The Once and Future QB

Like a fresh whiff of morning breath, most Tennessee fans are finding themselves smacked in the face with the unpleasant news of would-be QB contender B.J. Coleman’s transfer.

The ill-advised taunting of conference power houses like Florida, Georgia, and Alabama drew very little ire from insiders even though it will result in all three match-ups being brightly outlined come this fall.

But this development has left many split and disappointed at the eulogy being given about Coleman’s brief Volunteer career. While the transfer itself is a shock, most are concerned not with the departure, but rather in the process of how it all went down.

Where exactly did Coleman stand in the minds of Kiffin and Jim Chaney? We will never know, but the perceived lack of opportunity was enough to push Coleman out the door and away from a program he loved and dreamed of representing on the field.

The superficial diagnosis of this development is that it will finally provide some clarity to a muddled position battle. Not only that, but it will also make Tennessee all the more appealing to the elite QBs in this year’s recruiting class.

Had Coleman stayed, started, and thrived, Kiffin and company would have had a difficult task of enticing QB recruits in coming to Knoxville to possibly sit for 2 years. In this age of Terrelle Pryor, Joe Flacco, and Twitter, kids have been conditioned to expect immediate results. Think blue chip prospects are eager to hold the same clipboards that were once carried by Jim Bob Cooter himself?

Even Coleman’s biggest fans drew blanks when trying to explain why he never undeniably emerged as “the guy.” His intangibles projected great things, but for Kiffin to tie himself to Coleman’s wagon would be a risky proposition for a coach who had already doubled-down enough over the past 5 months.

So where does this leave Tennessee? While Coleman wasn’t slated as the #1 guy, most considered him a shoo-in to receive decent playing time. If given truth serum, Chaney and Kiffin both probably expected to play all three QBs throughout this season.

Now? Tennessee will be forced to rely on two underachieving and (somewhat) fragile players in the most physical conference in the nation. Though not the end of the world, it is enough to provoke some acid reflux among Tennessee faithful.

The biggest consequence of the entire debacle won’t be felt on the field as it is Kiffin’s loss of political capital. It’s one thing for a guy with questionable character to be cast out of Rocky Top (see Demetrice Morley). But for a kid like Coleman to leave on such awkward terms? While it isn’t unforgivable, it does warrant questioning and some criticism over how the situation was handled.

B.J. was well-liked, respected, and devoted to the program, so the news that Kiffin was less than diligent in communicating with Coleman should come across as a concern for fans, because he deserved a little better than the double brush off he received.

Dare we attribute it to a lack of experience? One could argue that B.J. overreacted and interpreted Kiffin’s behavior as the silent treatment, when it was really just the new coach juggling a busy schedule full of obligations.

Regardless, Kiffin would have been better served to quickly name a starter and end the controversy before it escalated. The veil of ambiguity only served to complicate things as every drill and scrimmage felt like an audition when, in reality, very little will keep Crompton from beginning the season as the starter.

Time will tell if this unfortunate event is the exception or the rule. If Kiffin hopes to put a fence around Tennessee in the recruiting wars, he’ll have to start by making amends for a bad break-up with a native son.