Jeremy Pruitt discusses what he’s looking for before naming Tennessee’s starting QB
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Jeremy Pruitt met with the media on Thursday to preview his first camp as Tennessee coach.
During his media session, to no surprise, Pruitt was asked about the ongoing quarterback competition in Knoxville. Here’s what the Tennessee coach had to say about the situation.
“I think the quarterbacks are no different than any other position. You are going to have the same amount of competition. We will be repping four guys there. They will all get the same opportunity,” Pruitt answered.
The first-year Tennessee coach then offered up this thought, as only a defensive-minded coach could, he compared the QB competition to a position battle at outside linebacker.
“It’s kinda like outside linebacker. If you got two guys that are about the same, then you play them both,” Pruitt continued. “You got one guy that’s a little better, than you play him and this guy comes in when he gets tired, or whatever. I think the same thing for quarterbacks. If we have someone that asserts himself, it might be three days into fall camp it may be six weeks into the season. But we have to figure out who gives us the best opportunity and they will control that, not us.”
It’s a simplistic way of looking at the situation but in reality, Pruitt is correct. While the offseason months are spent by outsiders debating and evaluating options at the game’s most important position, for the coaches, that position battle is no different than any other and needs to be treated as such. Once a coach decides to play favorites or takes into consideration other factors, that’s when huge mistakes are made at the quarterback position.
Pruitt was later asked how he will whittle down the competition at QB and ultimately make a decision on who starts under center. It’s clear, Nick Saban’s influence of playing a quarterback that first and foremost protects the ball has been inherited by Pruitt.
“To me, the most important thing is when you get the ball, what are we doing with it? Okay,” Pruitt answered. “Are we throwing it to the other team? Are we staying in the right plays? Are we ending every possession with a kick? What type of impact do you have on your teammates? It’s interesting, you look and quarterbacks come in all shapes and sizes. Look at the NFL and over the great history of the quarterbacks, they all look different.”
“It’s taking your team and moving the ball, being productive. Rallying everyone around you. To do that, you have to have competitive situations. They have to be put in situations where they have the ability to separate themselves and that will happen.”
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
