Vol coordinator Alex Golesh talks Tennessee's offensive install, shares timeline for naming starting QB

Tennessee fans better be ready to go fast on offense.

Considering the last few seasons on Rocky Top, the speed of Tennessee’s offense in 2021 should be sight for sore eyes.

While the system may run fast, don’t look for the players — especially the team’s quarterbacks — to fully grasp it right away according to Tennessee first-year offensive coordinator, Alex Golesh.

During his introductory press conference at Tennessee, the new OC on Rocky Top was asked about how the new Volunteer coaching staff plans to pick the first quarterback to start in Josh Heupel’s offense.

“It’s going to be a matter of finding the guy that can do both at a really high rate,” Golesh said on Wednesday. “There are guys here that have played, (graduate transfer) Hendon (Hooker) played at Virginia Tech a considerable amount. It’s going to be a matter of force-feeding it and seeing who can handle it from a mental aspect, and obviously, who can handle it from a physical aspect.”

Just don’t look for those answers to come quickly.

Because of the importance placed on the quarterbacks in the system, Golesh shared that he thinks it will take more than spring practice to determine which signal-caller proves to be the best equipped to lead the offense in 2021.

“So much of this offense revolves around the quarterback and being able to manage it and being able to operate within the system. It happens really fast, and really that’s across the board at every position,” Golesh continued. “You’ve got to be able to process information really quickly. You’ve got to be able to process looks really quickly. At the quarterback position in particular, who can grasp it the quickest? Who can operate within the system and then who can excel in the system?

“I don’t think we have that answer – I know we don’t have that answer right now. And I don’t think we will have an answer at the end of the spring. I think this is going to be, at that position specifically, a six-month process to get to Week 1 and roll with the guy that you feel is the most prepared and the most functional in terms of running the offense.”

This spring, all eyes will be on sophomore Harrison Bailey, junior Brian Maurer, graduate transfer Hendon Hooker and incoming freshman Kaidon Salter when it comes to the team’s quarterback competition. While their every move will be dissected by the coaching staff this spring, they each have plenty of time to prove they deserve to be the first to take the first snap for Tennessee this fall.