What's wrong with Ainge?

#1
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sjt18

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#1
I am overwhelmingly pleased with the defensive performance against Ark... but what has been wrong with Ainge since MSU?

He's had 3 fairly poor SEC outings and a somewhat less than impressive game against ULL.

Could it be that he's become so focused on getting the ball out quickly that he gives up on deeper throws? Ark looked like they were playing an 11 man zone at times with the DL's just trying to bat short passes down.

Opinions?

He needs to play better for them to win out.
 
#2
#2
sjt18 said:
I am overwhelmingly pleased with the defensive performance against Ark... but what has been wrong with Ainge since MSU?

He's had 3 fairly poor SEC outings and a somewhat less than impressive game against ULL.

Could it be that he's become so focused on getting the ball out quickly that he gives up on deeper throws? Ark looked like they were playing an 11 man zone at times with the DL's just trying to bat short passes down.

Opinions?

He needs to play better for them to win out.
Click to expand...

Nailed it.
 
#4
#4
Ainge is showing us the type of quarterback he really is. Nothing about his recent performances surprises me in the least bit.

At this point, we will have to rely on running the football and putting the game on Foster/Hardesty's back as opposed to hoping Ainge can put together drives consistently and pull games out.
 
#7
#7
I am not that worried about ainge. I think he will do ok. I would like to see an improvement though. I think the vandy game is a chance for him to do that. The team as a whole though needs to step up and prove that they belong in first place in the east.
 
#8
#8
Quote:
Originally Posted by duckman398686
he'll be fine. ainge is the least of my worries in the next 2 games

Exactly...

Couldn't agree more... Eric will be just fine...

GO VOLS.. GO BIG ORANGE ....
 
#10
#10
Rasputin, Ainge has an above average arm and above average intelligence. He's proven his toughness.

Even the best QB's get into ruts they can't get out of. I think he's just made a bad habit of not being patient enough for the longer patterns. He threw one away Sat with no pressure at all. He just knew that he should be out of time so he threw it away.

Teams are going to crowd the short passing area/run game more and more if he doesn't start throwing it over the top more. They needed to throw at least two more passes like the first incompletion to Taylor that drew the INT penalty.
 
#12
#12
Guys, Ainge needs to perform better to beat Vandy much less UK or LSU. Vandy is one of the leading D's in the conference. If UT is effectively one dimensional against them with the short pass game and rushing... they probably won't win.

He needs to stretch the field vertically and laterally to get them out of the box.
 
#13
#13
sjt18 said:
Rasputin, Ainge has an above average arm and above average intelligence. He's proven his toughness.

Even the best QB's get into ruts they can't get out of. I think he's just made a bad habit of not being patient enough for the longer patterns. He threw one away Sat with no pressure at all. He just knew that he should be out of time so he threw it away.

Teams are going to crowd the short passing area/run game more and more if he doesn't start throwing it over the top more. They needed to throw at least two more passes like the first incompletion to Taylor that drew the INT penalty.
Click to expand...

Playing scared
 
#16
#16
sjt18 said:
Rasputin, Ainge has an above average arm and above average intelligence. He's proven his toughness.
Click to expand...

He doesn't have football instincts and he has to put the team on his back to win a game, he fails to produce. If you don't have football instincts or don't play well in the clutch, all of the arm strength in the world is not gonna help. He's fortunate that the running game has been able to rescue him. But I don't rest all responsibility on Ainge. Cutcliffe should realize by now that Ainge cannot win a game by himself and shouldn't put so much weight on him by putting him in passing situations all of the time.
 
#17
#17
sjt18 said:
Rasputin, Ainge has an above average arm and above average intelligence. He's proven his toughness.

Even the best QB's get into ruts they can't get out of. I think he's just made a bad habit of not being patient enough for the longer patterns. He threw one away Sat with no pressure at all. He just knew that he should be out of time so he threw it away.

Teams are going to crowd the short passing area/run game more and more if he doesn't start throwing it over the top more. They needed to throw at least two more passes like the first incompletion to Taylor that drew the INT penalty.
Click to expand...

I'm going to have to disagree with you on that point. He showed he can over come an absolute mental breakdown in 2006 but he has never really struck me as a tough guy. In my opinion he is quite the opposite.
 
#18
#18
utvolpj said:
He's the only QB in the SECe with the possibility of leading his team to the SECCG.
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Ainge hasn't "lead" this team to anything this season. Outside of him stat padding against the likes of Arky St or USM, he can't point to one conference game and say, "Man, Ainge really bailed us out..." or "Ainge really did step up when it mattered..."

This team has been leaning on the defense as of late and a good running game. Don't make it sound like Ainge has been the catalyst for any of these wins.
 
#19
#19
I think that he is exactly what the coaches want and I don't know if it's good or bad. Cut has drilled the "don't make it easy on the other team" so much that Ainge 1)throws it away instead of taking a sack but at the same time does not make some of the take a lick and throw a rope passes that you see the great ones make. 2) Instead of forcing the ball he dunks it to an open receiver and lets him try to make a play but at the same time doesn't take the shot down the field that produces the big play and entertains the fans.

To be really great and exciting (Heisman material) you have to play smart while making big plays and Ainge just seems to be playing smart all the time.
 
#20
#20
Rasputin_Vol said:
Ainge hasn't "lead" this team to anything this season. Outside of him stat padding against the likes of Arky St or USM, he can't point to one conference game and say, "Man, Ainge really bailed us out..." or "Ainge really did step up when it mattered..."

This team has been leaning on the defense as of late and a good running game. Don't make it sound like Ainge has been the catalyst for any of these wins.
Click to expand...

The QB leads the offense. Your obvious bias prevents you from seeing it.
 
#21
#21
I'm not sure why you're so tough on him Rasputin.....he didn't HAVE to throw downfield this week. It wasn't our gameplan. Deep throws do not equal time of possession. The goal Saturday was short yardage downs to eat up the clock. It worked almost to perfection. We had the ball for over 20 minutes in the first half. He threw when he needed to, and for the most part threw great passes.

Do you not realize that receivers have to create separation to allow for deep passes? Smart football makes a great QB, not simply the ability to hurl the ball down field 60 yards.

More, throwing the ball away on that 3rd down didn't bother me at all. QB's have a mental clock and know about how long they should have to throw a ball away. In that situation, we needed to eat clock. Making a risky throw into coverage when the game is VERY much still a game and risking an int is stupid.

I think he did pretty much everything we needed him to Saturday. Rarely do I see Ainge as a hinderence to our team. There is absolutely NO reason to start throwing the ball around the field when your running game and short game are working great.

I don't have a doubt in my mind that if a receiver would get open downfield for the first time all year that he would throw it to him.
 
#22
#22
jwells said:
I'm not sure why you're so tough on him Rasputin.....he didn't HAVE to throw downfield this week. It wasn't our gameplan. Deep throws do not equal time of possession. The goal Saturday was short yardage downs to eat up the clock. It worked almost to perfection. We had the ball for over 20 minutes in the first half. He threw when he needed to, and for the most part threw great passes.

Do you not realize that receivers have to create separation to allow for deep passes? Smart football makes a great QB, not simply the ability to hurl the ball down field 60 yards.

More, throwing the ball away on that 3rd down didn't bother me at all. QB's have a mental clock and know about how long they should have to throw a ball away. In that situation, we needed to eat clock. Making a risky throw into coverage when the game is VERY much still a game and risking an int is stupid.

I think he did pretty much everything we needed him to Saturday. Rarely do I see Ainge as a hinderence to our team. There is absolutely NO reason to start throwing the ball around the field when your running game and short game are working great.

I don't have a doubt in my mind that if a receiver would get open downfield for the first time all year that he would throw it to him.
Click to expand...


Rasp/TVA blames Ainge for the failures of the UT program over the past 75 years.

:)
 
#23
#23
Not calling for a QB change or anything
Because Ainge has not turned the ball over alot and he can manage the heck out of a game when they got the lead. Honestly the less passing Ainge does is a good thing. I dont know how he would do in a shootout if they got behind by more than 10 early. If Tennessee had Marcus Monk there would be no stopping us.

A question for those close to the team? Who is the better of the three on the bench?
 
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