Josh Heupel Discusses What Joe Milton Brings to Tennessee QB Room
Hoover, Ala.-- Josh Heupel took the stand in the main room at SEC Media Days moments ago, and surprisingly, the quarterback situation was not the first question he was asked about. In fact, Heupel only field two questions during the availability about quarterbacks, but he did provide insight into why Tennessee recruited Joe Milton to join the room and what the Michigan transfer brings to Knoxville.
"Competition is the greatest friend any coach has," Heupel said about the reasoning behind that move. "You have to have that in that room."
"To me, Joe has a unique skillset with his size and mobility," Heupel added during his session in the main room. " He is a bright young man who has picked up on the things we have thrown at him. (He) Can spray the ball all over the field."
Earlier in the day, during an appearance on SEC This Morning, Heupel was also asked about Milton.
"Obviously we added to the room after spring ball with Joe Milton,” the Vols coach stated. "He’s been great inside of our team room, inside of our locker room, has gained a lot of trust from the guys that are around him."
But according to Heupel, competition will abound in year one at each position, and it will be of the utmost importance for the players in the quarterback room to earn their teammates trust and reps.
"There is competition at every spot," Heupel said during his appearance in the main room. "No spot is secure. You have to go earn it every day. That is the rule in college football, you have to earn the reps and earn the right to be on that field.I think the quarterback position, it is really important that every other member of your team, offensively and defensively, see that guy has earned the opportunity to be your quarterback. They have to know that is the right guy, and that only comes through time. As we move, guys are going to earn more reps and guys are going to earn less reps. Once we do that, we are going to move at that rate."
