Butch Jones says Tennessee could play two QBs this season
By Kevin Duffey
Published:
Butch Jones still has a lingering decision to make ahead of 2017: who’s going to start at quarterback.
With fall camp just around the corner, Jones will hopefully see the clear-cut winner between Quinten Dormady and Jarrett Guarantano prior to the season, but if he doesn’t, there’s a chance the Vols could play two signal callers.
“Well, I think playing time is earned, so if both players earn their right to play, we’ll play both quarterbacks,” Jones said Monday at SEC Media Days. “I’ve been in systems where we’ve been able to do that, and really Quinten and Jarrett’s skill sets are very similar to each other. I think we have an offense that really can play to the skill sets of the quarterback and all of the players around.
“Again, if both players earn the right to play, they’ll both play. Again, it’s how it’s going to play itself out, because these two individuals are very, very capable and very good football players. It’s a good problem to have.”
Dormady looked like the starter during the team’s spring “game,” which was more like a practice than anything, and he enters fall camp as the leader. Guarantano likely has the higher upside, but Dormady may be the guy right now. Regardless, one of them will emerge as the starter, but the tougher job may be actually keeping the position throughout the season.
Jones broke down the quarterback competition and the strengths of both players.
“But I’m really, really excited about the quarterbacks that we have in our program, and I think the competition at that position is really elevated the level of play of everyone else around them,” Jones said. “You know, you have two kind of distinct personalities. You have a young individual in Jarrett Guarantano, very energetic, very demonstrative, very passionate, very, very talented, and then Quinten Dormady, who is a coach’s son, who has kind of been in our football program. So a little bit different in terms of personality-wise, but these two individuals are very, very talented.”
It will be interesting to see how this battle plays out and if the quarterback who wins the job is actually the starter come November.
A graduate of the University of Florida and founder of Saturday Down South, Kevin is a college football enthusiast.
