Tennessee fans will love Joe Milton even more after comments from Vols redshirt senior
Tennessee Vols quarterback Joe Milton has received plenty of praise this offseason for his decision to stick around at UT the last two seasons despite serving as the program's backup quarterback. Milton was initially the starter in 2021 before an injury forced him out of the Vols' second game of the season. Hendon Hooker came […]
Tennessee Vols quarterback Joe Milton has received plenty of praise this offseason for his decision to stick around at UT the last two seasons despite serving as the program's backup quarterback.
Milton was initially the starter in 2021 before an injury forced him out of the Vols' second game of the season. Hendon Hooker came in, played well, and earned the starting the job.
With Hooker off the to the NFL, it means that Milton finally gets his chance to run Tennessee's offense in 2023. Which is why his decision to stay at UT instead of hitting the transfer portal has received a lot of media attention this offseason.
Vols redshirt senior tight end Jacob Warren was recently asked during an interview with Off the Hook Sports about Milton's decision to stay at Tennessee. And Warren revealed that there was never any concern that Milton was going to leave. According to Warren, that's because Milton never gave any signs to teammates that he was even mildly unhappy at UT.
"I think that portal opens and quickly you see who's ready to get out," said Warren. "And you've known for a while some people that have been ready to get out and Joe never really gave you that thought. That never really entered our heads about whether he would leave because he never talked about leaving. He never seemed like he wanted to leave. He never acted or was talking like he was gonna leave. I never really feared or thought that he would go. If he did, obviously, I've said in the past he would have every right to leave, right? And looking from the outside, he's not starting, he's a great quarterback — he very well could be a starting very, very successful quarterback in this league — and he was on the bench….So we all would understand but obviously at the same time, very happy that that he decided to stay. And very much respect for him."
Those comments from Warren show that Milton, at least publicly, never considered leaving Tennessee after Hooker took over as the Vols' starter. It's truly a rare mindset in college sport these days. And because of the decision, Milton is about to step into a situation where he has multiple years of experience in an offense, he has elite weapons at his disposal, and he'll be playing for a coaching staff that's changed very little since his arrival in Knoxville in 2021.
Not only did Milton make an admirable decision that many college athletes in the same situation wouldn't have made, but he also put himself in the best position possible to succeed. If Milton would've transferred, there's no way he'd be in a situation as good as the one he'll be in this fall at Tennessee.
The NCAA transfer portal can be a great thing for players, but Milton's story is a reminder that it's not always the best choice for players.
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Featured image via Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
