It says here that Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge will play well Saturday at Alabama. Ainge struggled a year ago, throwing three first-half interceptions, before finding something of a rhythm as the Volunteers came back to beat the Crimson Tide 16-13. Ainge's overall numbers are slightly down from a year ago (151.95 rating in 2006; 140.8 this season) but that may be as much a reflection of Tennessee's struggles running the ball (155.1 yards per game, ninth in the SEC) as it is of Ainge.
Something that Alabama defensive end Wallace Gilberry said this week about Ainge made me realize how well the Tennessee senior is playing. "Erik Ainge is a guy who definitely can get the ball away before he goes down and not have an intentional grounding," Gilberry said.
That rang a bell. Sure enough, check out the NCAA stats for sacks allowed. Tennessee leads the nation with two. No other team has fewer than four. One of Vols offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe's primary lessons for his quarterbacks is, "Live to fight another down."
Ainge takes care of the ball. He has only three interceptions in 221 attempts. In his case, his stats don't tell the whole story of the Vols' passing game. Watch Ainge on Saturday.
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