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Seeing is Beliving
UT recruits quarterbacks based on potential, not pedigree
by Brooks Clark
A couple of predictions on the upcoming football season; Tennessee will be as intriguing as they have been at any point in the Fulmer era; and the dynamic duo of quarterbacks Brent Schaeffer and Eric Ainge will dominate the storyline for much of the season.
Here’s yet another prediction: the entertainment value of this Vol team will exceed its winning percentage. For fans starving for want of genuine on-the-field drama lo these past few seasons, the resulting fireworks should more than compensate for the extra losses.
Here’s a fourth prediction: by mid-season, Tennessee fans will be sharply divided between Schaeffer and Ainge.
During last year’s recruiting seasons, sources inside the football program told me that the two quarterbacks UT coveted over all the rest were Schaeffer and Ainge. Fans obsessed with recruiting publications were outraged as the process unfolded; highly-touted Brian Brohm went to lowly Louisville; blue-chipper Chase Patton seemingly chose Missouri (say that again: Missouri) over Tennessee.
Seemingly, anyway. The truth is that Tennessee’s recruiting brain trust had identified Schaeffer and Ainge as their top two quarterbacks early in the game, in spite of the evidently superior credentials of prospects like Patton and Brohm.
Eric Ainge was the first to fall into place. Ainge had a stand-out high school career, to be sure. But truly, his name and the fact that he is the nephew of former NBA star Danny Ainge were more impressive than his prep credentials. Consider his bio in this year’s UT media guide: “Selected as the 2003 Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year. A PrepStar All-America selection.... Rated by Superprep as the nation’s No. 19-ranked quarterback prospect.... Rated by Rivals.com as a four-star prospect and the nation’s No. 11-ranked pro-style quarterback.... Listed by ESPN.com recruiting expert Tom Lemming as the No. 21-ranked quarterback prospect in the nation.... Listed by TheInsiders.com as a three-star prospect and the nation’s No. 28-ranked quarterback prospect.”
If you take an average of those four recruiting services, you find that Ainge was maybe the 20th best high school senior quarterback in the country last year. That would be a great signee� for Vanderbilt. But not for Tennessee, where QBs are expected to have top-five credentials, or at the very least top-10. But this year, UT coaches saw something the so-called “experts” missed: with his mobility, presence and arm strength, Eric Ainge has a chance to be special.
Even with his vaunted athletic ability, college scouts felt Brent Schaeffer fell short of truly elite high school quarterback status. According to the media guide: “Rated by SuperPrep as the No. 10-ranked quarterback prospect in the nation and No. 8-ranked overall prospect in Florida.... Listed by recruiting expert Tom Lemming as the No. 16-ranked quarterback prospect in the nation.... Rated by Rivals.com as a four-star prospect and the No. 7 dual-threat quarterback in the nation.... Rated by TheInsiders.com as a four-star prospect and the No. 14-ranked quarterback prospect in the country.”
The fact that Schaeffer’s final three schools were Tennessee, Auburn and NC State tells you all you need to know; he wasn’t even heavily recruited in his home state. But having watched him in action, I can tell you that if this guy is the No. 16 high school quarterback in the nation, then this is most impressive quarterback class in college football history.
During one particularly nifty 35-yard scramble at a recent scrimmage, Schaeffer inspired a fan sitting near me to chant, “Run, Condredge, run!”, in mind of ’70s-era UT quarterback great Condredge Holloway, who wore the number 7 jersey that Schaeffer wears today. This guy is flat-out fun to watch, and his performance in pre-season workouts far exceeds his recruiting service pedigree. His play-making ability will surely make him a fast fan favorite.
My only concern is that our fans don’t turn this pairing of young dynamos into a divisive spitting contest, the way they did back in ’94 when, regrettably, Peyton Manning and Branndon Stewart were pitted against each other in the quarterback race, and some fans actually booed when their favorite wasn’t in the game.
I have a neighbor who still swears that Stewart was better than Manning. This knucklehead was one of the boo-birds, and he’s still a season ticket holder. Now he’s telling me that Ainge is his favorite. Who’s yours? I have another prediction: before the season’s up, you’ll make a choice.
September 2, 2004 • Vol. 14, No. 36
© 2004 Metro Pulse
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