Most NCAA quarterback competitions around the country have been resolved at this point – including today at Texas A&M with Coach Jimbo Fisher naming Haynes King as the Aggies' Week 1 starter – but not yet at Tennessee in a three-way battle between transfers Joe Milton and Hendon Hooker and "incumbent" Harrison Bailey. SportsLine oddsmakers, however, solidly favor Milton to be under center when the Vols open the season at home vs. Mid-American Conference school Bowling Green on Sept 2. UT is a 34-point favorite at Caesars Sportsbook.
Milton was Michigan's primary starting quarterback last season but lost his job late in the shortened campaign to Cade McNamara and clearly saw the writing on the wall, choosing to transfer to Tennessee in April – meaning he missed spring ball. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Florida native completed 80 of 141 pass attempts for 1,077 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions last year in going 2-3 as a starter for the Wolverines. He also rushed for 109 yards and a TD but isn't particularly mobile.
By all accounts, Milton has been the primary quarterback with Tennessee's first-team offense for the better part of the past two weeks under first-year head coach Josh Heupel. Milton has the strongest arm of the three competitors. Heupel said Monday the team will see where things are at the end of the week on the QB situation but acknowledged that Milton's comfort with the offense is growing by the day.
"Joe's really progressed during the course of our training camp," Heupel said this week. "You look at the first half and then the second half, much more comfortable in what we're asking him to do, and has great ownership."
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Hooker played in 25 games with 15 starts (8-7 record) at Virginia Tech over three seasons before transferring. He completed 197 of 312 passes for 2,894 yards with 22 touchdowns and seven picks while rushing for 1,033 yards on 247 carries and 15 touchdowns. He obviously brings the mobile factor that Milton does not but isn't considered equal as a passer.
Finally, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Bailey probably would have the edge had the Vols not made a coaching change from Jeremy Pruitt because he played in six games and started the final three last year (1-2 record) at UT as a true freshman. He completed 48 of 68 passes for 578 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.
"Physically there's a lot of different traits," Heupel said of his trio of QBs. "Some are big, some are small. Some are freaky fast, some have a freaky strong arm. Some are great anticipation throwers. At the end of the day I think competitive spirit is the No. 1 thing they've got to have. They've got to be wired in a way that they're going to compete in the building with their teammates and when they're by themselves every single day. I think that leads to a leadership trait, too."
It's certainly possible if not likely that all three of the QBs could see playing time throughout the season. Heupel added that the Vols players don't yet know who the starter will be yet, either.
Regardless, Bowling Green should be overmatched as the Falcons are given an Over/Under win total of just 1.5 this season at Caesars Sportsbook. They finished 0-5 last year, losing every MAC game by at least 25 points. The last time BGSU was at least a 34-point dog was in 2019 when it was +45.5 at Notre Dame and lost 52-0.
Via SportsLine oddsmakers: Who will be Tennessee's Week 1 starting QB?
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