Josh Heupel addresses Tenessee quarterback situation

On3 imageby:Sean Labar09/11/21

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Josh Heupel appears to be evaluating the Tennessee Volunteers quarterback position. Joe Milton entered Saturday’s contest against Wake Forest as the clear starter, but a brutal start paired with a Pitt defense creating chaos for Milton led to a new conversation.

Milton went down with a lower leg injury after being sacked and losing a fumble early in the second quarter, which meant Virginia Tech transfer Hendon Hooker would take the helm.

The Virginia Tech transfer came in with the Vols’ down 20-13, with just a little over two minutes remaining before halftime. In the house of Peyton Manning, Hooker put on a clinic when it comes to running the two-minute offense. Four plays, 64 yards and a 44-yard touchdown pass to seal the deal.

Josh Heupel on the starting quarterback moving forward

“We’re going to go back and look at the tape and evaluate everybody,” Heupel said. “We’ll evaluate the quarterback position as well, but we’ll evaluate everyone and how they played so that may be more opportunities for guys and some of it may just be cleaning up some things that they can control and be better at.”

Hooker wasn’t perfect, and ultimately he wasn’t enough to lead Tennessee to victory. He finished 15-of-21 for with two touchdowns and an interception.

Still, with 2:32 remaining in the third quarter, Hooker delivered yet again to keep the Vols alive. They were trailing 14 points, but Hooker tossed an 8-yard touchdown to Jordan Addison to make it a one-touchdown deficit heading into the fourth quarter.

In the end, Pitt answered on the next drive with another touchdown. The Panther defense collected five sacks, recovered two fumbles, had an interception and the crucial fourth-quarter goal-line stand to seal their second victory of the season.

The Tennessee fan base will be locked in moving forward. Some may want Milton, others are intrigued by the spark Hooker provided. Josh Heupel will feel the heat.

When asked specifically about naming a starting quarterback, Heupel gave a vague response focused on the bigger picture and constant need to look at players across the board.

“It’s game by game evaluation,” Heupel said.

The Tennessee coach then went into a bigger picture answer, carefully dodging the quarterback controversy that is brewing.

“It’s true for everybody. We’re on this 12 game journey, that’s all we get guaranteed and you take it one week at a time. That’s a message that’s always true, when you win a big one and when you lose one. I think it’s important that our players buy in to the process of what it takes to become a high-level football team and program. It’s little things in who we are and how we conduct ourselves that ultimately show up and are part of how we play. There are things we have to continue to grow in as a football team.”

Josh Heupel has reached his first major moment since arriving in Knoxville. Though it may sound small, this is a program craving to return to the top of the SEC. The starting quarterback can make or break a coach.