Josh Heupel Continues To Compliment Quarterback Collective

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has a plan ready for whenever he sees separation among the Volunteers' quarterbacks. 

“When we see separation, we are ready to say something, I’ll come down here and do that,” Heupel said, per Knox News.

Heupel didn’t have such a comment Tuesday following the team's scrimmage at Neyland Stadium.

The Vols' three-man quarterback battle continued through Tennessee’s second preseason scrimmage. 

Returning sophomore quarterback Harrison Bailey started the final three games for Tennessee last season as a freshman. Redshirt senior Henderson Hooker transferred to UT from Virginia Tech in January, while redshirt junior transfer Joe Milton from Michigan joined the group after spring football.

“That group has continued to compete and handle things the right way,” Heupel said.

Heupel said all three quarterbacks “were able to throw the ball efficiently and effectively” despite rainy conditions during the scrimmage.

“I like the growth of that group from day to day,” Heupel said, per Knox News. “You look from the first scrimmage to the second scrimmage, who they are during the course of the practices leading up to today, that group has continued to trend and go in the right direction.”

Heupel didn’t offer much insight into how the quarterbacks played but mentioned that turnovers were not a problem Tuesday.

He also said taking care of the ball was not an issue for the QBs in the first scrimmage.

The first-year Vols coach said at the start of the preseason that he anticipates Tennessee will have a starter but didn't rule out playing other quarterbacks, Knox News reports.

OutKick previously reported that Kaidon Salter — the four-star freshman out of Cedar Hill, Texas — was supposed to be the future quarterback for Tennessee but was dismissed by the program after an off-the-field incident.

“The quarterback battle, going to continue to see those guys compete,” Heupel said. “We will go back later in the day and have an opportunity to watch the scrimmage. I think those guys have all had a chance to continue to grow in that three-day, four-day block before we got into our scrimmage."