Tennessee QB signee, California native JT Shrout impressed by 'Southern hospitality'

It’s safe to say that Tennessee’s newest quarterback signee, JT Shrout, is ready to be on campus.

Sometime after officially signing with the Volunteers on Wednesday, Shrout conducted a phone interview with Knoxville NBC affiliate WBIR.

He was asked about what made him want to come all the way from California to be a Vol.

“It was just another option that I wanted to check out,” he told sports reporter Patrick Murray. “I was intrigued by the football program, and I just wanted to see what they had to offer.

“I’m glad I went out there because I fell in love with it.”

Shrout noted that the people around Knoxville were “super kind,” as well.

“Southern hospitality is definitely a real thing,” Shrout said. “That was a change from where I’m from in California. People out there aren’t like that, so that was nice.”

Shrout added that — besides the Southern hospitality — he believed in the vision Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt is selling. He said he also got to meet Vols athletic director Phillip Fulmer, and he was convinced that UT’s program is headed in the right direction.

“They want to start winning,” Shrout said. “I love winning and I’m a real competitive person, so I’d like to turn the program around and get it going in the right direction again.”