KNOXVILLE ? There are growing signs that Brent Schaeffer will be Tennessee's starting quarterback in Sunday's opener against UNLV.
Schaeffer took snaps with the first-team offense to begin practice yesterday, although Erik Ainge is getting equal repetitions.
Offensive coordinator Randy Sanders said it's not really important to him who starts because they're both going to play ? and play early.
''I don't think it matters as much to them or to the team as it would if you had a situation where one of them was going to play 80 percent of the time and the other one 20 percent,'' Sanders said. ''This is not going to be a situation where we chart each individual play to keep it even. But going into it, I see it being pretty much equal.''
Sanders believes both QBs could play by the third series.
''If one of them is in there and we go down the field and score the first two times, then he may keep playing,'' Sanders said. ''Our first priority is to win the football game, and they understand that.
''I think there's a lot of benefit to not only playing and getting into the flow, but there's also some benefit to standing over there and watching it.''
Return shuffle: Fulmer said Corey Larkins probably would be the deep man on kickoff returns.
But after saying last week that freshman Jonathan Hefney was the top candidate on punt returns, Fulmer said Derrick Tinsley will probably get the first chance. Tinsley worked with the first team yesterday.
''The first thing is who's going to have the ball when the play is over and who takes care of the football,'' Fulmer said. ''It's also who can give us some dynamics. Jon Hefney gives you some dynamics, at least he did in high school.
''We've got to catch the football and manage the bounce. It's just going to take getting him in the game and earning that trust.''
Duke
DURHAM -- Quarterback Chris Dapolito went from third string to first string in a one-week span last season for Duke.
He went from throwing hand signals from the bench to throwing passes against N.C. State.
Dapolito will start his senior season back on the bench but won't stay there long Saturday when the Blue Devils open the season at Navy.
Sophomore Mike Schneider is the starter, but Dapolito will get his chance against the Midshipmen, who were 8-5 last season.
"He deserves to play," Duke coach Ted Roof said Monday. "When? I don't know. That depends on who has the hot hand."
Schneider and Dapolito rotated in last season's final three games. The Devils went 2-1 in those games, which explains Roof's quarterback philosophy.
"Whatever works," he says.
Versatile Curt Dukes also will take some snaps at quarterback.
Roof said all three will play because each brings a different talent to the offense.
Schneider, at 6 feet 2, has the best passing skills and strongest arm.
Dapolito, who is also 6-2, can run a little and pass a little, but his strength is his leadership. His teammates voted him as one of five team captains.
Dukes, a sophomore transfer from Nebraska, ran the option in high school. At 6-1 and 225 pounds, he also will line up at running back, receiver and tight end.
"We know we're going to play because we all do different things," Dapolito said.
Roof used a quarterback rotation in his first game as head coach Oct. 25 against N.C. State. Dapolito traded a baseball hat for his helmet and played a key role in a 28-21 loss to the Wolfpack.
Dapolito took exactly eight snaps in Duke's first seven games. But against the Pack and then the next week in front of 104,772 fans at Tennessee, he shared time with Adam Smith, who has transferred to Division I-AA Western Illinois.
Last season, Schneider took over the starting job in the second week and kept it for the next five games before suffering a separated shoulder.
When he returned against Georgia Tech, he, Dapolito and Smith played in Duke's 41-17 upset. Schneider started at Clemson and Dapolito started at UNC, but each played in both games.
Roof de-emphasized the passing game and neither quarterback finished with impressive numbers.
For the season, Dapolito completed 30 of 54 (55.6 percent) for 343 yards with two TDs and two interceptions.
Schneider, who started eight games, completed 97 of 208 (46.6 percent) for 1,220 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions.
Those totals are likely to increase in new offensive coordinator Marty Galbraith's scheme.
"We all need to play to win," Schneider said. "I know that now."
