Vols look for starter among three quarterbacks

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Posted 7:38PM on Monday, March 14, 2005

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A year ago, Tennessee was struggling to find a starting quarterback. Now, the Volunteers have three quarterbacks trying to regain a starting spot this spring. Expectations are high again on Rocky Top after the Volunteers' 38-7 win over Texas A in the Cotton Bowl, and one of coach Phillip Fulmer's goals is to get back to the Southeastern Conference championship game and win it. Auburn beat Tennessee in the title game last year. ``Whoever is our quarterback is going to be a big key to that,'' Fulmer said Monday at the spring football media day. The Vols began spring practice last Thursday with a big question to settle at quarterback. Shoring up the secondary and finding a healthy center also are high priorities. Last year, senior C.J. Leak and junior Rick Clausen were vying to replace Clausen's older brother, Casey, a four-year starter. Leak came out of spring practice as the top QB, but freshmen Erik Ainge and Brent Schaeffer were named co-starters during fall practice. Both freshmen earned starts but got hurt and did not finish the season. Clausen, who was essentially the third-stringer, took over the team and was named the offensive MVP of the Cotton Bowl. Fulmer wants to name one of them the starter by the end of spring practice. ``Right now it's just amazing how much difference a year makes and the understanding those kids have for our offense and how easy it is to flow through practice with veteran quarterbacks,'' Fulmer said. ``Personally, I'd like to have a starter or at least a guy who would start the first practice of two-a-days.'' Schaeffer broke his collarbone in October at South Carolina and participated in some of the bowl practices. Ainge separated his shoulder in November against Notre Dame and did not practice at all until last week. Clausen was the starter in the final four games of the season. ``I've been really pleased not only with the way they've approached their work on the practice field but the way they've approached meetings and film work and things like that,'' offensive coordinator Randy Sanders said. ``Rick has picked up where he left off, which was pretty daggone good in the bowl game.'' Clausen said he was not disappointed the starting job was put up for competition despite his good showing at the end of last year. ``I have the utmost confidence that coach Fulmer will make the best decision for the football team,'' Clausen said. The center position is a problem now. The Vols were hoping to replace Jason Respert, last year's starter, with Richie Gandy, but Gandy tore the ACL in his left knee playing an intramural basketball game last month. He will miss all of spring practice. Cody Douglas was standing in for Gandy, but he tweaked his knee in practice. Fulmer did not know how long Douglas will be out. That leaves junior David Ligon, walk-on Michael Frogg and freshman Cameron Mayo, who also hurt his knee. Defensive coordinator John Chavis has his hands full figuring out the secondary again, while the Vols should be solid on the defensive line and at linebacker with the return of Kevin Simon from a knee injury last year. Senior Jason Allen has been moved back to cornerback after leading the SEC in tackles last year at safety. Antwan Stewart, who missed last season with a knee injury, is not yet full speed. ``We know we have some problems in the secondary, and I'm not willing to sit here and wait until somebody comes in and answers those questions in the fall. We're going to do everything we can to try to be as far as long as we can,'' Chavis said. ``If you're planning on winning championships, you're not going to win championships with freshmen.'' Kicker James Wilhoit had surgery on his right foot last week, and he should be back in the fall. (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)