It took the better part of two seasons, but Tennessee coach Butch Jones finally settled on the quarterback he believes can run his offense for the next couple of seasons.

After biding his time in a reserve role early in the year, Joshua Dobbs’ performance as a starter over the final six games of the 2014 season made it an easy decision for Jones. Now entering his junior season, Dobbs is entrenched as the Vols’ starting quarterback as Tennessee looks to take steps toward competing in the SEC East race this season.

Dobbs’ emergence was well-timed for the Vols, as the graduation of Justin Worley and transfers of Nathan Peterman and Riley Ferguson left the team with no experienced depth behind Dobbs at season’s end.

So while Dobbs may be the man for now, the long-term future of the position is still very much in the air.

That’s not to say there isn’t talent on the roster. Viewing the quarterback position as a top priority in the 2015 recruiting cycle, the Vols brought aboard four new quarterbacks in the incoming freshman class.

Tennessee also has a verbal commitment from Jarrett Guarantano, who is one of the top-rated dual-threat quarterbacks in the 2016 recruiting class. (He’s been participating in the Elite 11 quarterback competition this week.)

At least one of Quinten Dormady, Jauan Jennings and Sheriron Jones is likely to be called to duty as a true freshman this season.

“It’s very concerning because you can’t simulate experience,” Tennessee coach Butch Jones told the Associated Press in April. “Josh found that out as a true freshman (in 2013). It’s very challenging and very difficult.”

Both Dormady and Jennings were early-enrollees in January and full participants in spring practice, where they battled for the upper-hand in the battle for the No. 2 position on the depth chart.

New Vols offensive coordinator Mike DeBord seemed pleased with what he saw from Dormady in the spring.

“He’s got a really strong arm,” DeBord told Grant Ramey of The Daily Times. “He’s doing a pretty good job with his feet right now, getting in position to make all the different types of throws.”

Meanwhile, DeBord’s quotes to Ramey indicated that Jennings was being brought along a little more slowly, with an emphasis on learning the offense and working on footwork.

“We’ve just got to continue to work with him,” DeBord said. “We’re giving him a certain amount of football everyday. We’re not throwing everything at him.

“It’s kind of unknown, how far he’ll go. But I believe he’s really into it right now. He’ll continue to grow with it.”

Jennings did himself no favors by appearing in the news in June with some questions around his alleged involvement in an incident at a graduation party in May.

So which one of these guys will be the quarterback of the future for the Vols?

Let’s take a closer look at each of the candidates.

Quinten Dormady

Freshman
Tale of the tape: 6-foot-4, 213 pounds
Recruiting ratings: 4-star (247Sports, Rivals, Scout, ESPN)
What he brings to the table: At this stage in the development of the freshman quarterbacks, Dormady appears to be most equipped to handle the rigors of SEC play as a true freshman. He has the backing of the coaching staff after a solid spring as an early enrollee and likely holds the inside track to the No. 2 spot on the depth chart this fall. A coach’s son from Texas, he has seemingly grasped the offense to a level at which the coaching staff felt comfortable testing him against complex defensive schemes in the spring, according to Ramey. It remains to be seen if he has what it takes to be a long-term solution as a starting quarterback for the Vols, but it seems as though he could receive the first opportunity to show what he has to offer. And sometimes that’s all it takes.

Jauan Jennings

Freshman
Tale of the tape: 6-foot-4, 202-pounds
Recruiting ratings: 4-star (247Sports, Rivals, Scout, ESPN)
What he brings to the table: Jennings,who is relatively new to the quarterback position, displayed a great deal of athleticism during spring practice. His 45-yard touchdown run in the Orange and White game in the spring was a prime example of the danger he could present to opposing defenses as a runner. However, coaches were concerned about his footwork, and the potential for some legal fallout for his role in skirmish in May could hinder his ability to get on the field early. There also have been whispers that he could make a move to another position, such as safety, if he is slow to develop at quarterback.

Sheriron Jones

Freshman
Tale of the tape: 6-foot-2, 182-pounds
Recruiting ratings: 4-star (247Sports, Rivals, Scout, ESPN)
What he brings to the table: Originally a commitment to Florida until the firing of Will Muschamp put him back on the market, Jones chose to commit to Tennessee in January with Jennings and Dormady already on campus in Knoxville. Rated as one of the top dual threat quarterbacks in the country, Jones should fit the style of spread-option offense preferred by Butch Jones. He just may be a year or two away from making a significant contribution.

Zac Jancek

Freshman
Tale of the tape: 6-foot-5, 195-pounds
Recruiting ratings: 2-star (247Sports); Not rated (Rivals, Scout, ESPN)
What he brings to the table: The son of Vols defensive coordinator John Jancek, Zac joined the Tennessee program as a preferred walk-on after two years as a starter at nearby Knoxville Catholic. While he is likely to provide much needed depth for practice reps and potential scout team assignments this season, it is unlikely that the Vols turn to Jancek for work in games any time soon.

Jarrett Guarantano

Verbal commitment, class of 2016
Tale of the tape: 6-foot-4, 200-pounds
Recruiting ratings: 4-star (247Sports, Rivals, Scout, ESPN)
What he brings to the table: We are more than six months away from National Signing Day, so a lot of things can happen between now and then that could change the complexion of the outlook for Guarantano at Tennessee. What we do know is that he is regarded as one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks of this recruiting cycle and has a ceiling every bit as high as any of the quarterbacks on the roster.