Tag: Erik Ainge

Former Tennessee QB apologizes for underestimating Georgia fans

Former Tennessee QB Erik Ainge questioned how loud Sanford Stadium would be for the Georgia-Tennessee game, but was proven wrong

Former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Erik Ainge questioned how loud Sanford Stadium would be for the Georgia-Tennessee game. Georgia fans and the Georgia team proved Ainge wrong in the Bulldogs’ 27-13 win over the Volunteers. Ainge played at Tennessee from 2004-2007.

Georgia fans had a massive impact on the Georgia-Tennessee game. The Tennessee offensive line struggled all day against Georgia’s defensive front. Tennessee finished with seven false start penalties. Georgia had a season-high six sacks against Tennessee and allowed 2.2 yards per rush.

Georgia’s performance gave the fans a lot to cheer about and caused Ainge to take back a Tweet he shared ahead of Tennessee’s road trip to Athens:

Ainge, who went 2-0 in his career with Tennessee in Athens, admitted he was wrong about Georgia’s atmosphere. It’s good to see him own up to his mistake. Tennessee is still in a good position to make the College Football Playoff despite the road loss.

Some folks thought Tennessee fans would takeover Athens, but the stadium was almost entirely red. Tennessee had an excellent home environment for its win over Alabama, but Georgia’s crowd proved a big obstacle for the Volunteers.

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Josh Heupel discusses loving being at Tennessee amid Oklahoma’s coaching search

Vols’ head coach Josh Heupel discusses loving being at Tennessee amid Oklahoma’s coaching search.

Josh Heupel guided Tennessee to a 7-5 (4-4 SEC) regular season record in his first season as the Vols’ head coach in 2021.

Heupel came to Tennessee after launching his head coaching career at UCF and as a longtime assistant and national championship quarterback at Oklahoma.

Oklahoma is searching to fill its vacant head coaching position following Lincoln Riley leaving the Sooners in the same capacity at USC.

On Tuesday, Heupel discussed wanting to be at Tennessee on the “Erik Ainge Show.”

“We absolutely love Tennessee and believe what we’re going to be building here and can’t be happier and more excited about what we’re going to be able to do next year and in the coming years,” Heupel told the former UT quarterback.

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Every true freshman quarterback that has started for Tennessee in program history

Every true freshman quarterback that has started for the Vols.

Harrison Bailey became the 11th true freshman quarterback to start in program history for the Vols.

Bailey has started the last two contests for Tennessee during the 2020 campaign.

The 11 true freshmen quarterbacks have started 45 games in program history.

Below is every UT true freshman quarterback and how many games each started during his first season.

Jarrett Guarantano: Climbing Tennessee’s all-time passing categories

Jarrett Guarantano: Climbing Tennessee’s all-time passing categories

Redshirt senior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano has appeared in 39 games for Tennessee since 2017.

Guarantano is closing in on the top-5 of numerous all-time passing categories at Tennessee.

The redshirt senior quarterback will have an opportunity in returning to Tennessee next season.

Nov 23, 2019; Columbia, MO, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Jeremy Pruitt embraces quarterback Jarrett Guarantano (2) before the game against the Missouri Tigers at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The NCAA has declared that eligibility does not count for the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, allowing for someone like Guarantano to return for an additional redshirt senior season in 2021.

NEXT: UT’s all-time passing touchdown leaders in a career

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

2007: Tennessee outlasts Kentucky in four overtimes

2007: Tennessee outlasts Kentucky in four overtimes

In its tradition-rich history, the University of Tennessee’s football team has captured many monumental victories.

This year, each Thursday, Vols Wire will look back at one of the Volunteers’ memorable wins against their upcoming opponent.

This installment will revisit UT’s 52-50 four-overtime victory at Kentucky on Nov. 24, 2007.

That victory propelled the Volunteers into the Southeastern Conference championship game where they lost to LSU, 21-14.

That was Tennessee’s last appearance in the SEC title game and the season was the Vols’ last 10-win campaign.

The Big Orange started fast against the Wildcats, darting out to a 14-0 lead. The Vols extended its advantage to 24-7 by halftime.

Tennessee, which would finish the season with a 10-4 record, took a 31-14 lead when quarterback Erik Ainge threw a short 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jeff Cottam with 1 minute, 31 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Kentucky would storm back to tie the game 31-31 when Knoxville Central High School graduate Lones Seiber kicked an 18-yard field goal on the final play of regulation.

The Wildcats went ahead 44-38 in the second overtime.

Tennessee knotted the game 44-44 in the third extra frame when Ainge threw a 13-yard scoring strike to Austin Rogers.

UT then took a 50-44 lead when Ainge threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Quentin Hancock. The Vols made the ensuing two-point conversion when Ainge connected with Rogers again to make the score 52-44.

The successful two-point play would prove to provide a winning margin, as Kentucky’s Derrick Locke scored a touchdown to make it 52-50 before Tennessee’s defense turned away Wildcats’ quarterback Andre Woodson on the conversion attempt.

Top performers for the Vols included Ainge, who threw seven touchdown passes, which remains a single-game record at UT.

Arian Foster rushed for 118 yards on 21 carries. He also had nine receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown. Lucas Taylor had six receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown.

Vol Network to re-air 2006 victory over Georgia

Vol Network to re-air 2006 victory over Georgia.

KNOXVILLE — Vol Network Classics returns Saturday with a re-air of another classic Tennessee football victory.

After airing a pair of Big Orange basketball classics last week, the Vol Network returns to the gridiron as it re-airs Tennessee’s epic comeback victory over Georgia in Athens on Oct. 7, 2006.

The Volunteers got off to a sluggish start, but had a monster second half and nabbed a 51-33 victory over the Bulldogs.

The Vols would go on to beat Alabama and finish the season with a 9-4 record.

The Big Orange entered the game with a 5-1 record and coming off a road victory against Memphis.

Things did not go well for Tennessee out of the gate against the Bulldogs, who opened a slim 10-7 lead in the first quarter. Georgia, which also entered the showdown with a 5-1 mark, extended its advantage to 24-14 by halftime.

After the break, Tennessee had a huge fourth quarter, in which it outscored the Bulldogs 27-6 over the game’s final 15 minutes.

Quarterback Erik Ainge had a solid day as he went 25-for-38 and amassed 268 yards while throwing a pair of touchdown tosses. He also rushed for a score.

Tennessee running back Arian Foster rushed for 63 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries. He had a pair of 1-yard touchdown plunges in the final frame to close out scoring in the game.

The game re-airs at noon (ET) Saturday on WNML-FM 99.1 and WNML-AM 990.

Bob Kesling will be on the call.