Vols plan to use two QBs vs. Sycamores
KNOXVILLE — Quinten Dormady does not have the elusive foot speed or the aerospace engineering major, but the new Tennessee quarterback made at least one teammate think of former Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs in Monday’s 42-41 win over Georgia Tech.
“I can’t say enough about Quinten,” senior offensive tackle Brett Kendrick said. “He always had his composure. He reminded me a lot of Dobbs. He was a calming sense on the sideline. There was no worry in him, and you want something like that in a quarterback.”
Dormady started slowly but finished strong in Tennessee’s comeback victory against the Yellow Jackets and has received mostly positive reviews from the coaching staff for his performance.
Still, Dormady’s offseason competitor for the starting quarterback position is expected to get a chance to play today during the Vols’ 4 p.m. home opener against Indiana State at Neyland Stadium.
“We’re going to play both quarterbacks on Saturday,” Tennessee coach Butch Jones said Thursday.
Jarrett Guarantano drew attention on the ESPN telecast of Monday’s game for his subdued body language on the sideline as Dormady went the distance against the Yellow Jackets. The game followed an offseason of
› speculation about the possibility that Tennessee might use a two-quarterback system.
After conversation swirled about his Monday night sideline demeanor, Guarantano posted on Twitter on Tuesday, “Great team win last night! Goal is to go 1-0 each week and we are on the right track!”
Jones backed up Guarantano this week when he met with media.
“I know there was a lot out there with Jarrett and all I can tell you is this, Jarrett is a good teammate,” Jones said. “He’s always been a good teammate, and he’s a competitor and wants to be in there.”
Guarantano, a redshirt freshman from New Jersey, was among the top-rated dual-threat quarterbacks in the 2016 recruiting class. Without him, Tennessee’s backup quarterback would be true freshman Will McBride, and its third-string quarterback would be a walk-on.
“We have two very, very quality quarterbacks,” Jones said. “For us, we’re going to need to play both quarterbacks. You see the dynamics that surround college football, and you need more than one quarterback. So it’s getting Jarrett the ample reps he needs to be able to perform on Saturdays along with Quinten. The way we practice and our practice structure really allows for that to happen.”
Jones did not specify whether Guarantano’s playing time against Indiana State will be scripted or if it will come as the coaches get a feel for the game.
Dormady had limited game action while backing up Dobbs in 2015 and 2016 and knows the position of uncertainty well.
“We’re all competitors and obviously we all want to play,” Dormady said. “I’ve been through it. That’s about all I can say about it. He (Jarrett) has been good as far as in the film room and out at practice, so that’s really about all I can say about it.”
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com.