Love them or loathe them, there have been two dominant figures on the University of Tennessee sports scene during the past four years.
Normally, how Vols quarterback Erik Ainge and shooting guard Chris Lofton went, their teams went. That’s how it goes when you’re the most important player of two nationally-recognized programs.
Well, the two most decorated players in the past four years of UT athletics came to an important crossroads Saturday.
One may have jump-started a surge that could propel his team to its potential and inject himself back into draft projections in one sport. The other may have quieted the speculation that he was a product of a system and a low-round pick at best in another sport.
In the basketball Vols’ 16-point victory over Georgia at Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday night, Lofton absolutely torched the Dawgs as he has done his entire career. His hot shooting began during the first half of his home away from home Tuesday in the Vols’ heartbreaking loss to Kentucky at Rupp. But the excitement was temporary and tempered when CLo went cold from the floor until the meaningless final seconds.
However, Saturday, Lofton was, well, Lofton. He was the first-team All-American and the defending SEC Player of the Year. He was all that and more. He was getting open. He was moving around on defense and offense. He was penetrating and finishing, and, most importantly, he was popping shots from beyond the arc, and they were the no-doubters we’re so used to seeing. Lofton finished with 27 points and only went mildly chilly when he was trying to set the team record late in the game.
I hate losing to UK more than anything when it comes to basketball, but if it means Lofton getting hot and getting off his butt, it just may be the most valuable “L” of the season. It also couldn’t come at a better time for UT, which heads to the road to play a very talented Alabama team with a jolt of energy and home-court advantage Tuesday before going to Starkvegas to take on the only undefeated team left in conference play, Mississippi State.
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As for Ainge, after being written off and criticized all week in Senior Bowl practice, he was simply the best quarterback on the field in the South’s win Saturday, along with Michigan’s Chad Henne. The 6-foot-6 former Vols signal-caller looked anything but like the player who threw two crucial SECCG picks against eventual national champion LSU. Instead, he finished 13-for-21 for 159 yards and led the South on the decisive scoring drive.
By comparison, the other quarterbacks who played had numbers that looked like this:
- John David Booty 6-of-12 72 yards and a pick
- Chad Henne 5-of-9 64 yards 2 touchdowns
- Joe Flacco 2-of-7 22 yards 1 pick
- Colt Brennan 2-of-6 30 yards 1 pick
- Andre Woodson 3-of-6 27 yards 1 touchdown
Ainge was 13-of-18 before failing to complete his last three attempts. His performance earned him South team MVP honors and, hopefully, a second look by NFL coaches and scouts after a sub-par week of practice. Knowing Ainge’s issues with consistency, the combine will be a huge deal for him. If he goes in on, it wouldn’t surprise me if he vaulted into the first couple of rounds — at least three rounds. If he goes in with the off-switch flicked, he will be a low-round selection. In other words, it’ll be worth millions. But Saturday’s performance proved what he can do. Once Ainge gets in a groove, he’s tough. But he remains easy to rattle, and I won’t think otherwise until he proves he can be legit on a consistent basis.
Still, it was very nice to see him succeed like that. Oh, and Brad Cottam — who may be a top-two-round selection — caught a touchdown pass, too.
It was a coming-out party of sorts for Lofton and a farewell party for EA. Both of which represented my university very proudly over the past four years. It would be nice if CLo can lead his team to places EA never could. Regardless, EA probably projects as a better professional player, and it would be good to see him get that opportunity.
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The most impressive part of Ainge’s performance is the fact that this game doesn’t really play to his strengths. Ainge became a good quarterback because of his preparation and his ability to make the right checks and decisions. They dull down the playbook as much as possible for these games on purpose, so the players don’t have to think and can just go out there and play.
As far as Lofton goes, I didn’t see the game. In fact, I didn’t see either game thanks to the NFL Network. I saw we were up by 20 and figured it was one I could miss. However, this is great news for Tennessee if he can step up and be the old Lofton.
Ainge’s best strength for his NFL chances is that he’s very coachable. A team can feel good about him being at least a dependable backup, if not eventually a starter after a couple of years of development. He listens, he works hard, and he remembers and applies what he learns. I like his chances for a pro career, though his opportunity to play will be heavily dependent on which team takes him.
Who knows? Maybe Miami will take him to compliment Ted Ginn… ;)
I’ll once again agree with hooper, which is starting to become annoying (you’re at least a representative of Tennessee…get with the program and stop being reasonable). From everything I’ve read about Senior Bowl practices, Mike Martz completely forgot this was an exhibition game in which the practice performances were more important than the game. Instead, he decided to take out all his unemployed fury on the QBs, forcing them to adapt their footwork and throwing mechanics to fit his offense. Of the four QBs, Ainge was the only one to survive the transformation. As someone who got to watch a fair amount of the game including two Ainge possessions, I’ll say he didn’t look great, but compared to the complete demolition of skill that was Brennan and Woodson, he’s Pro Bowl material.
Hey, TFiT, if the whole UT student thing bothers you too much, you can always keep in mind that I got my udnergrad from the University of Wyoming. (UW, btw, comes to UT this fall for the homecoming game. I’m thinking a UW/UT half-n-half jersey is the way to go. Just imagine the colors.) Besides, it’s really best that I leave the UA/UT trash talk to the pros - you know, the guys who’ve been born into it for the past umpteen generations.
On another note, I read somewhere (can’t remember where now) that the Redskins and Chiefs scouts spent a lot of time speaking with Ainge throughout the week. Who knows? Maybe Ainge and Croyle can compete for a job…
If that happens and Ainge beats out Croyle (which is to say, he is breathing and can take a crap without assistance) he may supplant Peyton Manning as my favorite pro player, simply because he beat out a Bammer, albeit one without any knees.
The Bammer with no knees vs. the Vol with no balls (in the pocket). Should be epic.
I can’t think of many other things that could make me happier than that scenario playing out.
Found the link I mentioned earlier.
As a bonus, here’s a Chiefs fan blog entry regarding the Senior Bowl players, and including a remark on Ainge. The pre-established lack of interest in Ainge is evident in that the comments never mention his name in this or their live-game thread. (This is not surprising. How many highlight reels could Ainge possibly make under a Cut offense?) Actually, the remarks on the rest of the QBs are more germaine to the conversation, as he speaks openly about his feelings on Croyle. Quick summary: the spread QBs sucked, Ainge was ok but not stellar, and the man-crush on Croyle is not diminished.
That should have a tease for everybody here.
First, Hooper, you have to make that jersey. Wyoming AND Tennessee? It will look like my worst night drinking.
Second, I want it noted for the record that Ghost just sold out the Great White Hope of Tennessee in favor of a QB from the Pacific Northwest who just this weekend screamed “Roll Tide Roll Baby!” without a hint of sarcasm.
If KC does take Ainge instead of line depth in the first three rounds, then they apparently have just given up and need someone else to stand up and get the crap knocked out of him like Damon and Brodie have for the past year.
I would not be surprised to see Ainge taken in the second round. I think everyone is forgetting how overvalued QBs go in the draft. Look at the QBs taken last year in the second round, Ainge is better than most of them.
This is an absolutely horrible year for QBs anyway. The only QBs getting any notice now are the ones smart enough not to go to the Senior Bowl. You hate to see that, too. You want to see the guys who are proving themselves make a big splash. A few players on defense improved their stock in the draft but not many players overall.