Vols assistant gives fans the answer to one major offseason question surrounding Tennessee
On Wednesday, Tennessee Vols quarterbacks Joey Halzle gave fans the answer to one major offseason question surrounding UT's football program. Halzle revealed that Joe Milton won't be winning the starting quarterback job during the Orange Bowl — regardless of his performance. According to Halzle, the Vols will have an open quarterback competition in the spring. […]
On Wednesday, Tennessee Vols quarterbacks Joey Halzle gave fans the answer to one major offseason question surrounding UT's football program.
Halzle revealed that Joe Milton won't be winning the starting quarterback job during the Orange Bowl — regardless of his performance.
According to Halzle, the Vols will have an open quarterback competition in the spring.
“We’ll have a quarterback competition,” said Halzle in Miami on Wednesday. “And it’s just like from the earlier question about the game (against Clemson), does that weigh in, absolutely, because what you do on the field, it matters as far as who’s playing. But yeah, we’ll have a quarterback competition this offseason and go from there.”
Before you ask, Halzle didn't make this revelation before telling Tennessee's quarterbacks — they already knew the plan.
“They all understand that,” said Halzle about the quarterback competition. “The conversation’s been had with all of them. They all understand that.”
Halzle also said that Milton's performance in the Orange Bowl isn't "his chance" to win or lose the job. He wants to make sure that Milton doesn't put too much pressure on himself against Clemson.
“Game day is always a test, right?” said Halzle. “But it’s not the situation where we’ve had the conversation with like, ‘Hey, this is your chance.’ Because why would you put that on him? It’s already the Orange Bowl against Clemson in front of thousands of people and on national TV. There’s enough natural pressure that goes around it."
I think this is definitely the right approach by Tennessee. For one, it takes the pressure off Milton in the bowl game — the Vols aren't going to assume Milton isn't the guy if he has an up-and-down game against Clemson.
And secondly, quarterback competitions bring out the best in everyone. There's no downside to it — especially in the spring.
We'll see how it all plays out in March/April, but it sounds like it's going to be a spring filled with speculation and rumors when it comes to who the Vols' starting quarterback will be.
Featured image via George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
