Clawson's Call: As expected, UT offensive coordinator Dave Clawson spent much of his recruiting time during the spring evaluation period looking at quarterbacks.
The Vols seem most focused on Josh Nunes from Upland (Calif.) High, as he was one of the first high school quarterbacks who received a scholarship offer from UT.
Clawson, as per NCAA rules, can't comment on specific prospects, but was willing to provide some insight into what he's looking for in a high school prospect.
"At the quarterback position, it starts with the intangibles," Clawson said. "You want a guy that's a good leader and a good citizen. The next thing is the ability to make every throw we ask a quarterback to make and the athleticism to protect himself."
In other words, after character Clawson is looking for a passer. Much like the previous regime under David Cutcliffe, Clawson wants an athlete but not necessarily a running quarterback.
"There's got to be some degree of athleticism," Clawson said. "They can't just be a standing target."
Clawson said he has a history of adapting to a quarterback's strengths. At Richmond, Clawson said his offense relied on everything from sprinting a quarterback out of the pocket to sprinting receivers downfield for a laser-accurate pass.
Much of UT's quarterback recruiting success will be based on which sport signee Casey Kelly decides to play. If the Sarasota (Fla.) High athlete chooses professional baseball, that will be less competition for an incoming player.
If Kelly chooses football, much of the Vols' recruiting efforts likely will be lost as prospects see hefty competition for snaps in Knoxville.
That decision won't be made until after the amateur baseball draft in early June. But clearly, the Vols are preparing for life without Kelly.
The Vols' focus now is on finding the right quarterback. UT's coaches will spend the coming weeks evaluating tape and head into June with a short list.
