Wiedmer: Quarterback still key at UT

KNOXVILLE -- For a few brief moments Saturday afternoon, Tennessee senior quarterback Jonathan Crompton was Peyton Manning, Tee Martin and Heath Shuler all rolled into one.

The starting offense down to its final possession of the first half against the first-string defense, Crompton threw six passes. All six fell into the right hands. The final one produced a touchdown, Crompton deftly drilling a 28-yard skinny post to freshman wideout Marsalis Teague.

At that moment, Crompton having connected on 10 of his 12 first-half passes, you could easily see what all the fuss had been about five years ago when Tennessee signed him out of Waynesville, N.C.

Heck, even Southern Cal wanted him back then, some USC assistant named Lane Kiffin attempting to convince Crompton to become the Trojans' horse.

And it was awfully pretty to watch on that one drive. His passes were a sweet combination of v-v-v-rooooom and velvet, nearly all of them sticking to their intended targets like Velcro.

Or as injured wideout Gerald Jones said of Crompton, "You saw patience, confidence and great decision-making. He's doing lots of great things out there."

Unfortunately for Crompton, the second half looked more like the entirety of 2008. He hit 7 of 13 passes for no scores, threw at least one pass that could have been intercepted and another that might have been.

Said a subdued Kiffin of Crompton and back-up QB Nick Steve Stephens after Saturday's workout inside Neyland Stadium, "I thought outside of today they have played extremely well."

If you bleed Big Orange, this isn't exactly cause to start saving up money for the Southeastern Conference championship game. Midway through his fifth fall camp, Crompton can still look as shaky as a bobblehead in a hurricane.

In today's college football, where you have a capable quarterback or you have bowl season off, such unsteadiness from Crompton or Stephens could do far more than derail defensive back Eric Berry's Heisman bid.

(By the way, for those looking for a glimmer of hope, at least a portion of Crompton's outstanding first half came with Berry on the field for the offense's first two series.)

To be fair, Crompton said, "I'm happy right now."

Of course, he also said of his effort, "I'll have to look at the film first," which Crompton says as often as your favorite drive-thru clerk says, "May I take your order?"

In fact, despite majoring in Communication Studies, Crompton can make vanilla look as spicy as Tabasco sauce.

But that doesn't mean he can't yet become a quarterback capable of guiding the Vols to a surprisingly strong 2009. Despite a few hiccups in the final half, Crompton did indeed appear more patient and confident and calm. He repeatedly moved the chains with much help from from his running backs. He only twice threw passes capable of winding up in the wrong hands.

It was all enough to cause defensive end Chris Walker -- who had at least a little to do with those hiccups -- to note: "I just think Jonathan's more consistent. He's really playing well."

Whether he's playing well enough won't be known until at least Sept. 12, when the Vols welcome UCLA to Neyland after opening the season against Western Kentucky.

But on at least one point, Crompton and Kiffin appear to be on exactly the same page.

Said the coach late Saturday afternoon, "We've got to go back and watch the film to see what was happening."