UT's Ainge talks about future with Meachem and Cutcliffe

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - All the success Tennessee&#39;s offense has had this season is causing some concern.<br> <br> Keeping the same offensive unit together for next season could be a difficult task with speculation about whether quarterback Erik Ainge, receiver Robert Meachem and offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe will return.<br> <br> Ainge says he and Cutcliffe will be back, but they might have to work hard to convince Meachem to not leave early for the NFL.<br> <br> ``I&#39;ll be here next year playing football with coach Cutcliffe. We&#39;ll both be here and (are) looking forward to doing great things here next year,&#39;&#39; Ainge said Monday during his weekly interview with reporters.<br> <br> Cutcliffe was hired at the end of last season to replace Randy Sanders, who resigned during the 5-6 campaign. Cutcliffe was the offensive coordinator at Tennessee before he left in 1998 to be the head coach at Mississippi. He signed a contract with Tennessee for two years.<br> <br> The No. 19 Volunteers (8-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference), who finish the regular season Saturday hosting Kentucky, have revitalized an offense that ranked as one of the least productive last season.<br> <br> Cutcliffe has said he might consider taking another head coaching job again but is focused on his current job now. His wife is from the Knoxville area, and their children are still in school.<br> <br> ``He&#39;s told me from the beginning he has no intentions to go anywhere else. I obviously know things happen. You know, several million dollars to coach a football team is tough not to (take). I understand that. He&#39;s not throwing his name out trying to find a job like that. It&#39;s one of those things he plans on being here and getting to work with us for a while yet,&#39;&#39; Ainge said.<br> <br> Meachem is a different story. The junior receiver needs only 22 yards to set a new school record for receiving yards in a season, beating the 1,170 Marcus Nash had in 1997. Meachem has 1,149 yards and 10 touchdowns in 11 games.<br> <br> Tennessee also will lose senior receivers Jayson Swain and Bret Smith. The trio were freshmen together in 2003, but Meachem had to redshirt because of a knee injury.<br> <br> Ainge said he would like Meachem to return.<br> <br> ``I don&#39;t know how you wouldn&#39;t have thought about it. Obviously he&#39;s thought about it. I just saw today he could break the single-season receiving record and all that kind of stuff. He&#39;s had a great year. He&#39;s a great football player,&#39;&#39; Ainge said. ``I think if he were to stay then obviously that would help our team out tremendously, and I think that would help him out too. He&#39;s got a lot to think about the upside of both leaving and staying. I think it will take him a little bit to make that decision.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Meachem has indicated he plans to talk to his family after Tennessee&#39;s bowl game before making a decision.<br> <br> ESPN&#39;s draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Meachem as the fifth-best junior receiver behind Georgia Tech&#39;s Calvin Johnson, Ohio State&#39;s Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez, and Southern Cal&#39;s Dwayne Jarrett.<br> <br> Ainge said he was not sure if he would even turn his name in to the NFL for a draft evaluation on where he could be chosen.<br> <br> ``The way I look at it, Peyton and Eli (Manning) had as good if not better junior years than I had and they played in all the games and they all stayed. I don&#39;t think I&#39;m where Peyton or Eli was right now,&#39;&#39; Ainge said. ``I have a lot of work to do with my game and at this university. I want to get a ring.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> On the Net:<br> <br> Tennessee football: www.utsports.com

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