The obvious move the Tennessee Vols need to make with Harrison Bailey in the transfer portal
Tennessee Vols sophomore quarterback Harrison Bailey announced on Wednesday afternoon that he's hitting the transfer portal. Bailey is the second Tennessee quarterback to hit the portal this fall. Junior quarterback Brian Maurer entered the transfer portal during fall camp. Bailey's decision to hit the portal certainly isn't surprising. The Georgia native hasn't seen the field […]
Tennessee Vols sophomore quarterback Harrison Bailey announced on Wednesday afternoon that he's hitting the transfer portal.
Bailey is the second Tennessee quarterback to hit the portal this fall. Junior quarterback Brian Maurer entered the transfer portal during fall camp.
Bailey's decision to hit the portal certainly isn't surprising. The Georgia native hasn't seen the field much since Josh Heupel arrived on Rocky Top. Bailey has been a distant third on the depth chart since the start of the season.
The only game action Bailey has seen this season came in the second half of the Volunteers' 56-0 blowout win against Tennessee Tech.
With Bailey in the portal, it means that Tennessee only has two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster — Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton.
Both of those quarterbacks have been banged up this season. Having only two quarterbacks isn't ideal, but that's going to be Tennessee's reality for the rest of the season (wide receiver Jimmy Holiday, who signed with the Vols as a three-star quarterback, should be the emergency quarterback for UT the rest of the season if healthy).
The scary thing for Tennessee is that quarterback depth could be a major issue in 2022.
Hooker wouldn't commit to returning for his "super senior" season in 2022 when asked by reporters about his future on Wednesday. Milton should return, but he's not someone that Heupel should rely on as anything more than a backup.
2022 four-star quarterback Tayven Jackson is committed to the Vols and will add some depth. But that's still not enough — especially if Hooker doesn't return.
There's one very obvious move Tennessee needs to make — or at least attempt to make — this offseason.
Strongly pursue LSU quarterback Myles Brennan.
Brennan, who hasn't played this season due to a broken arm he suffered just before the start of fall camp, has one year of eligibility remaining thanks to the extra COVID-19 year that the NCAA is providing student-athletes.
The former four-star recruit has NFL talent — he's just had a couple of bizarre injuries (an abdomen injury in 2020 and a broken arm from a fishing trip this year), plus he was behind Joe Burrow on the depth chart for a couple of years.
Last season, Brennan passed for 1,112 yards, 11 touchdowns, and three interceptions in three SEC games for the Tigers. An abdomen injury sidelined him for the rest of the season.
LSU has Max Johnson, Garrett Nussmeier, and five-star quarterback commit Walker Howard slated to be in Baton Rouge next season. It seems likely that Brennan will be looking for a new home to attempt to raise his draft stock.
A quarterback-friendly offense in Knoxville could certainly be appealing to Brennan.
Heupel needs to work the phones as soon as Brennan hits the portal (he almost certainly will) and figure out a way to get the talented quarterback to Rocky Top.
It could be the next big transfer quarterback-turned-Heisman contender story.
Featured image via Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
