during his gameweek news conference Tuesday.


How it might affect Ainge when the 15th-ranked Volunteers open the season Saturday at No. 12 California is unclear.

"Erik is obviously the leader of our offense and the football team," Fulmer said. "He has done exceptionally well."

Ainge downplayed the injury. "I am ready to play," he insisted.

As a junior, Ainge set a single season record for pass completions, connecting on 233 of 348 throws (67 percent). He also threw 19 touchdown passes, raising his career total to 41 — third on the school list behind Peyton Manning's 89 TD tosses and Casey Clausen's 75.

"We will just have to see how sore his finger is," Fulmer said of Ainge, who sat out spring practice with an injured knee but has played throughout the preseason. "We are going to be careful with that, to make sure he is ready to go Saturday."

Ainge said he will limit himself in practice and "be ready to go."

"I will be all right," he said, comparing the injury to catching a chest pass in basketball in some "weird" way. "It is just one of those things."

In the meantime, Fulmer said sophomore backup Jonathan Crompton and freshman Nick Stephens will get more repetitions in practice.

The Vols have been putting in time on a no-huddle offense since the spring.

"We are certainly capable of doing that. We worked on it very diligently," Fulmer said. "I think that we can manage that. We need to test it and find out" how effective it will be.

Asked if the Vols will need Ainge to run it, Fulmer said, "No, no."

Ainge had a field day against Cal last year in Knoxville, leading the Vols to a 35-18 victory with four TD strikes. But that was with three receivers now gone, including first-round draft pick Robert Meacham.

[pags11]

I read he's not throwing today...

[bigboydan]

I just now read that it's broken Pags. Thats gotta be the back breaker for all the UT backers this week.

[rjt721]

As a Cal backer, I'm heartbroken by this news.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge has a broken pinkie on his throwing hand, but is expected to play Saturday at No. 12 California.

"He's thrown a bit, and it looks like he's going to throw fine," coach Phillip Fulmer said Wednesday. "But I appreciate his toughness getting back out there."

The senior jammed the right pinkie taking snaps on Monday and an X-ray on Wednesday revealed the break. Fulmer said he expected it would take three to four weeks for Ainge's finger to be back to 100 percent.

Fulmer said sophomore backup quarterback Jonathan Crompton was prepared to take over for Ainge if he struggles in the 15th-ranked Vols' season opener.

"If it doesn't work out Jonathan will have to be ready to go, and I have the utmost confidence in Jonathan," Fulmer said.

In 2006, Crompton relieved Ainge, who was hampered by a sprained ankle, in the second quarter against LSU and finished the game 11 of 24 for 183 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Crompton started the next game at Arkansas, throwing two touchdown passes in a 31-15 loss.

As a junior, Ainge set a single-season school record for pass completions with 233, hitting on 67 percent of his passes with 19 touchdowns.

[Razz]

This isn't all good news for Cal backers, and I'm saying that in all seriousness. I like this Crompton kid a lot, and fully expect him to have a better year next year than any year Ainge ever had.

[pags11]

I do think we have an advantage if they actually try to start Ainge, vs. just playing the back-up who as Razz states is pretty good...