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With almost exactly two months till the start of the season, I will be breaking down the roster position. We will talk about the viable candidates, and then give a letter grade that combines talent, depth, and experience going into 2013.
Let's start with the quarterbacks, where four players are vying to join such legends as Dewey Warren, Condredge Holloway, Heath Shuler, Peyton Manning, and others among the Big Orange signal callers.
The Starter: Justin Worley
If the season started tomorrow, Worley would take the first snap in Knoxville against Austin Peay. Worley has been at UT for two years, and has shown promise, when he took over for Tyler Bray in 2011 because of injuries. Worley is accurate and has the ability to read the defense and make the correct decisions. He has good velocity on his throws, but his lack of range can have a defense play in. Worley played a Mike Leach type spread in High School, and Butch will play to the strengths of his offense if Worley is the starter.
The Backup: Nathan Peterman
Peterman is a 6'2/225 QB from Florida with arm strength, mobility, and size. From a physical standpoint, Peterman might be the best of the bunch. He redshirted last year, and was even recruited by Butch Jones at Cincinnati. Peterman is the perfect fit for Butch Jones' system. But he is raw. He seems to get lost in the pocket sometimes, and hasn't grasped the offense. There is still plenty of time for Peterman to grab the spot, and I bet he will see snaps in the first two weeks of the season.
The Freshmen: Joshua Dobbs and Riley Ferguson
Let's start first with Josh Dobbs. A very smart player with the ability to make plays with his arm and his feet. Learning the offense should not be a problem with him. Dobbs has great ability, and we do not know what to expect. Jones will give the best man the job and Dobbs has that ability to start from day one and take control of the team.
Riley Ferguson has been getting overlooked, but he has great ability, and looking at his offer list it's quite obvious he was coveted. His junior numbers in high school were mind boggling. He has great arm talent, and he is more mobile than looks. He is only 175 and has to put on weight, but he can definitely be a starter at UT, though he is probably not as polished as Dobbs.
Overall Thoughts: Talent abounds this group despite the lack of a top 5 type high school ranking. All four can be an SEC starter at some point in their careers with the right coaching. I believe Worley is going to get the first crack to hold down the job, but we might three of the four quarterbacks this year. I'm interested to see if Jones will adjust his offense if someone takes over mid-season. However, the first two games will tell us if UT has found their starter. Like a lot of people, I love Dobbs' mental capacity to play the spot and the raw talent, but I want to see if Peterman can take the spot. He's tailor made for this offense.
Grade: The talent is there, but with only quarterback having three career starts on his belt, it's hard to give a complete grade for these guys. The question will be more at the end of the year so we can get an idea of who will be the 2014 QB. The grade for the 2013 Tennessee Volunteers Quarterbacks going into the season is a C+
Go Vols!!! :hi:
Let's start with the quarterbacks, where four players are vying to join such legends as Dewey Warren, Condredge Holloway, Heath Shuler, Peyton Manning, and others among the Big Orange signal callers.
The Starter: Justin Worley
If the season started tomorrow, Worley would take the first snap in Knoxville against Austin Peay. Worley has been at UT for two years, and has shown promise, when he took over for Tyler Bray in 2011 because of injuries. Worley is accurate and has the ability to read the defense and make the correct decisions. He has good velocity on his throws, but his lack of range can have a defense play in. Worley played a Mike Leach type spread in High School, and Butch will play to the strengths of his offense if Worley is the starter.
The Backup: Nathan Peterman
Peterman is a 6'2/225 QB from Florida with arm strength, mobility, and size. From a physical standpoint, Peterman might be the best of the bunch. He redshirted last year, and was even recruited by Butch Jones at Cincinnati. Peterman is the perfect fit for Butch Jones' system. But he is raw. He seems to get lost in the pocket sometimes, and hasn't grasped the offense. There is still plenty of time for Peterman to grab the spot, and I bet he will see snaps in the first two weeks of the season.
The Freshmen: Joshua Dobbs and Riley Ferguson
Let's start first with Josh Dobbs. A very smart player with the ability to make plays with his arm and his feet. Learning the offense should not be a problem with him. Dobbs has great ability, and we do not know what to expect. Jones will give the best man the job and Dobbs has that ability to start from day one and take control of the team.
Riley Ferguson has been getting overlooked, but he has great ability, and looking at his offer list it's quite obvious he was coveted. His junior numbers in high school were mind boggling. He has great arm talent, and he is more mobile than looks. He is only 175 and has to put on weight, but he can definitely be a starter at UT, though he is probably not as polished as Dobbs.
Overall Thoughts: Talent abounds this group despite the lack of a top 5 type high school ranking. All four can be an SEC starter at some point in their careers with the right coaching. I believe Worley is going to get the first crack to hold down the job, but we might three of the four quarterbacks this year. I'm interested to see if Jones will adjust his offense if someone takes over mid-season. However, the first two games will tell us if UT has found their starter. Like a lot of people, I love Dobbs' mental capacity to play the spot and the raw talent, but I want to see if Peterman can take the spot. He's tailor made for this offense.
Grade: The talent is there, but with only quarterback having three career starts on his belt, it's hard to give a complete grade for these guys. The question will be more at the end of the year so we can get an idea of who will be the 2014 QB. The grade for the 2013 Tennessee Volunteers Quarterbacks going into the season is a C+
Go Vols!!! :hi:
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